By filling the arena with 25 bronze sculptures of children frozen in a moment of vulnerability we reach the hearts of visitors and engage them to get involved in the fight against bullying. Just as the name of the arena, the sculptures become a permanent reminder that no child should be subjected to bullying.

The arena is filled with a lot commercial messages. We wanted to create something unique to break through the clutter. Instead of using traditional media, we decided to take advantage of the enormous and raw space the arena comprise and contrast that against the inferiority of children in vulnerable situations.

The target audience was the general public – all of those who visit the arena. Secondary, the strategy of working with bronze sculptures of children, aimed to create attention from media making them talk about bullying.

The project consists of 25 real-life sized bronze sculptures of children accompanied by a message from Friends and Swedbank, printed the concrete walls across the Arena, describing their joint effort against bullying. A website was also launched collecting real-life stories of bullying from children across the nation - www.arenansbarn.se.

Many voices are present inside the Arena. By using the alternative media of sculptures we allow for a new voice to be heard. In the sometimes distracting, and motley environment of the arena, the silence and stillness of the sculptures becomes a strength in itself – a call for afterthought and empathy.

With a physical and permanent embodiment the sculptures becomes one with the arena, creating a clear link between the national arena, The Friends Foundation, and their work being done to prevent bullying. They also establish a stationary everlasting message that accentuates the serious nature of the topic at hand.

Reach: 12.000.000

SoMe views: 10.000.000

Engagement: 400K

Stories of bullying shared: 184

National awareness of Swedbank’s social engagements: +25%

Per Lander, General Secretary, Friends:

“Thanks to this spectacular project, all Swedes have been reminded that only by standing up together can we stop bullying, and that we (Friends) lead the fight.”

Birgitte Bonnesen, CEO, Swedbank,

“The sculptures not only stand as a powerful symbol of our commitment to serve society in a much broader sense then as a bank; they are also a permanent, national manifestation for the right of every child to be treated with respect.”

Maria Klyvare, the sculpture artist:

“The artpiece is a representation of every child's plea be seen and heard. The presence of the children in the harsh concrete landscape becomes a physical experience and gives soul and identity to the arena. We see the child – and maybe our own inner child too. ”