Internships at AldeaErasmus+ traineeships in Bergen, Norway
Aldea is a centre for contemporary art, design and technology on the Bergen waterfront: a gallery, 17 artist studios, residencies, public courses, and professional wood, metal and digital fabrication workshops. We meet people with the skills they have, build and share experience with them, and what you do here depends on what is happening in the building. There is a lot going on.
- Length
- 6–12 months, full time. We prefer a full year.
- Start
- From 11 January 2027, rolling through 2027
- Funding
- Erasmus+ traineeship grant (unpaid by Aldea)
- Apply by
- 15 November 2026 for the first cohort
Designed around how you meet us
We meet people with the skills they have, and build and share experience with them. The programme is designed around each applicant, and what you do depends on what is happening while you are here.
We accept a broad range of applicants. You don’t need to fit a profile.
- Artists
- Designers
- Architects
- Engineers
- Software developers
- Makers
- Curators and producers
- Writers
Under one roof
Every component of the cultural industry is under one roof here: gallery, studios, residency, workshops, courses, software, and the running of the organisation itself.
Aldea is an ongoing experiment. We adopt new tools early and integrate them into our own ecosystem, with real clients and real production, so the value is real rather than an abstracted concept. Our conceptual aspirations are grounded in reality: we pay for our mistakes in real time, and that keeps the theory honest.
It is not only about making things. We take big risks to acquire new knowledge, and that lets us move through the new paradigms, theoretically and conceptually, across disciplines.
The tools are emerging and the landscape changes fast, so interns become nodes of exploration: nodes in the hivemind of our multidisciplinary community.
Gallery
Promotion, art installation and art production for the exhibitions.
Studios
Working with the artists, designers and architects in the studios.
Software
Developing small applications for projects, such as running the motors on a kinetic work, and other software-integrated projects.
Workshops
Building or designing for clients: artists, architects, designers, engineers, inventors. Or building the workshops themselves.
Courses
Training, or learning, with the public courses we run.
Infrastructure
Developing the profile of the organisation, its workflows and its strategies, with the director.
- SvelteKit
- Tailwind
- PostgreSQL
- Unreal Engine
- Fusion 360
- Rhino
- Blender
- CNC milling (wood and metal)
- 3D printing (SLA, FDM)
- Laser cutting
- Welding
- Mould making
- Plastics recycling
- AI tools
The software layer
Much of Aldea is built on a large digital ecosystem: several interlinked software applications, many of them experimental or one of a kind. They exist not only to support the cultural sector but to amplify and change the ways artists and cultural practitioners connect and produce new things.
We consider this software layer a creative initiative in itself, one that restructures the fabric of the cultural field. The developers who build it, and the people who use it, are in a position to shift how that field works.
Curatron is the clearest example. Artists apply to an exhibition and then vote on each other’s applications, so the show is selected by the applicants themselves rather than by a curator or a jury. Thousands of artists have used it.
What you walk out with
Broad working knowledge
Across art production, fabrication, software, curation and cultural management.
Co-credit
On installations, software and built work you contribute to.
A reference and a network
A signed reference letter, and introductions to our network of artists, galleries and fabrication partners.
The workshops for your own work
Off-hours access to the workshops for your own projects.
Working with AI
We work with AI tools daily, and onboard interns into our AI workflows and tooling as part of the placement.
Practical
Funding
This internship is unpaid by Aldea; we do not have the resources to pay interns directly. It is designed for students and recent graduates with Erasmus+ funding, or equivalent, through their home university, and we sign the educational agreements that requires. Please make sure your funding route is in place before applying.
What the grant covers, and how far it goes in Bergen, is a question for your Erasmus+ coordinator: rates are set by your own country’s agency and change yearly. Bergen is not a cheap city, so it is worth asking early.
Non-EU/EEA nationals: a Norwegian residence permit is your own responsibility, and Aldea cannot provide income. We provide documentation confirming the placement.
Housing, language, location
We do not provide accommodation, but we will help you find it. Bergen’s housing market is tight; once your placement is confirmed we connect you to our network of landlords, studios and sublet contacts, and past interns are happy to share advice.
All internal communication is in English. Norwegian is welcome but not required.
Aldea is at C. Sundts gate 55, Nordnes, in a building that also houses BEK (Bergen Senter for Elektronisk Kunst) and Kunstnerverksteder Cs55: one of the densest contemporary-art production sites in Western Norway.
How to apply
Send the following to cameron.mac@aldea.art. Apply by 15 November 2026 to be considered for the first cohort. After that we review applications on a rolling basis for later starts.
- CV.
- Portfolio link, or a PDF. Show finished work, not just process shots.
- A short answer, 200 words at most: what you bring, what you want to learn here, and why Aldea specifically.
- Confirmation that you have access to Erasmus+ (or equivalent) funding through your university, and your available start window.
The button opens your mail app with the subject line filled in: replace “[your name]” with yours.
We read every application. If yours is thoughtful, you’ll hear back. We close out applicants who don’t address the funding question or who copy-paste generic letters.
Past interns
Our interns so far have come from:
- NCAD Dublin
- IED Turin
- STU Bratislava
- L'École de Design Nantes Atlantique
- Università di Messina
- University of Bergen (UiB)
- MOME Budapest
FAQ
Is the internship paid?
No. Aldea does not pay a salary. The placement is designed for Erasmus+ traineeship funding through your university; ask your Erasmus+ coordinator what your grant covers for a placement in Norway.
Am I eligible for Erasmus+ if I have already graduated?
Usually yes. Recent graduates can do an Erasmus+ traineeship within twelve months of graduating, provided their university selected them before they graduated. Ask your international office early, because not every university funds recent-graduate traineeships, and the selection has to happen while you are still enrolled.
Can non-EU students apply?
Yes, if you are enrolled at a university in an Erasmus+ programme country: eligibility follows the institution, not your passport. If you are not, you would need equivalent funding from another source. Note the residence-permit answer below, too: a Norwegian trainee permit needs an income level that no grant reaches.
Do I need to speak Norwegian?
No. All internal communication is in English. Norwegian is welcome but not required.
Do I need a visa or residence permit?
EU and EEA citizens need no visa; you register with the police within three months of arrival. Everyone else needs a Norwegian residence permit, which is your own responsibility. We can supply documentation confirming the placement.
How long is the placement?
Six months or a full year, full time, on site in Bergen. We strongly prefer a full year, ideally aligned to the academic year. The funded months are set by your sending agency.
What is a Digital Opportunity Traineeship?
A DOT is an Erasmus+ traineeship where the trainee spends most of their time on digital skills: software, digital design and fabrication, XR, data or AI. Much of the work here is digital, so ask your international office whether your placement can count as one.
What documents does Aldea sign?
The Erasmus+ Learning Agreement for Traineeships and the other educational agreements your university needs for the placement.
For international offices
Host details, what we sign, contact
Aldea AS (org.nr 918504176, C. Sundts gate 55, 5004 Bergen) is a not-for-profit centre for contemporary art, design and technology, and has hosted Erasmus+ trainees before. We sign the Learning Agreement for Traineeships and the other educational agreements the sending university requires.
Placements are six months or a full year, full time, on site, with English as the working language. Aldea does not pay a salary; placements are designed for Erasmus+ traineeship grants. Contact: cameron.mac@aldea.art.
ALDEA AS · org.nr 918504176 · C. Sundts gate 55, 5004 Bergen, Norway · cameron.mac@aldea.art
Deutsch — Praktikum in Norwegen
Aldea ist ein Zentrum für zeitgenössische Kunst, Design und Technologie am Hafen von Bergen: eine 180 m² große Galerie, Ateliers, ein internationales Residenzprogramm und Holz-, Metall- und Digitalwerkstätten. Ab Januar 2027 nehmen wir Erasmus+-Praktikantinnen und -Praktikanten auf. Jedes Praktikum wird um die Person herum gestaltet, und wir nehmen ein breites Spektrum an Bewerbungen an: Software, digitale Fertigung und traditionelles Tischlerhandwerk gehören bei uns zusammen, ebenso KI-Infrastruktur und Kulturverwaltung. Das Praktikum dauert sechs bis zwölf Monate, Vollzeit vor Ort, Arbeitssprache Englisch. Aldea zahlt kein Gehalt; das Praktikum ist für die Erasmus+-Förderung über Ihre Hochschule ausgelegt (Norwegen liegt in der höchsten Fördergruppe). Wir unterzeichnen das Learning Agreement. Bewerbung per E-Mail an cameron.mac@aldea.art mit Lebenslauf, Portfolio und 200 Wörtern dazu, was Sie bei uns bauen würden.
Français — Stage en Norvège
Aldea est un centre d'art contemporain, de design et de technologie sur le port de Bergen : une galerie de 180 m², des ateliers d'artistes, une résidence internationale et des ateliers bois, métal et fabrication numérique. À partir de janvier 2027, nous accueillons des stagiaires Erasmus+. Chaque stage est conçu autour de la personne, et nous acceptons un large éventail de profils : ici, logiciel, fabrication numérique et menuiserie traditionnelle forment une seule pratique, tout comme l'infrastructure IA et l'administration culturelle. Stage de six à douze mois, à temps plein et sur place, en anglais. Aldea ne verse pas de salaire ; le stage est conçu pour la bourse Erasmus+ de votre établissement (la Norvège est dans le groupe de pays le mieux financé). Nous signons la convention de stage. Candidature par e-mail à cameron.mac@aldea.art : CV, portfolio et 200 mots sur ce que vous feriez chez nous.
Italiano — Tirocinio Erasmus in Norvegia
Aldea è un centro per l'arte contemporanea, il design e la tecnologia sul porto di Bergen: una galleria di 180 m², studi d'artista, una residenza internazionale e laboratori di legno, metallo e fabbricazione digitale. Da gennaio 2027 accogliamo tirocinanti Erasmus+. Ogni tirocinio è costruito intorno alla persona e accogliamo un'ampia gamma di profili: qui software, fabbricazione digitale e falegnameria tradizionale sono un'unica pratica, così come l'infrastruttura IA e l'amministrazione culturale. Il tirocinio dura da sei a dodici mesi, a tempo pieno e in sede, in inglese. Aldea non paga uno stipendio: il tirocinio è pensato per la borsa Erasmus+ traineeship della tua università (la Norvegia è nel gruppo di paesi con l'importo più alto). Firmiamo il Learning Agreement. Candidatura via e-mail a cameron.mac@aldea.art con CV, portfolio e 200 parole su cosa faresti da noi.
Español — Prácticas Erasmus en Noruega
Aldea es un centro de arte contemporáneo, diseño y tecnología en el puerto de Bergen: una galería de 180 m², estudios de artistas, una residencia internacional y talleres de madera, metal y fabricación digital. Desde enero de 2027 acogemos estudiantes en prácticas Erasmus+. Cada práctica se diseña en torno a la persona y aceptamos una amplia variedad de perfiles: aquí el software, la fabricación digital y la carpintería tradicional son una sola práctica, igual que la infraestructura de IA y la gestión cultural. Las prácticas duran de seis a doce meses, a tiempo completo y presenciales, en inglés. Aldea no paga salario: las prácticas están pensadas para la beca Erasmus+ de tu universidad (Noruega está en el grupo de países con la ayuda más alta). Firmamos el Learning Agreement. Solicitud por correo a cameron.mac@aldea.art con CV, portfolio y 200 palabras sobre qué harías con nosotros.