New Development Plan: More Public Art to Strengthen Odense’s Role as a Cultural City of International Standing
Odense Municipality has launched an ambitious new plan where public art and murals will help open up the city’s courtyards and passages — ultimately strengthening Odense’s appeal as a vibrant cultural destination.
Between August and October, four new murals by artists including Emily Gernild and Peter Skensved will be created in central Odense.
Odense City Council has just approved the development plan "Exploring Odense’s Passages", which is part of the broader tourism strategy for Funen and the Islands. The initiative is coordinated by Destination Fyn and supported by Realdania, the Danish Board of Business Development, and Danish Coastal and Nature Tourism.
The goal is to open up and activate Odense’s courtyards and alleyways with public art and urban nature, transforming them into vibrant, welcoming spaces for both residents and visitors.
This ambitious project is part of the wider Future City Centre initiative and begins with the creation of four large-scale murals as a first step.
Odense’s Mayor, Peter Rahbæk Juel, says: “It is our clear ambition that these new artworks will bring life and culture to the city in a way that strengthens Odense’s position as a cultural city of international standing. By introducing art and culture into the city’s courtyards and alleyways, we create experiences that encourage more people to explore the entire city centre and discover all that Odense has to offer.”
International-Calibre Art with Roots in Odense
The new murals will be created by Emily Gernild, Peter Skensved, and an international artist whose name has not yet been revealed.
Emily Gernild, born in Odense and educated at the Funen Art Academy, was selected for the project by Odense’s Art Council. Her work is known for its strong use of colour and poetic imagery, merging nature, the body, and materiality into a dreamlike aesthetic. Through bold colour fields and open compositions, she aims to create a sensory dialogue with the city’s architecture.
Emily Gernild states: “In recent years, Odense has shifted from something raw and unfinished to something more vibrant, sensory, and open. That’s the transformation I’ve aimed to depict in my murals. The works symbolise a movement between the fragile and the intense, the bare and the colour-saturated – a tension that, to me, reflects the city’s development.”
Her mural will be completed by 1 October.
In Gråbrødrepassagen, internationally recognised artist Peter Skensved is creating a striking mural inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling. The work blends classic storytelling with modern visual expression, transforming the courtyard into a visual hub that connects Vintapperstræde, Pariserpassagen, and Gråbrødre Torv. The initiative is led by Cityhuset, supported by Odense Municipality’s district fund, and will be completed by 21 August.
The fourth mural will be located in the heart of Brandts Klædefabrik and created by an international artist yet to be announced. It is being realised by KD Selskaberne, the property owners. The work will transform a wall into a bold artistic landmark, marking the entrance to hidden corners of the area and framing the journey from its industrial heritage to today’s thriving cultural scene.
As part of the Future City Centre initiative and development plan, the goal is to create 44 art portals — artistic installations that highlight and connect the city’s passages. Five courtyards have also been designated for transformation into peaceful green oases, offering locals and visitors a quiet retreat from the city’s bustle.
For further information, please contact:
Stine Albrechtsen / stine@have.dk / +45 30 24 14 00
Sofie Ugilt / sofieugilt@have.dk / +45 22 51 85 48