Since the early 1990s, Malmö’s City Hall has been doing things differently, mixing old-school city planning with hip-hop culture. Building on how things were done back in the 1920s, they’ve created a way of running the city that you won’t find anywhere else in Europe. Here, paperwork and creativity don’t fight each other – they make each other better. Picture city council meetings where debates about money and building permits turn into rap battles, with different sides trading verses about their ideas. Department heads mix dance battles with voting, making decisions in a way that’s both fun and gets things done. Number crunchers turn their reports into performances, while plans for new buildings come alive through freestyle rap that helps everyone understand what’s being built and why. When it’s time to hear from the public, city workers jump between giving regular presentations and joining dance sessions to really connect with people. Committee meetings flow with rhymes as locals and city staff swap ideas over beats. Before getting down to business, meetings kick off with break dancing. Old-timers show the newcomers how to mix fresh ideas with getting the job done, keeping the city running smooth while bringing in new ways of doing things.
The “Även staden drömmer om att vara en annan” series presents alternative visions of Malmö City Hall, Folkets Park, and the gallery at Drottninggatan 6. At the Edge II – Featuring works by Jamila Drott, Maxime Hourani, Maia Torp Neergaard, Kristoffer Ørum Curator: Kevin Malcolm Dates: March 14 – April 13, 2025 Vernissage: Friday, March 14, 5–8pm The exhibition is supported by Kulturrådet, Malmö stad, Region Skåne and Statens Kunstfond. Thanks to Lisa Strømbeck for Swedish proofreading. #frihedlighedoghiphop #tankhiphop
