Oulu, located on the west coast of Northern Finland, is the European Capital of Culture for 2026. We picked some highlights from the extensive visual arts programme, presenting public art, exhibitions, and more. The full programme can be found on the Oulu2026 website. Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture is the main partner of the Pavilion of Finland exhibition at the 61st Venice Biennale, opening in May.
Permanent public art route to be installed in Oulu
Climate Clock is one of the most significant productions of Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture, combining art, science, and nature. Six public works by international artists form a route through natural environments such as riverbanks and forests. Artworks will be presented by the following artists: Ranti Bam (UK/Nigeria), Rana Begum (UK/Bangladesh), Takahiro Iwasaki (Japan), Gabriel Kuri (Belgium/Mexico), Antti Laitinen (Finland), and SUPERFLEX (Denmark).
The production groups formed by artists and researchers include researchers from the fields of lichen biology, snow hydrology, and climate science from the universities of Oulu, Uppsala, Lapland, and Helsinki.
In addition to public works presented on the route, Helsinki-based artist duo Tellervo Kalleinen and Oliver Kochta-Kalleinen invite local residents to participate in the production of The Most Valuable Clock in the World as part of the Climate Clock route.
The Climate Clock route has been curated by Alice Sharp, founder of the British organization Invisible Dust, together with producer Claudia Woolgar. The route will open to the public on 13 June 2026.
Aerial view along the Climate Clock route. Photo: Harri Tarvainen
Play from around the world
The Museum of Photography Fotografiska Tallinn brings a photography exhibition to Finland for the first time. The group exhibition PLAY, designed as part of the European Capital of Culture programme, is on view at Kauppakortteli Pekuri from 14 January 2026 onwards.
The group show deals with play and playfulness from varying perspectives. The artists are Martin Parr, Cristina de Middel, Susan Meiselas, Jouko Lehtola, Bruce Davidson, Roger Ballen, Nina Katchadourian, Sage Sohier, Trent Parke, Christopher Herwig, Karolina Wojtas, Niccolo Rastrelli, Joosep Kivimäe, Mathias Väärsi, Pelle Cass, Deanna Dikeman and Louis-Philippe Rondeau. The audio design is created by musician Erki Pärnoja.
The exhibition is curated by Jorven Viilik, Brand Director at Fotografiska Tallinn.
‘Choi Hung Estate, Day two’ (2023) by Pelle Cass (US) as part of group exhibition PLAY. Photo: Pelle Cass
Celebrating Sámi art
The Oulu Art Museum is hosting an extensive exhibition of Sámi visual art and duodji, traditional Sámi handicrafts, titled Eanangiella – Voice of the Land from 16 January to 3 May 2026. The exhibition features multimedia contemporary art, historical works, and duodji by approximately 70 Sámi artists and craftspeople from Sápmi area.
The opening weekend programme includes performances by multidisciplinary Sámi artists such as musician Anna Morottaja, writer and poet Niillas Holmberg and musician Pekka Aikio, and traditional leu’dd storyteller Hanna-Maaria Kiprianoff.
The Eanangiella – Voice of the Land exhibition has been curated by Inga-Wiktoria Påve, Fredrik Prost, and Áilu Valle.
The Dálvemánnu Festival will be celebrated 3–7 February 2026. The programme includes art events and performances by Sámi artists, including opera, concerts, and seminars. The event culminates in the celebration of Sámi National Day on February 6.
Risku, a traditional Sámi brooch. Photo: Sanna Krook
Media art at Oulu City Hall
Oulu City Hall is hosting a collection exhibition Earworm – Media Art from Kiasma, which presents a selection of video works curated from The Finnish National Gallery’s collection. Music and sound play a significant role in their atmosphere and narrative. The exhibition is curated by Saara Karhunen, Curator of Collections at the Kiasma Museum—the Finnish National Gallery.
Immersive Peace Machine
Ekho Collective’s interactive artwork Layers in the Peace Machine invites visitors to engage with questions about actively produced peace at Oulu City Hall. The work is based on Timo Honkela‘s book Rauhankone (The Peace Machine).
Both exhibitions will be on display from January to December 2026 with no admission fee.
Dora Dalila Cheffi’s video work ‘Tunisian Dance Tutorial with Mamou’ (2022). Photo: Dora Dalila Cheffi
ARToulu offers joy of discovery
The ARToulu art area invites the audience to experience the joy of discovering and encountering art in public urban spaces. New permanent public artworks by thirteen artists were selected through open calls. Starting in summer 2026, the artworks can be found in the Oulu city center, Pikisaari, Hietasaari, Toppilansaari, Toppilansalmi, Meri-Toppila, and Tuira districts. The project is led by the Oulu Artists’ Association.
The participating artists are Aimo Aikio, Tero Harju, Tuuli Malla & Erja Taskinen; Isaac Cordal; Carl-Fredrik Emrik; Dominik Fleischmann; Pia Hentunen; Kaija Hinkula; Riikka Keränen; Chili Seitz; Anna Tahkola; Sini Talonen; Antti Tolvi; Julijonas Urbonas; and Kimmo Ylönen.
Ten artists were also selected to produce a series of performances that will take place in public spaces: Karoliina Loimaala, Kornélia Mangi, Jenny Mansikkasalo, Maari Bau Mustonen, Gabriella Presnal, Riiko Sakkinen, Nestori Syrjälä, Eero Tahkola, Juha Valkeapää, and Timo Viialainen.
Riikka Keränen, Nesting, Illustrative image.
Science, art, and technology come together
Lumo Art & Tech is a ten-day international art and technology festival that brings together various encounters between sound, light, and digital art and technology in November 2026.
Participants in the festival include astrophotographer Jukka-Pekka Metsävainio (Finland), artist Jakob Kudsk Steensen (Denmark), the Arts Innovation research program at Oulu University of Applied Sciences, and the Finnish Light Art Society.
The festival will be held at several different venues, mainly in the center of Oulu and at the main campus of the University of Oulu in Linnanmaa.
Hermes Mangialardo’s (ITA) work Oculucis at the Lumo Light Festival in 2025. Photo: Linnea Laatikainen
Solo exhibition by Jenna Sutela at the Oulu Art Museum in 2027
The Oulu Art Museum is preparing a solo exhibition by artist Jenna Sutela for 2027. The exhibition will feature Sutela’s new work, which will be presented at the 61st Venice Biennale in 2026. The exhibition will be Sutela’s first solo exhibition in a Finnish museum and is part of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture programme.
Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture is the main partner of the Pavilion of Finland exhibition at the 61st Venice Biennale, open for public 9 May – 22 November 2026.
Photo: Matteo de Mayda