LB°24 Partners

Norrbottens Föreningsarkiv

In collaboration with Norrbottens föreningsarkiv (the Norrbotten Association Archive), the Luleå Biennial 2022 presents material about the famous Seskaröspelen.

Norrbottens föreningsarkiv was founded in 1965 under the name the Archive of People's Movements in Norrbotten. In their archives you can find materials from the 19th century and forward. The archive includes over 3 000 archived associations, among them workers movements, sobriety movements, sports associations and revival movements. All associations operating the the region can become members.

Among the documents held are materials from the Seskaröspelen association, which organised workers’ theatre productions on Seskarö island. The first, and perhaps most famous, of their productions was 1980’s Nöd bryter lag (“Necessity Breaks Law”), which told the story of the hunger riots on Seskarö in 1917. Archival material from this association’s work are shown at Havremagasinet as part of the Luleå Biennial 2022, and engaged in a historical dialogue with the contemporary productions of the Post Worker Theatre.