The Kelp Congress at LIAF 2019 focused on the lesser explored artistic and cultural dimensions related to kelp and other macroalgae. The event emerged with a curiosity in the current discourse surrounding seaweed within the industries of energy, food, nutrition, agriculture, cosmetics, and medicine, and settled instead on a consideration of the performative, narrative, conceptual, and material approaches towards kelp. Throughout The Kelp Congress, seaweed was promoted as a protagonist and collaborator within artistic and curatorial ways of making, and as a partner for cultural response within current and future ecological and environmental discussions.

The Public Programme of the Kelp Congress took place between September 20 – 22 in Svolvær. During this weekend insights, processes and discoveries from the Coast, Line, Kelp Curing and Kelp Diagramme Collective  workshops that lead up to the weekend were shared. These sharings took place in Svolvær, Lofoten as part of a wider programme consisting of keynote lectures, discussions, art works, and performances.