Live, work, create: a central mission for this year’s Youth Capital
Northern Norway's share of the country’s population is falling. This means True North has one of the most important missions for their European Youth Capital year, to make the region better for young people to live, work and create in the Norwegian Arctic. The vision is big and complex, that’s why the Youth Capital team keeps questioning, what makes young people stay, come back and leave?
Article and photos by Elizaveta Vereykina, as a freelancer on behalf of True North 2026.
fact box
- With 80,114 residents, Tromsø is the youngest city in Norway in terms of demographics. For the first quarter of 2026, Tromsø had the largest growth in the north of Norway.
- 23 percent of young people in the North of Norway between the ages of 15 and 29 have concrete plans to move, according to a study, conducted in autumn 2025.
- Among 15–29-year-olds, the most common reasons for moving are work and career opportunities (30 percent), studies (27 percent) and proximity to family (27 percent).
Opportunities are bringing young people back
24-year old Isak Bakli Aglen left Tromsø to study, yet later he chose to move back home: “For the first time in my life I got an opportunity to create my own theatre production, and I don't think I would have gotten this opportunity if I had stayed in Oslo,” says Isak.
Isak directed the theatre performance “Takk pappa” (“Thank you, dad”) inspired by interviews with real people about their father figures.
After studying in southern Norway, Isak moved further south to Oslo, where he spent a year. There he realised that it’s harder to get funding for projects in the capital as competition is too high. He emphasises that it's much easier to make your dreams come true in Tromsø, especially if you're just beginning your career.
“I was able to make my first theatre productions happen thanks to the funding from Tvibit and other Northern Norwegian organisations” Isak explains. Tvibit ladder, the grant that Isak got to produce his theatre play, is awarded to young people who wish to realise their projects. Even though the programme existed prior to the European Youth Capital title,Tromsø being awarded the title has significantly boosted the grant.
In his view, Tromsø has a supportive community and a very diverse cultural life. The opportunity of creating his own project is not the only thing that inspires Isak to continue making theatre productions in Tromsø. He also feels that he can have a stronger impact on the local community here in the north than he ever could in the capital.
An offer she could not refuse
Sometimes Tromsø and Northern Norway simply can’t compete with the capital despite the opportunities available.
That is how things went for Mie Bergh, a 25-year-old from Tromsø. She has been living in Oslo for the last two years, having moved there to fulfil her dream of studying at the Norwegian Academy of Music.
“The competition to enter the Academy was fierce: five people for every one place. So, when I was accepted, I knew I had to take the opportunity.” says Mie.
However, Mie keeps coming back to Tromsø for work:
“I love Tromsø, [...] It’s a really nice supportive community in music, and there are plenty of festivals”.
The core of True North 2026 is giving young people opportunities they normally wouldn’t get. This aims to build their identity and confidence, which will in turn contribute to them wanting to return to the city and develop projects and ideas in Tromsø regardless of whether life had previously taken them to a bigger city in the South of Norway.
When Mie visits Tromsø, she stays at her dad’s house and understands that she is lucky in this regard: “It would be super difficult for me to find a long-term apartment here in Tromsø because living costs are so high."
As the city continues to grow every year, property and rental prices in Tromsø keep rising, making it unaffordable for some.
Housing crisis, and insufficient help
Seventeen-year-old, and True North Pioneer, Nemi Schott recently moved to Tromsø to start high school and had to navigate the expensive property market despite her young age.
After completing 10 years of school in her home village, Malangen (approx 2000 inhabitants), she wanted to continue high school with music lessons included. It was only Tromsø and Harstad that offered this type of education in the north: “If I stayed in Malangen, the nearest high school would be an hour away from my home,” says Nemi, who adds: “It’s a well-known problem in remote Norwegian villages and towns – as the number of children decreases, municipalities have to close lots of schools - meaning children have to travel long distances.”
The Norwegian government gives Nemi, like many other young people who have to move out of their home to study, 6000 NOK (538EU) per month to cover expenses. But the rent of a tiny apartment in Tromsø costs Nemi 7500 NOK (669EU).
Nemi says that out of 12 classmates from her village, the majority has moved to Tromsø to continue their high school studies. This has resulted in Tromsø being the city in Norway with most dormitory residents.
To get more money for living in Tromsø, Nemi combines school with working in a local clothing store and participates in Tvibit projects.
“When you come from such a small place like me, and you have a hobby (music), you kind of can't figure out if you're doing it because you're enjoying it or because everyone else is doing it. So when I moved to Tromsø - to the city with a lot of opportunities, I felt I was more actually interested in politics than music and joined the Youth Council.” Nemi feels she would like to stay in Tromsø for life: “Tromsø never stops growing, there are always a lot of things happening”.
Young people in charge
Being interested in politics from a young age, like Nemi, is actively encouraged both by the city of Tromsø and the European Youth Capital.
“I'm only 25 years old and already a deputy mayor! I don't think there are many places where you can get those kinds of opportunities”, Tromsø deputy mayor Sigrid Bjørnhaug Hammer says.
As well as being the deputy mayor, Sigrid works closely with True North 2026. She is an important voice that connects young people with the decision makers.
She has been a contributor to the policy labs. These labs were developed by the Youth Capital team from the very first steps of their application. The True North policy labs now serve as spaces where the team has created a bridge between young people and policy makers. The policy labs are held monthly, and are building the foundation for a new youth strategy in Tromsø municipality.
Choosing the Youth Capital
After graduating from university, Marius Hansen Høgås was looking for opportunities all over Norway. He found one in Tromsø, and is now responsible for diversity, inclusivity and sustainability at True North.
“Tromsø is the smallest city I've ever lived in. I knew that moving here was going to be different because it's so far up north. Winters are very long in the Arctic. But I like it. Because it's a smaller community, everyone is backing each other up.”
Marius emphasises that he was surprised to realise that, despite being much smaller than Oslo or Bergen, Tromsø has so much to offer culturally.
Looking towards the future
With the tourism industry booming and the city being the home to an Arctic university, a hospital, space research, and holding this year’s European Youth Capital title, it is no surprise that more and more young people are choosing to stay in Tromsø.
At the same time, people moving to Tromsø face challenges that can only be overcome through community support and the sharing of knowledge and experience.
True North 2026 is working with precisely this. Their main priorities include both affordable Youth Housing, securing The Future of Jobs in the North and developing Student City Tromsø. And together with them stand all the young people of Northern Norway.
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