Kulturbyrået Mesén

What Kulturbyrået Mesén does

Kulturbyrået Mesén (legal entity: Mesén AS, organization number 981 271 386) is a privately held Norwegian cultural-production firm founded in 1999 and headquartered in Oslo. The firm curates, produces, and communicates contemporary art projects in public spaces and built environments, operating across four integrated service lines: temporary and permanent art projects in public spaces; art consulting, curatorial, and advisory services for new buildings; art integration in urban and area development; and communication, dissemination, and design services. Its underlying delivery model is project-based professional services rather than a software or platform product; core capabilities are the curatorial direction, artist selection, budget oversight, production coordination, installation, and post-installation mediation performed by a four-person multidisciplinary team.

The firm's clients are predominantly Norwegian public-sector bodies — municipalities (Oslo, Kristiansand, Asker, Namsos), transit authorities (Bane NOR Eiendom on the Kunstreisen program at Oslo S and Drammen), and healthcare trusts (Hammerfest sykehus, Kirkenes sykehus, Sjukehuset Nordmøre og Romsdal, Psykisk helsevern Nordbyhagen/Ahus) — with secondary engagement from educational institutions and private developers. Revenue derives from project commissions and grants (primary), supplemented by publishing (books, journals, other publications) and stated film/TV production activity. Go-to-market is sales-led via public tender responses, direct commissions, and referrals, supplemented by event-driven visibility at Arendalsuka, Oslo Kulturnatt, and industry symposia.

Geographic reach is Norway-wide (from Kirkenes in the north to Kristiansand in the south), although the operating base is Oslo and the firm currently operates from a coworking office at Universitetsgata 2 (Rebel). The company owns no patented technology, holds no external funding, and reports 100+ completed or ongoing projects across its 25-year operating history, including landmark commissions such as the Rosenkrantz' gate 14 public display arena (established 2017) and the Bilfritt byliv project in Dronningens gate (2017–2019).

Name

Kulturbyrået Mesén

Legal name

Mesén AS

Website

https://mesen.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kulturbyrået Mesén is a Norwegian cultural-production firm founded in 1999 that curates, produces, and communicates contemporary art projects in public spaces for Norwegian municipalities, transit authorities, hospitals, educational institutions, and private developers across Norway, delivered by a four-person team from its Oslo base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Project commissions and grants: Mesén generates revenue through project commissions from public and private clients, as well as project-based grants from public cultural funding bodies. Revenue is derived from fees for curatorial, production, and advisory services on art projects, and the company's project portfolio spans hospitals, schools, transit stations, public squares, and other civic spaces across Norway.
2. Art publishing: As stated in its organizational purpose, Mesén also operates as a publishing house (forlag) producing books, journals, and other publications, contributing an additional revenue stream.
3. Film and TV production: The company has a stated purpose to contribute to professional and artistic development and production of film and TV productions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

KulturbyrÃ¥et Mesén is a creative production and consulting firm that curates, produces, and communicates contemporary art projects in public spaces and built environments across Norway. The firm delivers end-to-end project management — from curatorial direction, artist selection, and budget oversight to production coordination, installation, and post-installation communication and mediation — for municipalities, hospitals, schools, transit operators, and private developers. It also operates as a publishing house and engages in film/TV production within its stated corporate purpose.

Product overview

Kulturbyrået Mesén is a service-based art production and consulting firm offering four integrated service lines: (1) Kunstprosjekter i offentlige rom — temporary and self-initiated art projects in public spaces including curating, production, and dissemination; (2) Kunstkonsulent, kurator og kunstfaglig rådgiver — art consulting, curatorial, and advisory services for permanent art in new buildings, schools, hospitals, and outdoor areas; (3) Kunst i stedsutvikling og områdeløft — art integration in urban development and area revitalization; and (4) Kommunikasjon, formidling og design — communication, dissemination, and design services including signage, events, podcasts, and digital content. The company does not operate a software product or platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kunstprosjekter i offentlige rom (Art projects in public spaces) End-to-end delivery of temporary and permanent art projects in public spaces, including commissioning, curating, production, and dissemination, working closely with artists, clients, and partners through all project phases. Targeted at Norwegian municipalities, counties, and public institutions.
• Kunstkonsulent, kurator og kunstfaglig rådgiver (Art consulting, curator, and art advisor) Art consulting and curatorial advisory services for municipalities, counties, and private clients, including leading art committees, developing art plans, budgeting, and overseeing installation and handover for permanent art in new buildings, schools, hospitals, and outdoor areas.
• Kunst i stedsutvikling og områdeløft (Art in urban and place development) Art integration in urban and place development, collaborating with municipal agencies, developers, urban planners, and artists on research, user participation, planning, and implementation of art-driven area revitalization projects.
• Kommunikasjon, formidling og design (Communication, dissemination, and design) Communication and dissemination services for art projects, including on-site signage, brochures, web communication, event management, seminars, campaigns, podcasts, and teaching materials, supporting public engagement with commissioned artworks.

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Lutter ØreminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Mesén collaborated with Lutter Øre to produce the podcast 'Gatelangs i Dronningens gate' for Oslo kommune. Lutter Øre served as the audio production partner.
• MPR Regnskap ASminorOthersMesén's accounting is handled by MPR Regnskap AS, using the 24SevenOffice accounting system.
• RevisionsBureauet ASminorOthersMesén's auditor is Jan H. Jørgensen, Statutory Auditor at RevisionsBureauet AS.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Creative Time: New York-based non-profit producing public art commissions in civic and built environments. Comparable in curating temporary and permanent installations in public realm, though operating at materially larger scale than Mesén.
• Snøhetta: Norwegian-founded architecture and design firm with a long-standing practice integrating public art into buildings, landscapes, and civic projects. Overlaps with Mesén in delivering art-in-architecture and place-making commissions at scale.
• Atelier Dreiseitl (Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl): International landscape architecture and urban design practice with deep integration of public art into environmental and infrastructure projects. Comparable in combining place-making, urban development consulting, and art-in-public-realm delivery.

Direct peers

• Public Works: New York-based studio collaborating with artists, communities, and institutions on public art and cultural projects. Comparable in project-based curation and production services for civic and institutional clients.
• Futurecity: London-based consultancy advising developers, public authorities, and cultural institutions on public art, cultural strategy, and place-making. Closest international analogue to Mesén's curatorial-plus-advisory service model.
• KORO (Kunst i Offentlege Rom): Norwegian state body for commissioning and managing art in public spaces. Most direct peer in mandate and Norwegian market context, though structured as a public agency rather than a private firm.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kulturbyraetmesen
• Instagraminstagram.com/_mesen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mesen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kulturbyrået Mesén