Accessibility

See also: FAQ

Nes is a remote residency with minimal staff in a small village of about 450 residents, so artists largely operate independently. We hope this information will prepare anyone considering an application, or planning for a residency in Skagaströnd. This document is a work in progress as we continue our effort to expand access to Nes. We will consider any requests regarding accessibility, and understand many disabilities are non-visible. Please contact onsite@neslist.is with further questions and view photo examples at the end of this document.

►Please note that Nes is not currently wheelchair accessible, and there are no on-grade entrances.
►English is the primary language spoken at Nes, and widely spoken in Iceland (although fluency is not a requirement to apply). Community announcements and everyday business in Skagaströnd are conducted in Icelandic.
►Nes residents (sometimes staying with their families and children) share restrooms, kitchens, and common rooms in a multi-bedroom house (Fellsbraut 2), or a room with private bathroom at Salthús Guesthouse.

Fellsbraut 2 – Floors 1 & 2 (Upper Apt)
The upper apartment is accessed via a ten 20cm-step concrete staircase and contains two floors once inside. The top floor is reached by twelve 22cm-steps (see below). There is a sauna on the 3rd floor and a toilet/shower on each floor with walk-in showers a 27cm step up. Shared kitchen, living room, dining room. Each bedroom has a key for locking while inside the room, currently there is no option to lock bedroom doors while outside the room. Front door has a lock. NES has one fold out crib and mattress for small children. Max occupants: 9
►A private bedroom/bathroom in Salthús guesthouse with shared kitchen may be available upon request. This guesthouse is located about 1.1km from the studio.

Fellsbraut 2 – Floor 0 (Lower Apt)
The lower apartment is accessed via a separate entrance from a wooden porch with one 17cm step from the ground. There are no stairs inside this apartment. There is one toilet with a walk-in shower, a 22cm step up. Shared kitchen, living room, dining room. Each bedroom has a key for locking while inside the room, currently there is no option to lock bedroom doors while outside the room. Front door has a lock. NES has one fold out crib and mattress for small children.
Max occupants: 4
►A private bedroom/bathroom in Salthús guesthouse with shared kitchen may be available upon request. This guesthouse is located about 1.1km from the studio.

The NES Studio (Fjörubraut 8, 545 Skagaströnd)

The studio is located about 310m slightly downhill from the Fellsbraut 2 residence, and 1.1 km from Salthús Guesthouse. The walk includes concrete sidewalks and a gravel path. The studio is also accessible by car 350m from Fellsbraut 2. There are no stairs to enter the studio or inside, but because of raised door thresholds, there are no on-grade entrances. The studio is open plan, with movable work tables arranged around the outer wall, and includes a kitchen, toilet, and screening room/projector. Due to characteristics of the building, the toilet is not wheelchair-accessible. 

As the studio is shared, we ask that artists use unscented and low-toxicity materials and are respectful of other artists working in the same space. The studio can sometimes be noisy and we suggest you bring headphones to use when you want to focus more intently.

Research Library
The library used by writers-in-residence, is accessed by three flights of stairs to the second floor (building has no elevator). Toilets are located on the same floor.

Private Studio/Dance Studio
This private studio often used for performance and dance is accessed by six flights of 8 stairs each, to the third floor (building has no elevator). Toilets and kitchen located in the studio on the same floor.

Music School (Tónlistarskóli)
Skagaströnd’s music school, Tónlistarskóli is located on the ground floor of a residential house, and accessed via 3-step concrete staircase. Toilet is located on the same floor.

Environment
►Weather: Icelandic weather is unpredictable and changes rapidly. Skagaströnd is a windy village by the sea (storm gusts occasionally exceed 90km/h). Windbreakers or a windproof parka and sturdy waterproof shoes are needed, no matter the time of year. Buildings are windproof and geo-thermally heated. In winter the town of Skagaströnd plows the streets to flatten snow for cars, but sidewalks remain icy, so crampons are necessary. Summer (June, July, August) also requires waterproof jacket, boots, and layers, with avg temps between 10-15 celsius. Sometimes winter storms cause temporary outages in power, internet, or water, usually not lasting more than 12hr.

►Scale: The distance to walk from one end of town to the other is about 2 km with minimal changes in gradation. The walk from Fellsbraut 2 to the grocery store is 300m, to the pool or Private Studio (Dance Studio) is 1.1 km. 

►Sound: The noise from high winds (more extreme during fall/winter) could necessitate earplugs at night. The Fellsbraut 2 residence is a communal living house previously used as a family home. The walls are not soundproof, so artists live with the noise that accompanies varied habits of fellow residents.

►Light: From June-August the 24hr sunlight could necessitate a sleeping mask to block out light, even though bedrooms have pull down shades. The studio lights are a combination of fluorescent and LED bulbs (we are in the process of transitioning to 100% LED). Artists can unplug the overhead light above their work table, and use a small lamp.

►Smell: Residents with varied cooking habits share a kitchen, and the smell of food often carries throughout the house. We ask residents to use fragrance-free laundry detergent, and NES does not use air fresheners. Professional cleanings occur at the end of each month, and some cleaning products may be scented.

►Cohabitation: The upper apt houses up to nine adult residents at a time. The lower apt. houses up to four residents. Residents manage household logistics, such as cleaning and kitchen time, together. Residents are welcome to stay with their families and children. Nes staff are available to assist in situations involving harassment or discrimination should they arise.

Travelling to Nes
►From Keflavík Airport you can take a Flybus (note: no toilet on the bus) 45 min, or a taxi, to Reykjavík, where artists usually stay overnight before traveling on to NES the following day.
►Artists primarily travel to Skagaströnd via rental car or Stræto Bus #57 (from Mjódd station), which travels between Reykjavik and Blönduós (4 hrs). Stræto Shuttle #84 must be reserved by phone in advance to travel 20 min from Blönduós to Skagaströnd. There is no toilet on the bus or shuttle, although Bus #57 makes one 30 min stop at Staðarskáli gas station on the way from Reykjavík to Blönduós. Please note there is no taxi service in Skagaströnd area.

Local Transportation

► Bus #57 travels from Reykjavík to Blönduós to Sauðárkrókur and then Akureyri (North and South once every day).
►Stræto Shuttle #84 must be reserved by phone in advance to travel 20 min from Blönduós to Skagaströnd.
►There is no toilet on the bus or shuttle.
►Car rentals are available in Skagaströnd, and there is an opportunity for carpooling.
►North Iceland Carpool

Food
►Kjörbuðin is the local grocery store in Skagaströnd. There is a larger store in Blönduòs a 20 min drive away, but food selection is limited. Local restaurants Hólanes and Harbor operate on a limited basis in the summer, and the local ÓB gas station and diner year round.

Medical Facilities and Healthcare

►Map of health care centers in Iceland: heilsuvera.is/en/health-services-map
►Dial 112 for an ambulance. Most artists living outside the EU purchase a travel health insurance plan that covers emergency medical care in Iceland.
►The Skagaströnd clinic (+354 432 4150) is 450m from Fellsbraut 2 and operates 10am-13:00(1pm), Monday-Friday.
►There is a pharmacy and hospital (+354 432 4100) where you can see a doctor in an emergency or by appointment in Blönduós, 22km away. You can reserve the shuttle, or NES staff may be available to drive residents in situations not requiring an ambulance.
►There is a pharmacy and hospital (+354 432 4100) where you can see a doctor in an emergency or by appointment in Sauðárkrókur, 53km away. You can take the #57 bus from Blönduós.
►The telephone consultation service for the Doctor´s Shift (Læknavaktin) is open 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. on weekdays, and 24 hours a day on weekends and public holidays. Phone: 1700 and 1770.
►Red Cross Help Line and webchat: 1717

Disability Rights in Iceland

►The Icelandic Human Rights Institute provides rights protection services for people with disabilities. You can contact the disability rights protection service at +354 554-8100 or by sending an email to postur@rettindagaesla.is or rettindagaesla@mannrettindi.is
►The Icelandic Disability Alliance

Human Rights in Iceland

►Icelandic Government on Human Rights and Equality
►Iceland’s Fifth Periodic Report on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 2021
►Kvenréttindafélag Íslands: Resources on Gender Equality in Iceland
►For information regarding LGBTQIA2S+ issues, contact Samtok 78, the National Queer Organization of Iceland.

Find additional information on the FAQ Page.

References
1. “Accessibility in the Arts: A Promise and a Practice,” by Carolyn Lazard. Recess, New York, 2019.
2. “Access Intimacy: The Missing Link” by Mia Mingus. Leaving Evidence, May 5, 2011.
3. A note on Lexend, the typeface used here.