After the Musical Instrument Academy had sold its building in Sarpsborg and relocated its activities in 2019, the academy received project funding from the Viken County Municipality to identify and establish partnerships across the Nordic countries for the development of the musical instrument making profession.

We were approached by the University of Gothenburg, which has been a long-standing partner in various projects, to assist in the establishment of new workshops, as the university has a tradition of building church organs and early keyboard instruments. While this work was well underway, we were subsequently invited to participate in a feasibility study focusing on the establishment of a comprehensive musical instrument maker education in Sweden. The feasibility study was carried out by Professor Per Anders Nilsson, sound master Björn Aspelind, and musical instrument maker Arnfred Marthinsen. The feasibility study was funded by the Västra Götaland County.

The university has a department in Bengtsfors, where the Stenebyskolan is located—a school with more than a hundred years of tradition in crafts education—where the University of Gothenburg sought to establish a musical instrument maker education programme. 

The feasibility study concluded that Sweden largely lacks musical instrument makers across most instrument groups. This situation is critical, as the professional music sector—including symphony orchestras, wind bands, choirs, churches, concert halls, and professional musicians—faces a significant shortage of qualified musical instrument makers capable of building, repairing, restoring, and tuning instruments.

The conclusion of the project report was that there are insufficient qualified professionals within the local community to establish such a higher education institution for musical instrument makers. 

Project status:
Completed and approved by the :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}, Sweden.