About us

A house for students, culture and big ideas since 1995.

In the heart of Bergen, at Olav Kyrres gate 49, lies Studentersamfunnet, the city's student cultural house and a meeting place for culture, knowledge and community. The house officially opened on 22 February 1995, when Crown Prince Haakon inaugurated Det Akademiske Kvarter. Since then, generations of students have left their mark on the house through concerts, debates, theatre, film screenings, club nights and countless other events.

However, the story behind the name goes back further than the building itself. Studentersamfunnet i Bergen was founded in 1934, long before the cultural house opened its doors. For decades, the organisation has provided a platform for open debate, social discourse and cultural expression, driven by students with a passion for the world around them. When Kvarteret opened in 1995, this tradition gained a permanent home, and Studentersamfunnet became part of the life of the house.

The name Det Akademiske Kvarter refers to the idea of the academic quarter hour, the extra fifteen minutes that leave room for a conversation, a cup of coffee or a spontaneous meeting between lectures. Over the years, the long name was shortened in everyday speech. Kvarteret became the name people used, and it is how the house has been known to students and locals ever since.

In 2026, Det Akademiske Kvarter and Studentersamfunnet i Bergen merged into a single organisation. The merger brought together two traditions with a shared goal: to create a vibrant student community and an open arena for culture, knowledge and the exchange of ideas. The organisation continues under the name Studentersamfunnet, while the building now carries the name Studentersamfunnet – Kvarteret.

For decades, hundreds of volunteers have helped keep the house alive every year. Here, students have the opportunity to create, organise, learn and develop, while audiences enjoy a wide range of cultural experiences. The house is a place of learning, a meeting point and a home for many.

The name on the façade may be new, but for most people, it will always be Kvarteret. And that is exactly what we want to preserve: a house with a long history, open doors and room for new ideas, new people and new traditions.

Our goal is to be an inclusive arena for learning, culture and community, and a safe partner for actors who want to create good experiences in Bergen.