• Population: 270 000 inhabitants
• Area: 4140 sq km
• Administrative division: 18 municipalities

Østfold County Council is part of the three public/political levels of Norway; the National State, the County Councils and the Municipalities. The county council

• is a large producer of public services to the people of the region;
• is to have a leading role in the development of the region;
• has a leading role in the regional partnership.

The county council is governed by politicians who are democratically elected by the people. There is an election to the County Council every 4th year, and the County Council, with its 35 elected members, is the highest political level in the County. The County Council is the head of the County Administration. The politicians decide how the County Council will spend its income and the administration acts on these decisions by following them through. Some of the County Council responsibilities are 11 upper secondary schools, dental clinics, public transport, county library, communications and infrastructure, business development, cultural initiatives and cultural heritage protection, international affaires, county planning and environmental protection and community health.

Østfold County is known as “The Gateway to Europe”. There are two important highways, E6 and E18, crossing the county, we have a regional airport and there are several harbours located in the county. Østfold County has a beautiful coastline in the outer part and beautiful woods and lakes in the inner part.

In Østfold people have lived for approximately 10 000 years. We have a lot of cultural heritage from these ancient people; rock carvings, old roads and old settlements.

There are two important fortresses in the county; the fortress of Fredriksten and the fortified town of Fredrikstad. They were built during the 16th century. The main purpose of these fortresses was to defend Norway and to avoid attacks from Sweden. The most famous event found place at the fortress of Fredriksten in Halden where the king of Sweden, king Karl the 12th, was killed in 1718 during a Swedish attack on Norway. It is still a mystery what hit him; a Norwegian or a Swedish bullet?

In 1814 there were negotiations between Denmark-Norway and Sweden concerning peace in the city of Moss in Østfold County. As a result of these negotiations Norway kept its own Parliament and Constitution.

The region is very devoted to culture and cultural development. Art and galleries are one of the first things that come to mind when inhabitants of the Moss district tell others about their hometown. In 2006 Gallery F15 and Momentum AS was merged into one institution named Punkt Ø AS. Gallery F15 is one of the oldest, most traditional art institutions in Norway. The gallery has changing exhibitions throughout the year, with focus on Norwegian, Nordic and international contemporary art.

The coat of arms of the county council consists of the rising sun on a red background. This symbolizes that the sun gives life and it symbolizes the power of the growth of the nature. The sunbeams represent the heat and the light from the sun.

Current events

Østfold County Council arranged in cooperation with several partners for Østfold, Norway and Sweden the great outdoor opera performance, Turandot, at the fortress of Fredriksten I Halden. The opera performance Carmen will be arranged during June in 2011.

During summertime the last two years Østfold County Council has been one of many partners arranging sing-along-performances at the fortress of Fredriksten. These performances are broadcasted on the Norwegian television.

Momentum – a Nordic Biennial for Contemporary Art - was established in 1998, and has since then grown into the perhaps most important exhibition of Nordic art in a Nordic and European context. Momentum has become a success both with the public and in art circles. The Norwegian and international press has played an important role in placing both the festival and Moss on the international map of contemporary art.