Arnar Dan Kristjánsson – interview

Arnar Dan Kristjánsson is a master's student in the Department of Art Education at the Icelandic Institute of Technology.

"I am from Hafnfjörður… or I grew up there. Today I live in the western suburbs of Reykjavik and I guess I am not a westerner today. This is a constant journey of self-creation and that is why I always find it strange to start sentences with I am". Tomorrow I could suddenly become something completely different. Today I am mainly a student teacher, teacher, actor, carpenter and father," says Arnar Dan, but before he came to study at the art education department he was acting, teaching and building houses; cramming the crumbs of life as he says himself.

Arnar with his wife Sigríður Soffía and their children.

"I worked as a department head at Dvergastein Preschool, initially just in the hope of getting my daughter settled. I craved security, order, and being able to spend time with my family in the evenings," says Arnar, but teaching has really always been with him.

"My mother is a teacher, I have worked a lot with children, both in private lessons and after-school activities, directed performances in elementary schools and taught in one way or another. We are always evolving and life has led me here. I have always had a burning interest in communication and the magic of relationships."

At Dvergasteinn Preschool, Arnar gained responsibility, experience, and his interest in preschool matters grew.

"I wanted to be the change I want to see within the system, not complain but take responsibility and do it. The kindergarten principal pointed me to the teacher training program, and the City of Reykjavík supports employees who are interested in the teacher training program with a generous scholarship. So in 2025 I decided to take the plunge and began studying at the Department of Art Education at the Icelandic Institute of Technology," says Arnar, whose time in the department has been extremely positive.

"I am the journey and the study is teaching me working methods that I will use in the future. Diaries and action research. Perception and pedagogy. Love it. I have gained a deeper perspective on the discipline and met great artists who want to make a difference. With this decision, I have opened up new possibilities for myself as an artist and I am therefore very grateful for this path at the Academy of the Arts. It is a good feeling to feel growth towards something beautiful."

When asked about his plans for his final project from his master's program, he doesn't have a clear answer: "Yes, I have a big idea and it's a question of whether I'll have the time to implement it, but today I'm mainly gathering knowledge, being influenced, and shaping an idea." Actor starts kindergarten "will be the title of the final project," says Arnar, whose dream is to build a strategy where everything revolves around play and connection.

"Play is a magic that connects and builds trust. The staff at Leikleikskólinn need to know how to play themselves, know their own state of flow, and have a comprehensive knowledge of children's spontaneous play. Otherwise, you could be somewhere else," says Arnar, who sees great beauty in the art.

"Artists are sensitive creatures who thrive on connection just like children. That's why I want to have teachers with me who have a great and rich artistic nerve and live to influence children's development. We need professionals on the floor, not in meetings. You don't work at being a teacher; you are a teacher and you are always prepared. This is a dream and I want to stay in it for a while, designing and shaping the premises, materials and policy."