NEWS
Connecting islands through culture: Net Insight enabling remote arts and education in the ACROSS project
Remote doesn’t have to mean out of reach.
Net Insight is proud to support ACROSS, an ambitious cross-border initiative that connects island communities in the Stockholm and Åland archipelagoes to the cultural and educational opportunities traditionally found only in urban centers.
Bridging the cultural divide
For residents of these islands, access to music education and performing arts has long been limited by geography. The isolation from cultural hubs like Stockholm and Mariehamn has led to a loss of opportunity—and people—as locals leave to pursue development elsewhere. ACROSS is changing that by linking island venues to the mainland via a low-latency, high-quality digital network, enabling live collaboration, education, and performance.
The project’s vision is bold: reverse the trend of brain drain by turning these islands into digitally connected cultural nodes.
Education and performance, delivered digitally
The initiative is powered by specially designed remote stations that run over existing optical fiber infrastructure, creating stable and responsive links between cultural and educational institutions.
Two music schools—SMI (Stockholm University College of Music Education) and ÅMI (Ålands Musikinstitut)—are delivering remote music education tailored to island communities, with SMI focusing on young adults and professionals, and ÅMI supporting younger students.
Meanwhile, Riksteatern and NIPÅ (Nordic Institute on Åland) are bringing performing arts productions and creative workshops directly to local audiences—virtually and interactively. This collaboration ensures not only access to professional instruction and artistic engagement but also fosters a sense of community and belonging through shared cultural experiences.
Digital infrastructure that supports culture
At the heart of ACROSS is a reliable, low-latency media transport network, made possible through Net Insight’s technology. By facilitating real-time interaction between educators, artists, and communities, we’re helping ensure that geography is no longer a barrier to creativity, education, or connection.
ACROSS is more than a project—it’s a lifeline for communities looking to thrive in place. We’re proud to be enabling presence and possibility, one connection at a time.
