Autumn has arrived in Copenhagen. On good days, October is so beautiful that it almost hurts: the leaves are dressed in all shades of orange and red, the sun is glittering on the water and the sky is clear blue. On the…less good, or according to some hygge disciples, “even better days,” strong wind is chasing leaves along the sidewalks and rain into the cyclists’ faces.
Those are the perfect days to snuggle up on the sofa or to put on your cosiest sweater (and raincoat!) and feed your soul and stomach with all the great things Copenhagen has to offer this month. Exhibitions, festivals, markets, talks, and concerts: there’s a lot going on in October.
Here are the best events happening in Copenhagen this month:
Wednesday 2nd October
Economy, labour, and migration in Filipino-Danish relations 1950-2015 at Danish Institute for International Studies
They called themselves the Filipino Pioneers, the generation of workers who came to Denmark from 1960 to 1973. When the Danish “guest worker” recruitment formally ended and at the same time, the Philippine government was in the process of creating a labor export programme. How can we explain this paradox of a formal “immigration stop” and continued migration, dynamically shaping 21st century labor markets and political agendas? Journalist and Historian Nina Trige Andersen discusses how the local transformations shaped by global political and economic relations have impacted migrant workers’ lives in Denmark, in the Philippines and in-between. The seminar takes place from 2 – 4 pm and will be in English. Participation is free but registration is required until 10th October at 10 am. There will also be a live stream on diis.dk.
SMK KOM – Practice your Danish at Statens Museum for Kunst
SMK KOM is a weekly meeting to talk about art, practice Danish, and meet new people. The event is free, and admission to the museum is complementary when you participate. No registration needed, just come by! From 4-7 pm. The meting point is the sculpture street.
Thursday 3rd – Sunday 6th October
Fristillet at Pop-Up Copenhagen
Susanne, Birgitte, and Grethe were colleagues for many years working for the same newspaper until the day they were laid off. In the aftermath, they focused on creating art and “Fritstillet“ is their first show together. Susanne Bondrop paints in an expressive naturalism, with the main source of inspiration being Danish landscapes. Birgitte Elkær expresses herself through non-figurative, naïve, and happy image collages with material structure, and Grethe Nielsen has most recently focused on the development of the gender political cartoon “Den nøgne sandhed – ifølge Iris & Angela” (The Naked Truth – According to Iris & Angela). Join the opening of the artistic fusion at Pop-Up Copenhagen from 4 – 7 pm. The exhibition will be on display until Sunday.
Thursday 3rd October
Season Opening of The Caribbean Housewife
Soup bar The Caribbean Housewife opens for the season: hurray! Get yourself the tastiest soup and other cosy dishes around, including her beloved lasagna. There are lots of vegetarian and vegan options. The opening event, from 4 – 7 pm, includes free soup for the first 25 guests, music by WILD DAVE, and even a few tastings. Go slurp it up!
Slow – En aften om oasen at Glyptoteket
Imagine an oasis in the middle of a desert, a city and a multicultural society that forms a hub for trade routes, caravan routes and the exchange of both goods and cultures between East and West. The city is ancient Palmyra – an oasis town located in present-day Syria. Join for an evening of guided tours, workshops, talks and music in connection with the newly opened critically acclaimed exhibition “The Road to Palmyra“. From 5-9 pm.
Danskertesten – The Big Dane-Off at Studenterhuset
Compete in disciplines such as “Eating Danish candy“, „Weird idioms from hell“, and „Build an open sandwich“. You can join individually or as teams, just register via the link. From 8-10 pm.
Friday 4th – Sunday 6th October
Amager Bakke – Opening of CopenHill
CopenHill offers skiing, the world’s tallest climbing wall (spring 2020), steep trail running, hiking and outdoor fitness in unique surroundings. Join the opening celebration from 5 pm. Find the full program on the website.
Designer Forum
Want to save up to 80% off some of your favorite brands, including Han Kjøbenhavn, Samsøe Samsøe, SAND, and more. There’s a VIP sale on Friday evening, then Forum is open from 10 am – 5 pm on Saturday and 10 am – 4 pm on Sunday. VIP tickets are 195 and include early access, welcome drinks, and a goodiebag for the first 500 people to arrive. All tickets can be purchased online, and are slightly more expensive at the door.
Friday 4th October
“The children abandoned by the Islamic State and the world“ at Danish Institute for International Studies
Mia Bloom opens her recent book, Small Arms: Children and Terrorism, with the observation that “children in violent extremist movements, disparagingly referred to as ‘child terrorists,’ are not born. Rather, they are made.” This seminar is held by Professor Mia Bloom of Georgia State University, a leading expert on this complex topic, as well as Anders Ladekarl, Secretary General of the Danish Red Cross, who has experienced IS camps first hand, and freelance journalist Nagieb Khaja, who has met Danish children currently held there. From 1-3 pm. Participation is free but registration until 3rd October at 10 am is required.
Opening: “Art & Porn“ at Kunsthal Charlottenborg
Marking the 50th anniversary of lifting the ban on visual pornography in Denmark, Kunsthal Charlottenborg invites you to join the opening of the major autumn exhibition “Art & Porn“ featuring Marina Abramović and Wolfgang Tillmans among others. Indulge in some art and bubbles from 6-10 pm, after that you can move to Apollo Bar for a dance. Admission is free.
Saturday 5th October
Planks Grassroots Tour 2019 at CopenHill
The Planks Grassroots Tour is now in its third year and this time it’s headed to the brand new dry slope in Copenhagen. Expect an awesome park, skiers, bags of prizes, and good tunes in your ears. It’s the perfect way to get stoked for winter and everyone’s invited, so make sure you kick off the season with a bang! The event is open to anyone and all you need is a valid lift ticket for the slope to enter. From 12 noon – 5 pm.
Latinamerikansk Festival 2019 at Casa Latinoamericana
Latin American culture house Casa Latinoamericana is throwing its yearly Latinamerikansk Festival. Indulge in delicious food, learn tango and listen to traditional music right in the heart of Nørrebro. From 12 noon – midnight.
Sunday 6th October
Rita Blå’s Lopper i Kulturhuset Indre By
Just in time for autumn, Rita Blå’s Lopper is moving inside. Go on a treasure hunt and enjoy some fair-trade coffee, baked goods, or Moroccan specialties from 11 am – 4 pm.
Monday 7th October
Quiz Night at Studenterhuset
Put together your dream team, participate in a quiz and win at Studenterhuset’s Original Quiz with current affairs questions and Danish hygge. It’s 20 DKK per person and there can be two to four people in each team. From 7-9 pm.
Tuesday 8th – Friday 11th October
Body Landscapes Performance Art Festival at Union KBH
Performance Køkkenet invites you to the third edition of the International Performance Art Festival, Body Landscapes. This year, the festival is focused on the experience of the body as a subject of movement. Movement is addressed as an important experience that shapes the identity and the memory of artists that have a personal story of migration. There will be workshops, talks, live performances and video performances, where the participants question and play with the idea of movement, as part of their practice as performance artists. Find more information on the festival website and tickets via Billetto.
Wednesday 9th – Saturday 12th October
Live Like Tomorrow
“Live Like Tomorrow” is the host city festival as part of the C40 World Mayors Summit 2019 in Copenhagen. It is a climate festival for citizens, change makers, food activists, bike enthusiasts, social entrepreneurs, NGOs, and innovative companies. Discover the public program with around 90 engaging and innovative events, talks, and showcases. Copenhagen Downtown will become a living lab of sustainable solutions and debates on how we can all step up and start creating The Future We Want.
The festival includes a people’s climate march on Friday the 11th, which is a unique opportunity to tell the world that our cities must make substantial changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by cities and their citizens.
Wednesday 9th October
Urban Rigger – the future is floating
The challenges of urbanization make it more important than ever to build smart. According to the team behind Urban Rigger, finding a sustainable answer means exploring the undiscovered resources in our cities. Urban Rigger floating homes can be placed anywhere with water access. By harnessing energy from the surrounding water through specialized heat pumps and from the sun through solar panels, they achieve a very low CO2 emission. Join a guided tour and learn more from 4-5.30 pm. Free tickets are available via Eventbrite.
Thursday 10th – Friday 11th October
KAFK Youth Climate Summit
In collaboration with UN City Copenhagen and in conjunction with the C40 Mayors Summit and the host city festival Live Like Tomorrow, this summit explores how young architects, designers, and conservators can respond to the challenges and come up with solutions associated with climate change. Free tickets are available via Billetto.
Thursday 10th October
“Why are we not doing as much good as we would like to?“ at Studenterhuset
Do you intend to cut down on animal products, but still find yourself eating cheeseburgers after a night out? Do you intend to spend more time doing good in the world, but end up Netflix-binging or Instagram-scrolling the whole evening? Jacob Schjødt will help you get wiser on why you and almost everyone else fall victim to the intention-behaviour gap and will give you tools to fight it. From 7-9 pm.
Talk: “The Circular City“ at SPACE10
Join SPACE10, IKEA’s global research and design lab, and EFFEKT Architects for a talk and exhibition presenting their latest project, The Urban Village. The talk will focus on their vision for how to design, build, and share our future living spaces in order to improve our quality of life. From cross-generational living to flatpack, modular homes; from sharing energy, finance, mobility and food to efficiency, community and affordability, SPACE10 and EFFEKT have developed a number of ideas for creating better and more circular solutions for our future cities. The talk is free, sign up will be possible via the Live Like Tomorrow website or Eventbrite.
Friday 11th October
Kulturnatten 2019
For more than 26 years, Culture Night has been one of Copenhagen’s most well-attended cultural events. When the schools begin their autumn holiday the association Kulturnatten creates a festive evening that celebrates Copenhagen’s cultural life. More than 250 museums, theatres, libraries, churches, ministries and parks throughout the city welcome the public during the city’s biggest annual one-day event. Find the full program on Kulturnatten’s website.
Debate: Why Urban Development Prevents Us from Living Sustainably at BLOX
This debate is organized by Dansk Arkitektur Center and will offer perspectives on how to create a city that balances future and present needs. Different solutions will be discussed and the debate aims to investigate why they can fail, and how to avoid this. The emphasis will be on urban development, its politics and processes. This debate is a part of the C40-program and will be in English. From 12:15 – 1:15 pm. Admission is free, just sign up via the link.
Saturday 12th October
Fieh at Vega
The Norwegian group Fieh, consisting of eight talented musicians, brings you back in time to the smoke filled clubs where Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday performed. Doors open at 8 pm and tickets cost 165 DKK.
Monday 14th October
Pilsner og Perleplader at Absalon
This Monday evening is dedicated to Absalon’s beer taps and your almost forgotten iron-on beads skills. Bring your friends and get creative. From 8-11 pm.
Tuesday 15th October
Workshop: Basics on advertising for your sustainable business at Sydhavn Genbrugscenter
Sustainable business enthusiasts, this one is for you. Do you have a sustainable business idea or product but you are not sure how to create awareness or how to sell it? This workshop covers the basics of social media marketing and online advertising and helps you to find a fitting solution. The event is free but registration is required. From 4-7 pm.
Thursday 17th October
The Caribbean Housewife x Æbleskud
Autumnal culinary bliss! The Caribbean Housewife will be making apple pie with Bramley apples from Smedegården, and there will be limited edition bottles of Æbleskud Most (apple juice) for sale. All proceeds go to Doctors Without Borers and Save the Children. The event takes place from 4 – 7 pm.
Friday 18th October
Exhibition opening: “Concrete Skeletons: Exploring the liminal intricacies of Space in a West Africa Metropolis“ by Limbo AccrA at SPACE10
The exhibition “Concrete Skeletons“ by Limbo AccrA explores the relationship between modernizing Accra, Ghana, and its future via the occupation of uncompleted property developments through an experimental variety of media including sculpture, photography, moving image. It features the works of 10 ground-breaking and emerging African artists. Get a drink, check out the exhibition, and catch up with friends or make new ones from 5 – 9 pm.
Saturday 19th October
Oresund Cup 2010 (Final & Qualification #2) at Beta Boulders
The cross-Oresund rivalry between Sweden and Denmark is legendary. Watch climbers battling each other across two gyms when they compete not only for themselves but also for their country teams. Round #1 will take place in Malmö Klättercentret, round #2 and the final at Beta Boulders in Copenhagen. Both gyms throw an afterparty, so no matter where you end up – celebrate with the athletes. From 10 am – 10 pm. Find tickets via the website.
CPH Zine Fest
Dive into zine culture at this year’s CPH Zine Fest in Ungdomshuset. The event goes from 12 noon – 8 pm and there will be an afterparty.
Tuesday 22nd October
Blanco White at Ideal Bar
London-based Josh Edwards started his musical project Blanco White in 2014. Having studied guitar in Spain and the Andalusian instrument charango in Bolivia, he blends Latin-American and Western influences. The resulting indie-folk is the perfect soundtrack for rainy autumn days. Doors open at 7 pm and tickets cost 135 DKK.
Wednesday 23rd – Saturday 26th October
POST Design Festival 2019
In our increasingly image-based society, designers and illustrators are growing more responsible for shaping the rhetoric of the visual future. Through talks and workshops, the non-profit, openly critical and collaborative design festival POST challenges the place of graphic design, digital design and illustration practice in society. Addressing issues such as the ethics of design, the politics of image making and the unknowns of the creative future, POST offers a unique opportunity to explore, question and re-imagine the purpose of the graphic arts. Find the program and tickets on the festival website.
Sinful Scandinavia at Huset KBH
Huset KBH is celebrating the concept of „Scandinavian Sin“ which got its global breakthrough 50 years ago when, in 1969, Denmark abolished movie censorship. Sweden contributed to this era and, thus, features heavily in this four nights retrospective on the sexual revolution. Each night, different movies are screened, so check the website for the program. From 6 pm.
Friday 25th October
Concert: Alyona Petrovskaya at the Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Denmark
In memory of Dagmar, Princess of Denmark, who later became Grand Duchess Maria Fyodorovna of Russia, the Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Denmark hosts a concert with singer Alyona Petrovskaya as well as a small exhibition. More information and tickets can be found via the website. The concert starts at 7 pm.
Saturday 26th October
Justin MusikBanko & Afterparty
Come by Absalon for a round of Justin Banko featuring both Justins, Timberlake and Bieber. All numbers will be exchanged with titles of Justin music so rock your body and get ready for a good time. From 8 pm – 2 am. Tickets via Billetto are currently sold out but stay tuned, maybe some spots open up.
Sunday 27th October
Græske klassikere på Glyptoteket: Rytteriet
Are you on top of your Greek classics? Get told or retold Aristofanes’ “Rytteriet” when translator and PhD. in classical Greek Marcel Lysgaard Lech and literary critic Klaus Rothstein dive into the content of the political satire and the significance of the work for our modern society. At the end of the conversation, satire researcher Dennis Meyhoff Brink highlights political satire as a form of expression in a contemporary context. This is the first event of a monthly series dedicated to Greek classics. From 3-4 pm. Tickets are available via Billetto.
Live performance:”Louise Alenius, Tête – Step into the artist’s head“ at SMK
Take this last chance to see Louise Alenius’s installation Tête and join when the artist performs vocal improvisations inside the installation, a three meter tall wooden sculpture that is shaped like her head. Alenius will perform for an audience of one person at a time who, by sitting in the head, can direct their undivided attention to the music. The event takes place from 2-5 pm and is included in the standard admission to the museum.
Tuesday 29th October
Filmuniversitetet – Morgen: Spejlet (original title: Zerkalo)
The main character – director Tarkovsky’s alter ego – is in crisis. He thinks back to his childhood under Stalin’s rule while trying to control his life. According to Tarkovsky, the film is purely autobiographical. It is a chaotic, ruthless portrait of absence of joy, absence of faith, and absence of hope. Isak Thorsen, lecturer in film studies, gives an introduction to the movie. The introduction and subtitles will be in Danish and the event begins at 9.15 am.
Thursday 31st October
20 Bridge Run through Copenhagen – Free
Join Run Buddy for a 7km run through Copenhagen. It’s actually possible to cross 20 bridges in Copenahgen in 7km! This run is open to expats, and begins outside The Standard. There will be a couple of stops, and the group runs at a moderate pace. Run Buddy Copenhagen is always free, and we always recommend Ole’s company!
Ongoing in October
Dream Recall by Christoffer Joergensen at Galleri Christoffer Egelund
Dealing with questions such as how the spread of technology into every domain of life changes the way we perceive the world, Swiss/Danish artist Christoffer Joergensen transforms the photograph from a medium depicting reality to abstraction. „Dream Recall“ is his third solo exhibition at Galleri Christoffer Egelund. The exhibition is on display from 27th September to 27th October.
Arabian Nights 2019 at Cinemateket
For the fifth year, “Arabian Nights” puts the spotlight on the Arabian world and explores culture, art, history, and society. Besides movie screenings, there will be talks and debates. The program is a collaboration with Malmø Arab Film Festival and can be found on Cinemateket’s website. The festival goes from 1st to 20th October.
“Concrete Skeletons: Exploring the liminal intricacies of Space in a West Africa Metropolis“ by Limbo AccrA at SPACE10
Ghana’s capital Accra is experiencing rapid changes. The city’s evolving identity and influx of new developments are leaving its urban spaces caught in a state of limbo: anxiously awaiting modern futures while fossilized with the fragments of the past. The exhibition “Concrete Skeletons“ by Limbo AccrA takes as a point of departure the relationship between modernizing Accra and its future via the occupation of uncompleted property developments through an experimental variety of media including sculpture, photography, moving image. It features the works of 10 ground-breaking and emerging African artists. The exhibition is on display from 18th October to 22nd November and can be visited during the Gallery hours, Tuesday to Friday from 12 – 6 pm.
Bauhaus – #itsalldesign at Designmuseum Danmark
Designmuseum Danmark takes part in the international celebration of 100 years Bauhaus with the research based exhibition “Bauhaus – #itsalldesign.” Developed by Vitra Designmuseum and Bundeskunsthalle Bonn, the exhibition explores all aspects of this design school’s activities and how contemporary design builds on the heritage of Bauhaus. The exhibition is open until 1st December.
Danish Golden Age – World-class art between disasters at Statens Museum for Kunst
Statens Museum for Kunst presents the largest exhibition ever staged about the Golden Age of Danish art. Learn how the artists of one of the most creative artistic periods in Denmark have created the image of the Danish landscape and culture that we still celebrate today. The exhibition is produced in collaboration with Nationalmuseum Stockholm and Petit Palais Paris. It will be on display until 8th December.
Marsden Hartley at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
American painter and poet Marsden Hartley has been called “America’s first great modern painter of the 20th century” and “one of the most intriguing art historical subjects of all time“ and, yet, he remains relatively unknown to a European audience. This presentation at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art marks the first major retrospective exhibition of his work in Europe in over 60 years. It is on display until 19th January 2020.
Confessions of the Piping System at Kunsthal Charlottenborg
This autumn, Kunsthal Charlottenborg presents the first-ever solo exhibition of the critically acclaimed Czech artist Eva Koťátková in Scandinavia. The scenographic exhibition „Confessions of the Piping System“ features surrealism and institutional critique. It is open until 16th February 2020.
Lauren Greenfield: Generation Wealth at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
With “Generation Wealth“ Lauren Greenfield has created a unique document of 25 years of consumer culture which in the view of the artist has changed the values of the middle class to raw materialism, celebrity culture and undisguised narcissism. The exhibition is on display until 16th February 2020.
Vejen til Palyra (The Road to Palmyra) at Glyptoteket
“The Road to Palmyra“ is the first exhibition in Denmark focusing on the culture of the ancient city of Palmyra, an oasis in present-day Syria. In times shaped by globalization, migration, and the meeting of different cultures, Palymira gained attention for its fascinating history of multiculturalism. The exhibition is on display until 1st March 2020 and on Thursday, 3rd October, the city is explored from multiple angles in an evening filled with talks, workshops, music, and guided tours.
Matters – Rethinking Materials at Designmuseum Danmark
In collaboration with CHART art fair, Designmuseum Danmark presents this exhibition of five young Nordic designers who rethink the use of material in the design process. The exhibition is on display until 29th March 2020.
Art & Porn at Charlottenborg Kunsthal
Art & Porn marks the fiftieth anniversary of the legalisation of visual pornography and shows how the relationship between pornography and art has developed over the past five decades. What are the implications of changing the boundaries of what citizens may experience in public space? The group exhibition features artists such as Marina Abramović and Wolfgang Tillmans. It will be on display from 5th October until 12th January 2020.
Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything at GL Strand and Nikolaj Kunsthal
The world-renowned novelist, poet, and singer-songwriter, Leonard Cohen, has inspired generations of writers, musicians, and artists. “Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything“ is the first exhibition entirely devoted to the imagination and legacy of the global icon from Montreal, Canada. The exhibition will be on display from 24th October until 13th April 2020.
If you’re a business or organisation that would like us to add your event to next month’s calendar, please contact us at hello [@] scandinaviastandard [dot] com. Thank you!
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