The board of West Zealand Working Art Workshops has decided to close down Sølyst on October, 1st 2011.
This means that all art activities at Sølyst stop and SAiR (Sølyst Artist in Residence Center) closes.

This decision has been necessary due to lack of income such as sponsorship, funds and public support of the Sølyst project, making it impossible to maintain the professional art activities.

SAiR started the residence program and sculpture exhibitions with international artists at Sølyst in 2007 with considerable support from the Ministry of Culture, Region Zealand, National Art Councils as well as Toyota and BKF-O funds. Furthermore Holbæk municipality and the cultural region of Central and West Zealand also supported the project over the years and joined the international arts funding pools, such Laspis, OCA, DCCD, British Council and KKnord to support.
These agencies will only fund art projects in a highly professional and professional level, and no noncommercial art projects of this magnitude could exist four years in a row without definite operating subsidy from the municipality or state.

SAIR has since 2007 been the largest center for artist in residence in Denmark with 20 to 50 inter-national artists per year and up to 600 applications for residency per application deadline.
The center has also established a framework for new production to major exhibitions at U-TURN Quadrennial for Contemporary Art, Malmö Konsthall and Kunsthal Charlottenborg.
In connection with these productions, artists have stayed at Sølyst. The annual exhibition in the sculpture park around Sølyst has meant that many renowned artists from home and abroad stayed at the small castle while they were working with major and minor new productions for exhibitions at Sølyst or at one of the cooperating cultural institutions.

Moreover, the professional art activities at Sølyst have generated subject teachers for the intermunicipal BGK art school which has been booted on the spot. The school admitted young students aged 15-21 years who were taught by professional artists. Several students have assisted the international artists at home and abroad and are already admitted to the Danish art colleges and design schools. – This Art school is a success story on Sølyst as it administratively falls under the regional culture joint administration and therefore continues to run on the spot.

It is with great regret the board is forced to shut down activities at Sølyst. And it is out of respect for it all, this press release is sent out.
We wish to point out that the activities of Sølyst through more than 4 years were supported by the highest guarantees of quality and professionalism in Denmark and abroad. - But in spite of a large network and a well respected reputation it has not been possible to continue the project.

Sincerely

Viggo Lynge Larsen
(Chairman of the Board)