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Oulu is European Capital of Culture 2026
In June, Oulu will not only be home to the IETM Plenary Meeting, but also to the European Capital of Culture 2026. Filled with exhibitions, performances, installations and more, make the most out of your time in Oulu by discovering what’s on before, during and after the Plenary, to extend your stay and soak up all that the city has to offer.
You can find the full events calendar for Oulu2026 below:
Exhibitions
Tomorrow’s wardrobe at Oulu Art Museum
Open the door to a new era of fashion, where bold artistic vision meets modern technology and ecological materials. What will tomorrow’s wardrobe look like? This international exhibition explores and paves the way for the future of fashion. Showcasing the creative work of fashion designers in a multidimensional way, it challenges and redefines the boundaries of fashion.
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Dance and Circus
Bang Bang Riviera is a multidisciplinary performative work that combines dance, physical theatre, media and installation art. It is an intimate art event featuring independent works of art and includes artworks from Laboratorio24 and Rising Star among others.
In June 2026, Oulu will be buzzing with contemporary circus as the first-ever festival expands from street circus to circus tent and from family programs to experimental nightclubs. The community-oriented event will make contemporary circuses a visible part of the city's cultural life and bring high-quality programming within everyone's reach.
Stories in the Air - pole dancing and aerial acrobatics performances
Welcome to a unique journey to the core of humanity, where movement tells a story that words cannot. Roses are a symbol of love, pain, hope and life. Every step, every movement reflects the layers of humanity: joy, loss, longing and connection. Music, light and movement merge seamlessly, creating breathtaking pole dancing and aerial acrobatics performances.
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Music
Varjo Festival is an alternative music and urban culture festival held in Kuusisaari, Oulu, from 12 to 13 June 2026. The stylish visual event combines music, food, drink and relaxed togetherness at the Kuusisaari event park in the Capital of Culture year 2026.
TRIÁLOGO is a site-specific live music performance, in which the vocals of flamenco artist Anna Murtola, the music of electronic music artist/percussionist Josu Mämmi and an abandoned space engage in a three-way conversation that spans through time.
The Logos is an immersive sound artwork that transforms mysterious Fast Radio Bursts from space into audible music, allowing audiences to ‘hear space’ inside a cathedral. Created by creative technologist Andrew Melchior with scientists and philosophers, it blends real astrophysical data with narrative composition. The work combines cutting-edge science, spatial sound, and sacred architecture into a contemplative listening experience.
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Visual Arts
Climate Clock public art trail opening
Climate Clock is one of the most significant productions of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture year, where art intertwines with science and nature to inspire environmental awareness and reconnect us with nature’s time. Six permanent artworks will be located in Haukipudas, Kiiminki, Oulu city centre, Oulunsalo, Yli-Ii, and Ylikiiminki.
PLAY – Fotografiska Tallinn X Oulu2026
Fotografiska Tallinn brings a photo exhibition to Finland for the first time. Entitled PLAY, the group exhibition is part of the European Capital of Culture programme and opens at the Pekuri shopping mall on 14 January.
Layers in The Peace Machine is an immersive and multidisciplinary media-installation, entangling technology and art. Based on the literary work ”Peace Machine” by late Timo Honkela, the installation portrays peace as a dynamic process, that shifts and evolves with the interaction from the participants.
Earworm – Media art from Kiasma
Earworm – Media Art from Kiasma exhibition presents video works in which music and sound are a significant part of their atmosphere and narrative. The works of moving images through sound spread throughout the space and make their experience multi-sensory.
A popular outdoor route runs along the banks of the Oulu River from the city center to the seashore and back on the other side of the river. The ARToulu art district invites you to deviate from the route and experience the joy of discovery when searching for art or encountering it by chance.
The Trench - an art exhibition
The exhibition's central theme revolves around the mental strain experienced by modern individuals. Challenges with mental health, global uncertainty, and human burnout are constantly present in societal discourse.
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Beyond Oulu
Art II Biennial 2026 / Art II Biennial 2026
The Art Ii Biennial is a gem of Northern Finland's art and culture, attracting visitors from all over the world to experience a unique combination of contemporary art and the northern landscape. The event will be held in the municipality of Ii, known for its climate action.
The three-day event will feature a comprehensive line-up of foreign and Finnish artists and performers. In addition to three stages, the festival area will feature several bars serving high-quality cocktails, wines and beers.