På vinst och förlust – turning the path to the Ice Hockey World Championship into a place for young voices, culture, and employment

Turning the road to the World Championship into a space for art

Ahead of the 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship, the City of Stockholm worked to activate places in the city that many Stockholmers and visitors would pass through on their way to the championship. One of these places was Gullmarsgången, the pedestrian tunnel between Gullmarsplan and the Globe area. Here, the public artwork For Better or Worse was created, with 15 young Stockholmers interpreting the theme of wins and losses in sports and in life. The artwork became part of the city’s official World Championship buildup and a concrete example of how culture, sports, and civic engagement can come together in public space.

Collaboration giving young people a space in the city

The project was built on a collaboration between the City of Stockholm’s Labor Market Administration, Culture Administration, and Traffic Administration. Together, the administrations contributed different perspectives and areas of responsibility: the Labor Market Administration with a focus on employment and pathways into working life, the Culture Administration through Unga berättar and the creative educational approach of Kulturskolan Stockholm, and the Traffic Administration through its work with the city’s public spaces and pedestrian routes. Through this collaboration, the project was able to give young adults meaningful work experience while also strengthening the experience of a central location ahead of an international sporting event.

Art works in the Gullmarsgången pedestrian passageway

Creative extra jobs with real impact

The artwork was developed under the guidance of educators from Unga berättar, part of Kulturskolan Stockholm. Through creative summer jobs, young Stockholmers had the opportunity to work with images, storytelling, and visual expression — while also exploring how their ideas could become part of the city’s shared public space. The theme Win or lose connected to the world of ice hockey, where every game includes both successes and setbacks, but also to life more broadly: daring to try, fail, learn, and grow.

An event that created value beyond the arena

The project shows how a major event can create value far beyond the arena. For visitors on their way to the World Championship, Gullmarsgången became a colorful and thought-provoking entrance to the event area. For the young adults who took part, the initiative became an opportunity to build confidence, collaborate with others, and see their work take its place in the city. In a LinkedIn post, one participant describes how the project gave them the courage to try new forms of expression, meet new people, and step outside their comfort zone.

A more vibrant and welcoming public space

For the City of Stockholm, the work with Gullmarsgången became a clear example of how events can be connected to broader social goals. By bringing together labor market initiatives, cultural activities, and the development of public spaces, the project created both local participation and a more welcoming urban environment. På vinst och förlust brought color to the route to the 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship – but above all, the project showed how the creativity and experiences of young adults can contribute to a more vibrant, inclusive, and engaging city.