About Swinging Europe


The self-governing Institution Swinging Europe is a non-profit institution situated in Herning Municipality. DSI SE has worked internationally with art and culture since 1998. With music as one of our primary focus areas, we create and facilitate artistic and cultural projects and activities through art, music and talent development of youth in the age range of 18 – 25.

In our work, we prioritise developing and participating in cultural collaborative work – both locally, regionally, nationally and internationally by creating a strong fundament for exploring culture projects. This benefits not only up-and-coming talents, but also the local community and society as a whole.

Among the local initiaties, strengthening the art and culture scene in Herning Municipality, we partake in reoccurring events, which strengthen the community and spirit of the local cultural initiatives and projects.

On an international level, our projects focus on expanding and strengthening a strong fundament for interdisciplinary collaborations. Apart from this, the projects create valuable experiences for young musical prodigies in their ambition to engage with the national and international music scene.

Who, What and Why

Mission & Vision

Mission

To be the encompassing, evolving and facilitating unit in Herning Municipality in possession of network, knowledge and competences in and outside Denmark, which makes collaborations within the arts and culture scene beyond geographical, expertise and age-defined borders possible.

Vision

To be an important international factor in creating cultural and social synergy across borders, as well as being a unifying, evolving and facilitating entity that possesses networks, knowledge and skills in and outside Denmark for the benefit of cultural cooperation.

Focus Areas

Talent Development

Swinging Europe wors with talent development
of youth in the age range of 18 – 25 within the musical world

Music

Swinging Europe works with music

Culture

Swinging Europe works withculture

Who are Swinging Europe?

MEET THE TEAM

Marie Lilholt

Marie Lilholt

Executive Director
Steen N. Storm Mikkelsen

Steen N. Storm Mikkelsen

Project Manager
Anne Sophie Parsons

Anne Sophie Parsons

Project Manager & Fundraiser

MEET THE BOARD

Brian Nygaard Bruhn

Brian Nygaard Bruhn

Board Leader

Creative instigator and event manager at Herning Library. Former venue manager and general cultural enthusiast.

Nikolaj Bugge

Nikolaj Bugge

Vice Board Leader

Cand.musicae. Musician and band member. Project coordinator at Grobund Bandakademi and Bandklubben. Teacher in both aforementioned contexts, as well as at MGK-Ø and the Roay Danish Conservatory of Music in Aarhus. Booker and chair leader of Sun Ship. Board member in Aarhus Jazz Festival and Spot Festival.

Sara Dommergaard Thomassen

Sara Dommergaard Thomassen

Board Member

High school teacher at Herning Gymnasium in Music and Danish.
Educated from Aarhus University in Musicology and Nordic Language and Literature.

Gitte Hornshøj

Gitte Hornshøj

Board Member

Gitte Hornshøj, speaker and author
We are a musical family. Music and singing have always filled in my family. Jazz has not filled the most, but musical curiosity is at its peak. When it comes to jazz music – it is clearly what I define as “happy jazz” that I have listened to the most. But I am open to all genres. Most of all, I offer lots of enthusiasm and the joy of communicating, which is, in this context, to spread awareness of Swinging Europe.

Johannes Videbæk

Johannes Videbæk

Board Member


Political positions of trust:
– Member of the Social and Health Committee
– Member of the Culture and Leisure Committee

Other positions of trust:
– Member of the Village Contact Committee
– Swinging Europe, independent institution, the board
– Harry and Ene Marie Thomsen Memorial Fund
– Member of Herning Music School, the board
– Member of Uhre Motorsportscenter, the board
– Member of Kjærmose’s Mindelegat, the board
– Water catchment steering group Nissum Fjord
– Water catchment management group Ringkøbing Fjord