NTNU is a comprehensive university that encompasses many creative and performing arts fields within education and research. This includes architecture, design, film, visual arts, music, dance, and various forms of performing arts.

Artistic activity is one of NTNU’s core activities, and the arts are an important part of NTNU’s identity. NTNU’s strategy, Knowledge for a Better World, includes an arts strategy that emphasizes developing excellent artistic environments, strengthening artistic research, and fostering collaboration between technology, science, and society.

Artistic activity describes the activities of NTNU’s creative and performing arts fields, which often represent the bulk of the research and development (R&D) work for those employed on an artistic basis. Artistic research refers to the research aspect of this activity.

The arts strategy has three main development goals for NTNU’s artistic communities and artistic research:

• Develop art of documented high international quality
• Further strengthen the interaction between art, technology, and science
• Actively contribute to strengthening the role of art in society and in schools

NTNU’s artistic environments are relevant and vital for the university’s development both nationally and internationally, and for Trondheim as a cultural city.