Culture school in Oslo: music, art and stage

Trondheimsveien 2, bygg L «Malteriet», Grünerløkka

A culture station in the old malt house at Schous plass, teaching music, dance, theatre and visual art for children and teenagers. Its location in the middle of Grünerløkka makes it easy to reach by tram and metro from much of the city. Registration via Oslo kulturskole's shared application portal.

ages 6-18

Brenneriveien 9, Grünerløkka

A non-profit music education organisation in Brenneriveien by the Akerselva river, with band courses and rehearsal rooms for children and youth. The junior band course is for ages 9-13 (all genders), while LOUD Bandskole is a dedicated programme for girls and queer youth aged 12-19 - both with real band playing from the first session. AKKS works for gender balance in music, and no prior experience is needed.

ages 9-18

Sofienberggata 51, Grünerløkka

The children's jazz house, a resource centre for children and young people who want to learn jazz and improvisation. The regular pupils are between 7 and 15 years old and receive continuous teaching in harmony, chord progressions, ear training and different approaches to improvisation, with whatever is learnt individually put straight to use in a band. The pupils perform regularly at Nasjonal jazzscene. The school has its own premises in Sofienberggata, a few minutes' walk from Lakkegata school.

ages 7-15

Uelands gate 85, inngang D, Sagene

The newest culture station, opened in 2024 in the fully renovated 1918 cement factory by Voldsløkka. Music, dance, theatre and visual art are taught in purpose-built premises, shared with Voldsløkka school. Registration via Oslo kulturskole's shared application portal.

ages 6-18

Tøyenbekken 5, Gamle Oslo

The main site of Oslo's municipal school of the arts, the city's resource centre for arts education since 1980. Teaching covers music, dance, theatre, visual art and gaming, with dedicated groups for children and teenagers. The school has around 9,000 pupils across nearly 90 teaching locations in the city, and admission goes through the municipality's shared application portal.

ages 6-18

Plogveien 22, Østensjø

A culture station at Manglerud teaching music, dance, theatre and visual art for children and teenagers in the east of the city. Courses follow the school year, and pupils play and perform together throughout it. Registration via Oslo kulturskole's shared application portal.

ages 6-18

Grefsen, Hasle, Smestad og Vålerenga skoler, Sentrum

A private school of arts teaching right after school hours at Grefsen, Hasle, Smestad and Vålerenga schools, plus in its own premises. The programme spans music play for the very youngest (from age 1) via singing, drawing and instruments to musical theatre with real performances, for children up to around 12. Practical for families: children go straight from the classroom to arts class.

ages 4-12

Toftes gate 69, Grünerløkka

A guitar school at Grünerløkka run by guitarist and composer Frode Barth, with tuition adapted to children from around age 8 - the age when most have developed enough finger strength and coordination to get properly started. Pupils get close follow-up from a working musician, and the teaching spans from the first chords to advanced playing. For children who want to learn guitar properly, from someone who does it for a living.

ages 8-18

Huseby skole, Vestre Aker

Guitar lessons at Huseby school near Røa, for children, young people and adults. The youngest pupil is seven, and the school takes pupils of all ages above that, so teenagers practise in the same setting as adults. Lessons run from early afternoon into the evening, eighteen weeks per semester, that is five months of teaching in both autumn and spring. This is a private guitar school, so prices are higher than at the municipal culture school; the cost of a semester is on their website. Siblings get a discount, and the first lesson is a free trial. Magnus Larsson has run the school since 2021 and holds teacher training from the Norwegian Academy of Music.

ages 7-18

Kastellet skole, Nordstrand

A local school of the arts in the south of the city, teaching in the premises of Kastellet school and at Munkerud school and Lambertseter youth club. The offering is split in three: music with individual and group tuition on most instruments, theatre and musical theatre in two groups (years 1 to 3 and years 4 to 7), and drawing and painting courses for children aged 8 to 14. The children's choir the school used to run no longer appears in its course list. The school has been running for more than twenty years and takes part in the city's leisure card scheme. A rare neighbourhood option for music tuition on the Nordstrand side of the city.

ages 6-18

Josefines gate 17 (Majorstuen) og Munkedamsveien 66 (Sentrum), Frogner

A private music school with branches in Josefines gate near Majorstuen and Munkedamsveien in the centre, teaching children and adults piano, guitar and singing. The school splits pupils into three age groups, from four and five year olds via six to eighteen and on to adults. Tuition is one-to-one with dedicated teachers, adapted to the pupil's age and level, and dedicated summer courses run in the holidays. A flexible option for children who want to learn an instrument at their own pace.

ages 4-18

Holmlia, Hauketo, Ljan og Bøler, Gamle Oslo

A culture school in music and the arts with weekly teaching, both individual and group lessons, and professional teachers. The year includes ensemble periods, exhibitions and concerts, and pupils also perform outside the school. Note where they actually are: in autumn 2026 they operate at Holmlia, Hauketo, Ljan and Bøler, in the south and east, not at the registered city-centre address. Approved for the Oslo leisure card.

ages 6-18

Lyder Sagens gate 2, Fagerborg, St. Hanshaugen

One of Norway's most respected music institutes, with its own music school for children at Fagerborg. Beginners aged 5 to 9 get individual tuition and ensemble playing on violin, viola, cello, double bass, piano, oboe and bassoon - and those who want to go further can apply to Unge Talenter, the institute's programme for school-age musicians. A serious, warm doorway into classical music with long traditions.

ages 5-18

Oppsal, Østensjø

A music school at Oppsal teaching violin, piano, guitar and singing, with ensemble and orchestra work alongside individual lessons. The school states that it works to include children from different backgrounds, and that its aim is for every child to experience music. Approved for the Oslo leisure card.

ages 6-18

Oslo kulturskole (flere undervisningssteder), Grünerløkka

Music therapy and adapted music tuition at Oslo's municipal culture school, for children from age 7, teenagers and adults. Teaching is given in groups or individual lessons for pupils who need adaptation, runs over 35 weeks and follows the school calendar. The price is 2428 kroner per term, and you apply for a place via the culture school's page.

ages 7-18

Huseby, Kampen, Kjelsås, Vinderen og Øraker, Sentrum

A private music school established in 2003, with around 200 pupils and 20 teachers across five teaching locations: Huseby school, Kampen community house, Kjelsås school, Vinderen school and Øraker school - so most families find one nearby. Tuition covers guitar, piano, singing, violin, drums, cello and saxophone, and new pupils get up to two trial lessons before deciding.

ages 6-18

Voldsløkka kulturstasjon, Sagene

Fiddle and Hardanger fiddle from eight, half an hour a week over 35 weeks. The repertoire is mostly Norwegian folk music, with elements from other countries, and pupils learn to play by ear and improvise alongside technique. Teaching is in small groups by age and level.

ages 8-18

Slemdalsveien 131, Vestre Aker

A family-oriented music school at Slemdal with personal one-to-one tuition for children, youth and adults. The instrument list is unusually broad: piano, guitar, violin, viola, cello, harp, ukulele, banjo, electric bass, flute, saxophone, recorder, singing - and even songwriting and music production. Short lessons adapted to the very youngest (guitar typically from age 7-8), in a safe setting with engaged teachers.

ages 5-18

Bentsegata 1B, Sagene

A private music school in Sagene teaching since 1989, with weekly one to one lessons in piano, singing, guitar and santoor. The youngest pupils are taken from age five or six, and lessons run 30, 45 or 60 minutes depending on age and level. Teaching follows the school year with around 36 weeks, and two of the school's four pupil concerts are for children and teenagers, voluntary and free. The santoor is a Persian string instrument rarely taught elsewhere in the city, so a child can start on something quite different from the usual instruments. The school also teaches adults, so siblings and parents can attend the same place.

ages 5-18