Over the years, Bryggeriet has asserted it’s cultural importance combing skateboarding and education in Malmö, Sweden. We’ve seen numerous successful alumni, great projects affiliated with it and it acts as a blueprint for more schools to take note and adopt it’s approach to skills associated with skateboarding as a whole. One such skill is film making.
Mag fave and prolific videographer Markus Bengtsson told us about some of the work that current students of Bryggeriet have been creating which has resulted in this online article to appreciate their talents. Scroll through to see some words, photos and videos to get an insight into their developing craft and a huge thank you to Makke for pushing this and making us aware of the great work created by these driven students.
A huge thank you to Bryggeriet and it’s staff for the support for Vague as a whole.
Skate highschool, More than tricks n flips.
“I’m moving to Malmö,” I said to my friends.
“Why? You’re just gonna get shot or robbed.”
“I’m going to Bryggeriet, the skate high school in Malmö,” was my answer.
After that, a long series of questions followed. Some of which I still get asked. Questions that all skaters who have ever studied at Bryggeriet know by heart.
“Is there really a school for skateboarding?”
“Is skateboarding even a subject?”
“How often do you have skate class?”
“Are you good at skateboarding?”
“Are you trying to go pro?”
“What are the career options after school?”
We are asked these questions all the time in one way or another. So I’ll do my best to answer them now, for anyone who’s curious, now or in the future.
Is there a school for skateboarding?
Yeah, there actually is. Bryggeriet is a small school in Malmö, a city in the south of Sweden. And it’s not just for Swedish students either. I have classmates from all over Scandinavia, north to south, east to west.
Is skateboarding a subject, and how often do you have skate class?
During the three years at Bryggeriet, you have skate class at least once a week. It’s a not sports program, so we don’t just skate, get a grade, and go home. We learn way more than just tricks. Skateboarding is a tool for learning.
For example, we learn about physiotherapy, like how to treat sprained ankles and heel bruises, how injuries happen, and what’s actually going on in the body. We also learn about focus and sports psychology, especially connected to skateboarding. Like how to deal with being scared to try a new trick down a stair set.
We even do our own research projects about body health or skating. We’ve learned how to plan and manage a skate class ourselves, where we decide what to work on for the day, set goals, and try to reach them with help from our teachers. And yeah, we skate a lot too.
But skating connects to more subjects as well, like photography and film and TV-production. In photography, we learn the photo side of skateboarding. In film and TV, we learn the video side. We’ve made skate videos and also a lot of random skate edits. So I’d say skating isn’t just one subject, it’s a bunch of them. Skateboarding is the vessel. The learning is the goal.
Are you good at skateboarding?
No, not really. But that’s not why I chose Bryggeriet. I love skateboarding, and I wanted to study things like photography and get a high school diploma.
Bryggeriet welcomes all kinds of skaters. Comp skaters, street skaters, sponsored skaters, and casual skaters. That creates a unique environment. It’s not competitive or stressful. Everyone has their own goals and their own way of getting there.
It’s inspiring to see Vitus Silas do a backside nosebluntslide over a pyramid, but it’s just as inspiring to see Noa film insane street skating with a fisheye lens.
What are the career options after school?
Honestly, I don’t really know. The opportunities after school come from what we’ve learned during these three years, not from being able to kickflip a five stair.
I know what I want to do and what options I have, and they’re not directly related to skating. But I also know classmates who want to pursue a career in skateboarding, and I’m pretty sure they’ll make it.
We still study all the regular subjects, just as any other school. We also gain knowledge and experience that people from regular schools don’t. Most of us moved out when we were 15 or 16 to live in a new city, or even a new country. The school has helped us grow in our own ways, find our strengths, and build connections with people from all over.
Skateboarding gives more than just skating. It teaches so much to so many people in unique and personal ways.
So the next time someone asks about Bryggeriets gymnasium and skateboarding in school, now you know.
Ingemar Eriksson – Bg23A
This film is produced by the students of Bryggeriet’s skateboard program. It was created with joy, passion, and a strong commitment to creativity.
Video by: Class BG23A
This film is produced by the students of Bryggeriet’s skateboard program. It was created with joy, passion, and a strong commitment to creativity.
Video by: Class BG23B
