My Oulu: Summer Night’s Dinner crowned the EU culture ministers’ visit
European ministers of culture and their delegations dined together in front of the city hall during the Summer Night's Dinner event. Photos: Henri Luoma Photography
Jaa sosiaalisessa mediassa:
A total of 15 countries, including Ukraine, recently took part in the informal meeting of culture ministers convened in Oulu by Finland’s Minister of Science and Culture, Mari-Leena Talvitie. The ministers’ programme included a visit to Tiima, the new museum and science centre opening in October, as well as Aalto Silo, which is one of the founding members of Finland’s first New European Bauhaus Local Chapter.
August is traditionally holiday season in Central Europe, but EU culture ministers and senior ministry officials from across Europe gathered in Oulu at the invitation of Finland’s Minister of Science and Culture, Mari-Leena Talvitie. Finland also invited Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Culture, Tetyana Filevska, who during her visit also opened a drone exhibition at Rotuaari.
”During the informal ministerial meeting, we discussed in particular how to safeguard artistic freedom and cultural rights in the age of artificial intelligence. We also addressed Finland’s efforts to protect Ukraine’s cultural heritage and support the cultural sector”, Minister Talvitie says.
A total of fifteen countries travelled to Oulu in the middle of the European holiday season.
Alongside the ministerial discussions, the guests were introduced to Oulu’s growing cultural landscape, including major investments in culture and cultural infrastructure, and to what the European Capital of Culture year and the city’s cultural climate change have already made possible.
Arctic NEB launches in Oulu
The New European Bauhaus (NEB) is a European Union initiative that brings together architecture, design, culture, science and citizen participation. Last week, it was confirmed that Finland’s first NEB Local Chapter will be established in Northern Finland. Named the Arctic NEB Local Chapter, the network received an exceptionally high-profile start immediately after its establishment, when European culture ministers visited one of its founding members, Aalto Silo.
”The Arctic NEB Local Chapter is a network representing Lapland, North Ostrobothnia and Kainuu, bringing the principles of the New European Bauhaus into practice at the local level. In addition to us, the founding members include the Northern Finland Construction Cluster, Arctic Factory, Lapland University of Applied Sciences, Oulu University of Applied Sciences and Proto, Designers in Northern Finland”, says Valentino Tignanelli of Aalto Silo.
Aalto Silo brings together cultural operators, educational institutions, businesses and local residents in line with the principles of the Arctic NEB Local Chapter. In the future, northern and Arctic perspectives will have an even stronger voice in Europe and within the New European Bauhaus community.
At Aalto Silo, the ministers explored the architecture of homes designed by Alvar Aalto through the exhibition Women on Waves – Elina Brotherus and Alvar Aalto’s Homes. The exhibition presenting the winners of the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award also attracted the interest of the ministerial delegation.
A Feast of Culture
The ministerial delegation also visited Oulu Museum of Art and Tiima, the new museum and science centre opening in October. At Tiima, the guests got a preview of three of its ten experiences: the Metallikausi and Oulu: My Story exhibitions, as well as immersive works in the Visio experience space. Tiima opens to the public on 9 October.
”At Visio, we showed the ministers our own productions and Siimes, a work by the local Studio Outo, which was selected through an open programme call. The guests would gladly have stayed with the experiences even longer, which is naturally excellent feedback for us. It was wonderful to welcome such a broad group of senior representatives from European culture ministries to our museum and to show them what kind of cultural city Oulu is”, says Museum Director Pekka Olsbo.
In the middle of Europe’s hot summer, a moment experienced on the ice of Hailuoto in Visio draws delighted gasps from the visitors.
In Oulu, cultural experiences are not confined within the walls of cultural institutions. Perhaps the most unique experience of the ministerial visit was the Summer Night’s Dinner. According to the organisers, around 20,000 people gathered around a kilometre-long communal table – with the ministers joining them.
”The Summer Night’s Dinner was a communal and unforgettable cultural experience. Colourful tables, flavours of the North and good company. I was also able to keep my promise that we would not be dining in snow and freezing temperatures – and fortunately, the weather was on our side”, Minister Talvitie says.
Overall, the European guests were impressed by Oulu’s diverse programme, which in addition to Aalto Silo and Tiima, included visit to Central Library Saari and Kotilo Children’s Cultural Centre, as well as dinner at Maikkula Manor. They especially appreciated Oulu’s atmosphere and the opportunity to meet, explore and talk in a more informal setting. Sauna and a swim in the Oulujoki River were also among the highlights of the visit.