The Nordic Permaculture Festival began as a travelling gathering. It moved between Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark. After completing the circle, it would start again — hosted by different places, shaped by different local contexts.
To understand the current situation, we need to go back to 2011.
The first Nordic Permaculture Festival was held at Friland, at Karoline and Tycho’s farm. It emerged from grassroots initiative. It was relational, rotating, and rooted in community.
Over the years the festival travelled between various hosts in the Nordic countries. Each edition had its own character. Different landscapes, different organisers, different energy.
In recent years, however, a shift seems to be taking place.
From travelling to stabilising
- In Denmark, Himmelbjerggården hosted in 2024 — and had hosted before.
- In Sweden, Holma hosted in 2021 and will host again in 2026.
- In Finland, Karjalohja hosted the national festival in 2024 and will host the Nordic festival in 2027.
The festival still moves between countries. But within countries, it appears to be stabilising in recurring venues.
It is understandable that the national permaculture associations may wish to professionalise coordination, ensure continuity, and reduce organisational risk. Large festivals require stability, insurance, logistics and long-term planning.
Some questions to consider when it comes to the Nordic Permaculture Festival:
- Is there an open invitation process for potential host sites?
- How are venues selected?
- Is the decision-making process transparent and documented?
- Is the budget transparent?
Those are simpel governance questions and governance culture shapes community culture - it shapes permaculture.
Scaling up – and its consequences
Another emergent pattern is financial scale.
The Karjalohja festival received approximately 20.000 € in LEADER funding, largely used for management and coordination. For the 2026 (Holma) and 2027 (Karjalohja) editions, around 50.000 € has been granted from DEMOS.
According to the DEMOS description, the funding supports: “Nordic Permaculture associations develop a concept for a Permaculture Festival promoting sustainability in the Nordic countries, organisation guidelines and booklet. The concept is developed in a collaborative design process and by arranging the festival in two consecutive years in Sweden and Finland.”
Developing guidelines and improving organisational structures can be valuable. Clear processes can help future organisers and reduce burnout.
The All Ireland Permaculture Gathering 2025, similar size festival, reportedly operated with a budget of roughly 1.000,- €, organised largely by volunteers and the community itself. It shows that a low-cost, low-scale model is possible. A gathering does not necessarily need significant external funding or elaborate structural development in order to be meaningful.
This is not to say that one model is inherently better than another. Context matters. Countries differ. Costs differ. Expectations differ. But it does invite reflection: If a festival can function at 1.000 €, what does it mean when another requires 20.000 € or 50.000 €? What changes when we move from grassroots budgeting to institutional project funding?
Does scale strengthen community, or does it just subtly shift priorities and its beneficary?
Permaculture ethics and principles ask us to consider sufficiency. How much is enough? What is the Fair Share?
Sometimes a simpler, less glossy gathering may in fact align more closely with Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share than a highly professionalised format. The question is not whether funding is good or bad. The question is what kind of culture the funding shapes.
Existing knowledge and continuity
It is also worth noting that festival concepts and documentation already exist.
- Helene Catherine Bøhler developed a Nordic Festival guidance booklet as part of her Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design.
- Cathrine Dolleris, Karoline Nolsø and Tycho Holcomb developed a festival concept in earlier years.
- Lumia Huhdanpää-Jais created a comprehensive festival design.
These contributions are part of the collective memory of the Nordic movement. Integrating them into current development processes could strengthen continuity and honour previous work.
If they are already being included, making that visible would build trust. If not, there is still time to widen the circle.
Community or institution?
None of this is about opposing development. Movements evolve. Structures mature. Coordination becomes more complex.
But evolution always invites reflection.
Permaculture ethics also apply to how we organise ourselves.
- Does the current direction increase shared ownership?
- Does it create more space for new initiatives?
- Does it keep the festival rooted in community rather than branding?
These are open questions. They deserve an open dialogue.
Looking ahead
The Nordic Permaculture Festival has been a powerful space for connection, learning and friendship across borders. Many people have invested time, energy and love into it.
If you are planning to attend Holma 2026, perhaps consider attending not only as a participant — but as a co-steward of the culture we are shaping.
Maybe this is the moment for a broader Nordic conversation about governance, transparency and the future direction of the festival.
The strength of permaculture has always been its ability to design not only landscapes — but relationships.