Ærø Literature Festival 2026

Name: Ærø Literature Festival 2026
Start: 2026-09-12T10:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-09-13T17:00:00+02:00
Location: Søbygaard

took place · 12 Sep 2026

Søbygaard, Søby Ærø

festival culture outdoor

Next show

Bag Bogen Live: Kim Leine

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 · Albertslund Bibliotek, Albertslund →

Description was written before the event

Ærø Literature Festival takes place at Søbygaard on 12-13 September 2026 with a programme combining literary conversations and music.

Established authors such as Kim Leine, Christina Hesselholdt and Caspar Eric meet debut authors Lea Fløe Christensen, Sigrid Adamsson and Matthias Dresslau-Bredstorf - and Annette Bjergfeldt's universe is also part of the programme.

Music is conceived as an integrated part of the festival: Barbara Skovmand contributes with her sound work, Helene Blum and Harald Haugaard play folk music, and Jonas Egholm performs on classical Spanish guitar.

Line-up

Barbara Skovmand

About: Barbara Skovmand

Skovmand Thomsen constructs her own instruments - sound sculptures in glass and metal - and brings them into performative spaces where visual art and music merge. Her practice centres on belonging and bodily experience, and she has shown and performed across museums and festivals throughout Europe.

10+

countries with exhibitions and performances

What's new

2025-11
Art Matter featured a photo series about Skovmand's double exhibition 'Cosmic Top Secret, Eternity - Fingers Crossed', which showcased installations in steel, aluminum and brass speaker sculptures.
2025-11
Skovmand participated in Art Hub Copenhagen's first Open Studios event at Thoravej 29 on November 28, 2025 with performative works.
2025-09
Skovmand was included in the group exhibition 'Skyggearkivet' at Rundetaarn in Copenhagen (September 5 - November 5, 2025).

Tracks

ConcordiaSound sculpture / acoustic synthesizer in glass and metal, performed live among others at Kunstpakhuset and in Marmorkirken

CtenophoraAprès-Baschet sound sculpture built in the metal workshop, 2023; sound is created by rubbing glass rods

Gelé RoyalSolo exhibition and site-specific performance in Brønshøj Water Tower, 2020

Eternity - Fingers CrossedInstallation in brass loudspeaker sculptures, steel wire and gold wire, 2024

Liquid LoveEarly video installation about love and desire, shown internationally

About: Helene Blum

Funen-born Helene Blum ranks among the most distinctive voices in contemporary Nordic folk - a Carl Nielsen Academy graduate who has given over 700 concerts alongside Harald Haugaard. Their "Nordisk Jul" tour has packed churches and concert halls from Faaborg to the Elbphilharmonie every year since 2007.

700+

concerts with Harald Haugaard

99K

airings of "Dansevise" on Spotify

on DR P5 with the single "Friheden Station"

editions of the "Nordisk Jul" tour (as of 2025)

What's new

2026-08
In 2026, Helene Blum and Harald Haugaard mark 20 years since the first "Nordisk Jul" concert with a new tour, including at Ferritslev Fritidshus and Johannes Larsen Museet in December.
2025-12
Blum and Haugaard completed the 19th edition of the "Nordisk Jul" tour in December 2025 with guests from Norway and Sweden, including hardanger fiddle player Tiril Eirunn Einarsdotter.
2025-06
Helene Blum performed in a summer concert with Duo Askou/Andersen at Sct. Jørgens Kirke in Svendborg on June 20, 2026.

Tour

FaaborgSvendborgNørupFerritslevKerteminde

Tracks

Dansevisemost streamed track on Spotify, featured on Putumayo's Scandinavia collection

Friheden Stationfrom the solo album "Drops of Time" (2017), ranked no. 1 on DR P5

Strømmentitle track from the album Strømmen (2020), Blum & Haugaard's first joint album

Den store sommertitle track from the album Den store sommer (2023), the couple's latest joint release

En gang og altidbreakthrough album from 2009, received 5- and 6-star reviews internationally

Recent shows

Jul 13, 2018 Kallioklubi, Kaustinen (FI)
Jul 12, 2018 Café Mondo, Kaustinen (FI)
Aug 12, 2017 Weingut Sander, Mettenheim (DE)

About: Harald Haugaard

Funen-born fiddler and composer Harald Haugaard draws on deep roots in the Danish folk tradition. Together with the Helene Blum & Harald Haugaard Band he has given close to 1,000 concerts across Europe, North America and Japan, collecting a string of Danish Music Awards along the way.

100+

concerts per year

~1000

concerts in total with Helene Blum & Harald Haugaard Band

12+

Danish Music Awards won

5/6

stars for the solo album Burning Fields from GAFFA

Tour

FaaborgBad RehburgLüdenscheidBremenBielefeldPotsdamLörrach

Tracks

Burning FieldsSolo album from 2009, five stars in GAFFA - established Haugaard as a solo artist

Den Femte SøsterSolo album from 2011, won Danish Music Award for 'Artist of the Year in Folk Instruments' and 'Folk Album of the Year' in 2012

StrømmenCollaborative album with Helene Blum from 2020, internationally acclaimed for its fusion of music and poetry

Den Store SommerThe couple's second joint studio album from 2023, tour program in 2024-2025

Lys og ForfaldSolo album from 2015, concludes the trilogy with Burning Fields and Den Femte Søster

About: Jonas Egholm

Trained at the Soloist Class of the Royal Danish Academy of Music and winner of more than 15 competitions, Jonas Egholm has built a strong international profile since being named DR P2 Talent of the Year in 2023. His programmes range from Baroque to contemporary music, and he has appeared as soloist with orchestras including the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and the South Denmark Philharmonic.

15+

won national and international competitions

prize, International Guitar Festival José Tomás Villa de Petrer, Spain (2020)

prize, XIII Joaquín Rodrigo Olsztyn Guitar Festival & Competition, Poland

What's new

2026-06
Jonas Egholm performs as a guitar soloist at Fanø Festival 2026 with a program of Bach, Regondi, Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Tárrega.
2024-09
Jonas Egholm was a guest at Vesthimmerlands Musikhus ALFA as part of his active concert activities after his debut from the soloist class.
2023-03
DR P2 named Jonas Egholm as P2 Talent of the Year 2023, and composer Sandra Boss received a commission for a new work for him, which was premiered with Esbjerg Ensemble.

Tour

Fanø

Tracks

ConcertosSolo album released on JSM Guitar Records (May 2022) with music by, among others, Sergio Assad and Joaquín Rodrigo

Concierto de AranjuezRodrigo concert performed with Sønderjyllands Symfoniorkester, broadcast on DR P2

Aquarelle: II. ValseanaSergio Assad - recorded for JSM Guitar Sessions

Educate·S - Pieces for GuitarRecordings of newly written Danish composition music for children and young people, released on Dacapo Records

Ærø Literature Festival 2026

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