Reykjavík Grapevine - 15.06.2018, Side 40

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The Blue Bank
A different kind of bank opens in Þingeyri
Words: Aron Ingi Guðmundsson Photo: Haukur Sigurðsson
Space
Visit Blábankinn in Þingeyri, and
check it out online at blabankinn.is
In the small town of Þingeyri, in
the Westfjords of Iceland, some-
thing very exciting is brewing.
There’s a new bank in town that’s
as far from a traditional financial
institution as you could imagine.
It’s a creative bank, with a vault
full of ideas instead
of c urrenc y. It ’s
Blában k inn—The
Blue Bank.
Blábankinn was
fo u n d e d by A r-
nar Sigurðsson—a
co-founder of the
K a r o l i n a F u n d
crowdfunding plat-
for m — a nd A r n-
hildur Lillý Karls-
dót t i r, who a lso
happen to be mar-
ried. They were liv-
ing in downtown Reykjavík when
they decided to pack their bags and
move to Þingeyri, with their young
son, in the fall of 2017. The purpose
of their move was to start run-
ning Blábankinn, which had been
founded in the spring. The decision
has already proved to be a good one,
in Arnar’s opinion, and he recom-
mends that people try giving up
the city lifestyle to live in a smaller
place with more human connec-
tion.
A new institution
“We’ve been open for a year now,”
Arnar explains. “We’re welcoming
entrepreneurs and creative people
from everywhere, and at the same
time supporting local projects
within the town. It is good for peo-
ple to get away from the chaos of
their everyday life and enjoy being
close to nature and surrounded by
creative people.”
Blábankinn has a co-working
space, and offers bank-
ing services and events
on business, arts, and
innovation in the com-
munity. “It ’s a mix of
many things,” Arnar says.
“One was to do with the
institutions, the idea of
having more service in
Þingeyri like a bank ser-
vice, a library and union
service. But this proj-
ect goes much further.
Thanks to the creativity
and motivation of entre-
preneurs in town, like the people
behind Simbahöllin, a coffee house
and cultural centre in Þingeyri,
Blábankinn aims to develop more
variety within the local economy,
and to help interesting projects to
be born.”
Understanding and
support
Arnar says the response has been
great so far, and that the people of
Þingeyri have welcomed the family
and attended Blábankinn’s events.
They’ve opened their doors to art-
ists, entrepreneurs, and scientists
alike, to help make connections
and ease the project into the lo-
cal society. The approach makes
for an interesting dynamic—on
one hand, it’s a social service that
looks inwards, and on the other,
an entrepreneurial society that
looks outwards, seeing things on
an international scale. It’s this,
in Arnar’s opinion, that makes
Blábankinn unique.
Nonetheless, it’s a challenge
to build something new and in-
novative in a remote area like the
Westfjords. “We live with many
issues regarding transportation,
inclement conditions, and lack of
service,” says Arnar. “We’ve felt un-
derstanding and support regard-
ing these challenging conditions
to try and build up something new.
We get support from the Ministry
of Transport and Municipality for
this trial project.”
The whole package
I wonder out loud of the Blábankinn
model could be used elsewhere.
“The only way to find out if some-
thing has value is to look at your-
self, and your village,” says Arnar.
“If the Blábankinn way can work
elsewhere, then great, but it’s all
about the people at this specific lo-
cation. It’s the energy that builds
up, and the atmosphere. You have
to look at the whole package.”
With these words ringing in
my ears and the cold sea breeze of
the Westfjords caressing my face
during my afternoon walk, I feel
convinced that the future of this
region is bright, especially with
people like Arnar around.
Gerðarsafn Kópavogur Art Museum
Hamraborg 4 200 Kópavogur www.gerdarsafn.is
Gerður:
Retrospective
31.05.–
7.10.2018
“Blábankinn
aims to devel-
op more vari-
ety within the
local economy,
and to help
interesting
projects to be
born.”
Arnar Sigurðsson, an unusual kind of banker
i8 Gallery
Tryggvagata 16
101 Reykjavík
info@i8.is
t: +354 551 3666
www.i8.is
Divisions and Reflections
IGNACIO URIARTE
31 May - 4 August 2018