Regional hubs (OPPTAKT Project)
The Polyfon Knowledge Cluster for Music Therapy works to strengthen music therapy as a field of practice, education and research in Norway, while also supporting the wider use of music as a resource for health and community participation. Through the OPPTAKT Project (2026-2028), Polyfon is developing regional hubs in Southern, Eastern and Western Norway.
Download the project plan
Please note that the project plan is available in Norwegian only. The full project plan for OPPTAKT is available as a PDF.
About the OPPTAKT Project (2026-2028)
The OPPTAKT Project has been made possible through a generous grant from Agenda Vestlandet, a foundation established by Sparebanken Norge. OPPTAKT aims to increase access to music therapy and other music-based health initiatives. Individuals affiliated with Polyfon partner organisations can both contribute to and benefit from the professional opportunities offered through the project.
The project will:
- support and promote service user and family caregiver involvement in professional development processes
- offer dissemination grants
- offer development grants for practice and services
- offer research support grants
- support new initiatives aimed at building competence and expertise
Background
Following the adoption of Polyfon's strategy in 2024, the Steering Committee established a working group to explore measures that could strengthen the cluster's professional capacity and financial sustainability in pursuing its vision and objectives. One of the proposals put forward by the working group was the development of a model for regional hubs, and in December 2024 the Steering Committee decided to pilot this approach.
The project was named OPPTAKT ("Opening Movement" or "Prelude"), reflecting its ambition to contribute to the national scaling-up of music therapy services, making music as a health resource accessible to more people who need and want it.
The intention is that the Central and Northern Norway regions will become part of a future project if OPPTAKT proves successful and there is interest in extending the initiative to these regions.
The Regional Hub Model
In the context of Polyfon, a regional hub is intended to support the development of music therapy services and related practices, complemented by research and development activities, service user and family involvement, and competence building.
To achieve this, the three-year OPPTAKT Project will:
- establish Regional Coordinator positions in Southern, Eastern and Western Norway
- recruit approximately six or more Polyfon partner organisations in each region, preferably including at least one partner from academia, one from specialist healthcare services and one from the municipal sector, as well as other relevant stakeholders
- develop systematic collaboration among participating organisations within each region and, where appropriate, across regions
- establish partnerships that ensure systematic involvement of service users and family caregivers
Polyfon's three regional hubs
The three regional hubs established through the OPPTAKT Project are located in Southern, Eastern and Western Norway. Ansgar University College (Kristiansand) has taken responsibility for coordinating the collaboration in Southern Norway, the Norwegian Academy of Music in Eastern Norway, and the University of Bergen in Western Norway.
The photograph above was taken at a Polyfon conference in Kristiansand in June 2026. From left to right: Marie Skånland (Polyfon Regional Coordinator for Southern Norway), Hans Petter Paulen Solli (Polyfon Regional Coordinator for Eastern Norway), Brynjulf Stige (Director of the Polyfon Knowledge Cluster), Silje Rasmussen Sandnes (Deputy Chair of the Polyfon Experience Panel), and Kaja Elise Åslid Enge (Polyfon Regional Coordinator for Western Norway).