Ladies and Gentlemen.
Distinguished guests.
Dear artists, patrons and lovers of Sámi art and culture.

Last night we were attendees to something truly extraordinary.

Máret Ánna Saras stunning installation Goavve-Geabbil is both moving and poignant. I can only echo Her Majesty The Queen in praising this bold, poetic and uncompromising work of art.

And how fitting that the setting should be this:

The turbine hall in Tate Modern. Recognized today as one of the most iconic large scale gallery-spaces in the world, this great hall held the massive turbines and boilers of the Bankside Power Station.

From here, electricity was churned. Day in and day out.

It is industrial, in both scope and idea.

Now, contrast this to a different kind of power.
The ambience in Saras work.
The presence of her roots, her culture, her heritage.
Not the power of machines and industry, but the power of the hide, the animal, the land.

The contrast between tradition and exploitation. From the injustice of mis-representation to such powerful representation here today.   
It has moved me deeply.

This week we see a full takeover of Sámi art, culture and music at Tate Modern-  from the exhibition spaces in the gallery itself, to a night of Sámi music at the Corner Bar on Thursday. The evocative program is curated by NANU – Sámi Arts International.

And – continuing the theme of power and energy – where we today see Tate Modern as a powerhouse in the world of contemporary art, it is my hope that we will one day equally consider NANU a powerhouse when it comes to presenting Sámi art to the world.    

The establishment of NANU marks a historic milestone for Sámi art and representation on the global stage. For the first time, we are seeing the creation of a Sámi-led export and agency office with an international mandate.

NANU is a powerful example of how Indigenous artistic leadership and values can and must form the foundation of international engagement.

It is about creating the systems that ensure authentic representation, cultural ownership, and structural support for Sámi artists.

And it is born out of years of collaboration between key players within the Sámi art scene.

Dáiddadállu, the Sámi artist collective in Kautokeino where Máret Ánne Sara herself is a founding member.

And Riddu Riđđu, the international Indigenous festival that takes place in Kåfjord annually.     

NANU then, and the vision and the ideas behind it, is firmly grounded in the needs expressed by the Sámi art field itself.

The ambition is that it will serve as an important platform for cross-border collaboration between institutions, artists, and Indigenous networks – in the UK and around the world.

In recent years, international attention towards Sámi art has grown markedly, with Máret Ánne Sara’s Hyundai Commission at Tate Modern representing the latest culmination of this growing interest.

I would like to take this opportunity to also acknowledge the invaluable efforts that the organizations in the Norwegian Arts Abroad Network have done to promote Sámi art internationally. Most of you are present here today.

I look forward to seeing a continued strong and meaningful collaboration between you and the new Sámi-led initiative.

Rather than relying on ad hoc invitations or short-term project funding, NANU will create a permanent platform that is Sámi-led and artist-initiated, and that in turn can lead to long-term planning, lasting relationships, and genuine representation.

It can move the field beyond simply participation.

Sámi art has already proven its resonance.

What NANU offers are the structures needed to sustain visibility and impact — on Sámi terms.

The Norwegian government is proud to support NANU in its pilot phase.

We will follow the journey with interest and enthusiasm.