A place for nature, creativity and community
187 days
until we open
Livehere
Apply →Season 2027
2 periods
- Artists-in-residence 26 Jun – 22 Jul
- Festafest 22 Jul – 25 Jul
Stay a while
Festa Kraftverk is a power station from 1951, standing alone in the forest by the river Driva in Oppdal, with cliffs behind it and mountains all around. For twenty years it made electricity for the valley. Now it is a place for art, music and people, and from spring 2027 you can live here.
Life here is simple. A small house of your own for sleep, reflection and time alone, and everything else shared: the kitchen, the machine hall, the workspaces, the fire, the long table. You wake up in the forest, take a quick dip in the cold river, work for as long as you like and eat together in the evening. What do you really need, and what can you leave behind?
Festa is a self-funded residency for artists and makers, and a retreat for anyone who needs quiet to go deep into their work or share a few weeks of simple life with others. You become part of a small community: we cook together, take care of the place together and help each other. The rest of the time is yours.
We prefer people to stay for a while, at least two weeks, since it takes some time to land and settle in.
A month at Festa
Every week has two fixed points: dinner together on Monday and a shared practice on Wednesday. About once a month we also try to open a café for the village. The rest of the time is yours.
- Every Monday
18:00 Community dinner
We cook and eat together, and hear how everyone's week is going.
- Every Wednesday
Midweek practice
Breathwork, sound healing, pilates or something else: a shared practice in the middle of the week, free for everyone who lives here.
Where you sleep
You sleep in a small house in nature: a micro house among the trees or a dome by the power station, each a little apart from the others. A bed, a view of the forest, and quiet. The rest of life happens in the power station and around the fire. There is also room for a couple of campervans.
Preliminary site plan · a new one is on its way
Shared
- The kitchen, toilets and showers in the power station
- The machine hall, nine metres to the ceiling, with an open fireplace
- Rooms to work in, and a shared workspace
- Fire pit and long tables by the river
- Forest, mountains and trails from the door
Days here
From the residency
“I had an amazing time working on my project in the middle of a Norwegian forest. The surrounding nature makes for an extremely inspiring setting.”
“The communal engagement and collaboration will forever be remembered, with everything from long workdays to sitting around a fire eating together, harvesting materials from the surrounding forest and taking refreshing dips in the river.”
Good to know
What is included?+
Your own house, with bed linen, wifi and firewood for the stove. The kitchen, bathrooms and shared rooms in the power station are yours to use.
What about food?+
Food is not included. You buy your own food, and we like to cook and eat together in the shared kitchen. On Mondays everyone eats together.
How do I get here?+
Take the train to Oppdal station, and we will pick you up there.
Can I bring my partner or my dog?+
Yes, both are welcome.
How to apply
The application form is on its way
This page is still being built, and the form is not ready yet. Until it is, send us an email with a few words about who you are, what you want to work on and when you would like to come.
- 01Tell us who you are, what you want to work on, and when you would like to come.
- 02We read every application and put together a group that fits.
- 03We reply with dates and the price for your stay.
The price depends on the length of your stay: the longer you stay, the lower the weekly price. Spring: 1 May – 20 June. Autumn: 1 August – 30 September.