ABOUT

GRIP is part of an initiative started in 2021 by Bergen Kjøtt, AKKS Bergen, Carte Blanche, BIT Teatergarasjen, Prøverommet and sound technician Irene Bjørke to strengthen a greater diversity of people with technical expertise in Vestland.

Women, non-binary and transgender people are still strongly underrepresented in the sound, light and AV engineering field. In 2022 it was reported* that 93% of all technicians in Norway are cis-male.

WE WANT TO CHANGE THIS!

GRIP is open to everyone, including cis-men, over the age of 18 (with no upper age limit) and offers both introductory and in-depth courses in sound and light engineering. GRIP aims to encourage an intersectional, interdisciplinary and intergenerational approach.

Since 2021, GRIP has trained more than 200 people in sound engineering, including new sound technicians as well as teachers, musicians, youth workers, producers and curators who want to gain more knowledge and confidence in sound technology. In 2025 we launched new introduction courses in technical lighting to train new light engineers for live events.

92% of GRIP participants are women, non-binary and transgender people. Many are now working as professional sound technicians in Bergen and Norway. We are proud of all of our trainees who are changing the field of sound and light engineering!

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*«Forestillingen er avlyst» Frafall av teknikere i sceneteknisk bransje og forslag til tiltak, Anne-Sofie Hjemdahl og Roy Aulie Jacobsen, Kulturrom, 2022. Read the full report HERE.

“For me, the GRIP course has been a stepping stone into an industry that I previously felt was not easy to approach. I don't think this would have been possible without the GRIP course, and the inspiration and motivation I got through it.”

- GRIP graduate

AIMS

GRIP aims to increase the number of cis-women, non-binary and transgender people in sound and light technician roles in Norway´s cultural organisations - and create greater diversity in the industry.

The field of sound and light engineering continues to be white, able-bodied and cis-male dominated. The development of the cultural scene is not only about creating a diversity of role models on stage, but also behind the scenes – in production, lighting and sound engineering, and in all other important roles behind the scenes.

GRIP aims to be a “training ground” to provide long-term, practical training, experience and guidance in sound and light engineering across cultural disciplines, such as music, dance, performance and theatre.

GRIP aims to empower cultural workers with greater technical knowledge in sound and light engineering, to strengthen their capacity working with live events and technology as producers, curators, youth workers, teachers, festival organisers.

GRIP collaborates with other organisations in Bergen including Vill Vill Vest festival, Borealis – a festival for experimental music, Østre, Bergen Kunsthall / Landmark, Transgender Awareness Week and Creative Technology to offer practical experience and mentoring for the GRIP trainees.

STATISTICS

Since 2021 GRIP has trained 230 people in sound engineering, between the ages of 18-70.

340 people have applied for GRIP.
GRIP has organised 35 courses with 80 workshops.

92% of trainees are cis-women, non-binary, transgender. To put it simply: we are completely flipping the statistic of the "norm" which reports 93% of technicians in Norway are cis-men.
In 2025 we launched new introduction courses in technical lighting to train new light engineers for live events.
In 2025 we piloted a new series of workshops aimed at empowering trainees to maintain, repair, lift, handle and store gear.

GRIP has now doubled the number of cis-women, non-binary, transgender sound technicians working in Bergen.
Several of our former trainees now work professionally as sound technicians at:

Bergen Kjøtt
BIT Teatergarasjen
Creative Technology
Hallingdal lyd
Konsert Systemer
Kvarteret
Landmark / Bergen Kunsthall
Prøverommet
Østre
Wrap

GRIP graduate and now professional sound engineer Priscilla Miranda Navas.
Photo: Bergen Kjøtt

2025: 10 COURSES

Sound engineering:
In-depth stage 1 course (6 sessions)
Introductory course in Norwegian (1 day)
Introductory course in English (1 day)
GRIP x PKI & Skeiv Verden Vest: Introductory course (1 day)

Light engineering:
Introductory course in Norwegian (1 day)
Introductory course in English (1 day)

Maintenance and repair:
Soldering and cable-making (1 day)
Lifting and handling heavy gear (1 day)
Fixing speakers and sound gear (1 day)
Fixing lamps and light gear (1 day)

2024: 5 COURSES

In-depth stage 1 course (6 sessions)
Introductory course in Norwegian (1 day)
Introductory course in English (1 day)
GRIP x Papillon x Hop skole introduction course for under 18s
Stage 2 developmental course (5 sessions)

2023: 7 COURSES

In-depth stage 1 course (6 sessions)
Introductory course in Norwegian (1 day)
Introductory course in English (1 day)
In-depth stage 1 course (6 sessions)
Introductory course in Norwegian (1 day)
Introductory course in English (1 day)
GRIP x Forandringshuset Bergen: Introductory course to sound engineering for under 18s (4 sessions)

2022: 7 COURSES

In-depth stage 1 course (6 sessions)
Introductory course for music teachers (1 day)
Introductory course: sound engineering for studio and field recording (1 day)
Introductory course: sound engineering for musicians, stage performers and producers (1 day)
GRIP x ASTERISK: Introductory course for clubnight tech + creating inclusive environments (1 day)
GRIP x Transgender Awareness Week: Introductory course to sound engineering (1 day)
Stage 2 developmental course (5 sessions)

2021: 6 COURSES

In-depth stage 1 course (6 sessions)
Introductory course for producers and curators (1 day)
Introductory course in Norwegian (1 day)
Introductory course in English (1 day)
GRIP x Transgender Awareness Week: Introductory course to DJ tech and safer spaces (1 day)
GRIP x ASTERISK: Introductory course for clubnight tech + creating inclusive environments (1 day)

PRESS

FUNDERS & PARTNERS

GRIP would not be possible without the support of our funders:

APAP FEMINIST FUTURES
BALANSEKUNST
BERGEN KOMMUNE
CREATIVE EUROPE
EGD PROPERTY
KULTURROM
SPAREBANKEN VEST

GRIP is a collaborative project between Bergen Kjøtt, BIT Teatergarasjen, Carte Blanche, AKKS Bergen, Prøverommet and sound technician Irene Bjørke. GRIP is organised with partners in Bergen including Borealis – en festival for eksperimentell musikk and Vill Vill Vest and is supported by Sparebanken Vest, Bergen kommune, Kulturrom, Balansekunst, EGD Property.

GRIP 2021-24 was part of BIT Teatergarasjen´s project apap – FEMINIST FUTURES, co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union and aims to initiate powerful social changes and address inequality in the contemporary Performing Arts.

GRIP is made possible through the collaboration of different organisations in Bergen:

AKKS BERGEN
ASTERISK
BERGEN ENTO
BERGEN KJØTT
BERGEN KUNSTHALL / LANDMARK
BIT TEATERGARASJEN
BOREALIS - EN FESTIVAL FOR EKSPERIMENTELL MUSIKK
CARTE BLANCHE
CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY
FORANDRINGSHUSET BERGEN
HOP UNGDOMSSKOLE
KULTURHUSET I BERGEN
KVARTERET
PAPILLON BERGEN
PRØVEROMMET
TRANSGENDER AWARENESS WEEK
USF VERFTET
VICTORIA CAFE + PUB
VILL VILL VEST
ØSTRE