Download postcard for “Made in Sweden”
GRANITE FALLS, Minn. — The world premiere of a new Pioneer PBS documentary “Made in Sweden”will be held on Thursday, April 28, 2022, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the American Swedish Institute at 2600 Park Avenue in Minneapolis. The documentary highlights traditional Swedish textile arts, sewing, blacksmithing and woodworking as taught and practiced at Sätergläntan Institute of Crafts in Dalarna, Sweden. In addition to showing the half-hour film, the event will feature music, live maker demonstrations and refreshments. The event is free and open to the public but pre-registration is requested by visiting www.pioneer.org/swede or calling 1-800-726-3178.
“Made in Sweden” will be broadcast on Pioneer PBS on Thursday, May 12, 2022, at 7 p.m. After that time, the documentary will be available for online viewing through the station’s website, video.pioneer.org, and YouTube channel.
Sätergläntan will celebrate 100 years of course offerings in 2023. What began as a weaving and boarding school has now become a contemporary meeting place where handcraft knowledge is shared with students from around the world. Minnesota has a special relationship with Sätergläntan through the American Swedish Institute and the North House Folk School in Grand Marias. Plans are underway to have instructors from the Swedish school visit Minnesota next year in celebration of the 100th anniversary.
Several crafters who have studied at Sätergläntan will be demonstrating their skills at a makers fair, to be held in the ASI courtyard in advance of the film showing. Paul Linden will be demonstrating hand tool skills and woodworking. Faith Clover will be demonstrating luffarslöjd (wire art). Jess Hirsch will be carving Dala horses. Ross Sutter, who has been organizing online study courses with some of the best traditional singers in Sweden, will perform music for the event. Refreshments will be catered by the ASI’s FIKA restaurant.
“Made in Sweden” was produced by the award-winning team of Director Dana Conroy with videography by Kristofor Gieske and Ben Dempcy and editing by Kevin Russell. The program is made possible by Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies and contributions from the voters of Minnesota through a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. For more information about the event and the film, contact Patrick Moore, Pioneer PBS’s communications director, at pmoore@pioneer.org or by calling 320-841-1487.
About the American Swedish Institute
American Swedish Institute (ASI), designated to the National Register for Historic Places, is a historic castle-like mansion, museum and cultural center, and a gathering place for all people to explore diverse experiences of migration, identity, belonging, and the environment through arts and culture, informed by enduring links to Sweden. ASI, which The Wall Street Journal calls “[a] model of how a small institution can draw visitors through exciting programming,” is located at 2600 Park Avenue in Minneapolis. For more, visit asimn.org.
About Pioneer PBS
Established in 1966, Pioneer PBS is an award-winning, viewer-supported television station dedicated to sharing local stories of the region with the world. For more information visit: www.pioneer.org.