Ars Moriendi has grown from idea to enterprise in a process that began in 2015 and took off in 2020. Two years later, Sweden’s first Farewell Bureau was ready to set up shop.

During the journey I have had the pleasure of having a great number of interesting conversations with my family, with close friends, artists’ colleagues, researchers and others. These inspiring conversations about what kind of role in society Ars Moriendi might have in this time of transition have been invaluable to the emergence of the agency so far.

My research has led to many new contacts and friendships. It has also given me exciting new insights and knowledge, including about palliative care, funeral homes’ everyday activities and what liturgical development can mean.

No one is mentioned here and no one is forgotten either – you all know who you are, and to all of you I would like to extend a warm and heartfelt Thank You!

I would also like to express gratitude for financial support for the development work in the form of the Church of Sweden’s cultural scholarship, the Swedish Arts grants Committee’s project support and project development support from Region Skåne. Many thanks also to Skogen in Gothenburg, for residency and co-production support!

Lars Noväng