By Sally Yerkovich

Back in 2017, the American-Scandinavian Foundation took a bold step. We believed that supporting Nordic traditions as they continue to thrive in the U.S.—particularly throughout the Upper Midwest—was crucial to understanding the rich cultural exchange between the Nordic countries and America. This belief led us to launch a new grant program specifically supporting American artists practicing art forms rooted in Nordic traditions.

What we discovered was eye-opening. Scandinavian traditions aren’t just surviving in the U.S.—they’re flourishing in fascinating ways. Some artists maintain strict adherence to forms that arrived with the first waves of Nordic immigrants. Others have adapted their practices to reflect the American landscape and environment. And perhaps most exciting, many are taking these traditional art forms in bold new directions, demonstrating just how dynamic and adaptable these cultural traditions can be.

While nurturing these skills and ensuring their transmission to younger generations was a primary goal, we quickly noticed something concerning: many of these incredibly talented artists remained virtually unknown outside their immediate communities. Both in the U.S. and in the Nordic countries themselves, there’s growing concern that these traditions might not appeal to younger generations, raising questions about their future vitality.

Despite our support for public programs showcasing Nordic American traditional arts across the six Upper Midwestern states in our funding area, it didn’t feel sufficient. These artists and their work deserved more visibility. What began as a modest proposal for a traveling exhibition in the Upper Midwest quickly expanded into something much more ambitious—an exhibition that would debut in New York before journeying westward through North and South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula!

Curating this exhibition presented unique challenges. These artists typically work in isolation, and the characteristic Upper Midwestern/Nordic trait of modesty meant many weren’t eager to step into the spotlight. We partnered with folklorists familiar with both Nordic traditions and the Upper Midwest, while organizations like the American Swedish Institute, Vesterheim, and North House Folk School provided invaluable connections.

Ultimately, we chose to focus on artists who are pushing boundaries and taking traditions in exciting new directions. The result is a diverse showcase featuring 24 remarkable artists and 55 works that tell the evolving story of Nordic cultural heritage in America.

Join me as this exhibition begins its journey, celebrating not just the preservation of tradition, but its vibrant evolution in contemporary American art.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Nordic Echoes: Tradition in Contemporary Art opens to the public at Scandinavia House in New York City on April 5, 2025.  In September, it will begin its Upper Midwestern tour at the South Dakota Museum of Art, Brookings, South Dakota; American-Swedish Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Vesterheim, Decorah, Iowa; Plains Art Museum, Fargo, North Dakota; Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, Wisconsin; and De Vos Art Museum, Marquette, Michigan. Nordic Echoes will travel through 2027.

Sally Yerkovich, Director of Educational Exchange & Special Projects, The American-Scandinavian Foundation

Bio: As Director of Educational Exchange & Special Projects at the American-Scandinavian Foundation in New York City, Sally Yerkovich oversees all of ASF’s grant-making programs.  A cultural anthropologist with extensive experience in museums, she also teaches in the Museum Anthropology Master’s Program at Columbia University.

The American-Scandinavian Foundation is a publicly-supported not-for-profit organization committed to promoting educational, cultural and professional exchange between the United States and the Nordic countries—Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. ASF offers fellowships, cultural grants, internships/training, publications, exhibitions and other public programs reinforcing the strong relationships between the two regions, honoring their shared values, and appreciating their differences.