I EBELTOFT DRØMMER JEG OM….

On June 5 th , 2021 as a concluding moment to the performative event ‘Who Owns the View?’ a selection of audience members made their way to a publicly installed chalkboard on the wall of an old nearby municipal building. The chalkboard had the text “I EBELTOFT DRØMMER JEG OM…” emblazoned across the top, which in English roughly translates to “In Ebeltoft, I dream of…” with many blank spaces below the text for answers to be filled in. The board was installed by Syddjurs Municipality in 2018 to “get new input from the people who use the city”. It therefore entices the audience to declare their wishes, dreams, and desires for Ebeltoft. This may seem like a simple, innocent, or hyggelig (cozy) gesture, but there are actually deep socio-economic and geo-political implications embedded within this question. However, in this particular public setting and context asking such a utopian and meaningful question about city development is often misunderstood or not taken seriously. Therefore, it often attracts comments typical of teenage vandalism, yearning for “øl” or “is” (beer or ice cream) and is often left blank.

Although beer and ice cream can be undeniably great, the question about the urban transformation process is unanswered – what do the citizens of Ebeltoft want, need, desire, and demand in relation to their rapidly transforming economic, ecological, and urban context? After having a dialogue about eco-economic transformation in Ebeltoft earlier in the event, the audience was then invited to sincerely engage the city’s chalkboard. The responses reflected thoughtfulness and a diversity of perspective… “a more spontaneous city, curiosity and engagement, more free spaces, a democratic and transparent development process, self-organization and autonomy, a sensible city, sustainable tourism, increased interaction, a more punk city, less nepotism” and many more.