Artlantic NGO was founded in 2012 by Adil Nadri, a French-Moroccan creative, inspired by an encounter with guest artists Nigel Olivacce (“Niyorah”) from St. Thomas, VI, and musician/producer Alfred Laurent (“Tippy I”) from St. Croix, VI. While touring Europe, they had rest days in Copenhagen, where Adil showed them around the city. He noticed that their curiosity about the Kingdom of Denmark was different from that of other artists and musicians he had hosted from Jamaica and other parts of the world.

Although Adil was aware that Denmark had former colonies in the West Indies, he did not know exactly which Caribbean islands had been under Danish rule. When he discovered that his two guests were from what had once been the Danish West Indies, he felt a deep need to explore and share this part of Danish history—one he had largely ignored despite having lived in Denmark since 1986. He realized that most Danes had little knowledge of this period of Danish involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, which had significantly contributed to Denmark’s wealth at the time.

Between 2012 and 2016, Adil dedicated himself to developing a platform where arts, culture, spoken word, dance, and music could be used to communicate this painful history. The ultimate goal was to create a space for healing, allowing people to process and reflect on the past through artistic expression.

In 2016, 2017, and 2019, Adil traveled to all three islands—St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John—to engage with artists, musicians, producers, politicians, and activists. He met with figures such as Niyorah, Ras Batch, La Vaughn Bell, producers Alfred Laurent and Dean Pond, senator Positive Nelson, and ACCRA founder and activist Shelley Morehead. His goal was to gather feedback from Virgin Islanders and understand whether this initiative resonated with them, ensuring that the project addressed a shared need—not just in Denmark but also in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The year 2017 marked the centennial of Denmark’s forced sale of the islands to the United States for geopolitical reasons. This anniversary was an eye-opener for many people in both Denmark and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Adil was particularly struck by the political status of the islands, where residents, despite being U.S. citizens, do not have full rights—such as the ability to vote in U.S. elections—while still paying federal taxes. He also found it notable that Denmark had sold the islands and their inhabitants without consulting them, even though they had legally been declared “free” following the abolition of slavery. However, this so-called freedom did not come with full rights or opportunities, leaving many in a vulnerable socio-economic position that still affects the islands today.

2017 was also the year Artlantic was officially founded and registered with the Danish Chamber of Commerce.