Media | The Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland

Latest Media

Stay informed with the latest updates, insights, and podcasts from the Finnish Institute, showcasing arts and culture.

An indoor art installation featuring tall tree trunks, large textured brown sculptures (one on scaffolding), and a long log adorned with small figures and a red apple, on a white textured ground.

Benjamin Orlow presents 'Ritual City' at the Nordic Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2026

Text: Celebrate Finnish Arts and Culture. To the right, a collage of images depicting people, art, and landscapes.

The Institute is looking for a Head of Communications and Development

6th February 2026

A person performs a one-handed breakdance move in a flurry of white particles against a dark background.

Celebrating 10 Years of Finnish Circus Arts in the UK

5th February 2026

Rocky tundra landscape with a stone cairn on the right, under a dramatic stormy sky with distant rain.

Standing at the Edge

28th January 2026

White glowing text "OPEN CALL" on a blue gradient background.

Open Call: Factory International x EUNIC Creative Producers Programme

23rd January 2026

A diverse group sits on a wooden floor for a discussion, with one person gesturing while speaking to the others.

Interval 2025 Retreat: Artist reflections

8th January 2026

A person's hands write names like "Tash" in pink marker on a white panel decorated with a smiling sun drawing, outdoors.

Artists announced for Beyond Survival: International Time Travel

4th November 2025

people

Cultural Connections: New UK–Finland partnership to support emerging creative professionals

31st October 2025

Photo of Teo Ala-Ruona and Mina Tomic in rehearsals (photo by Vikram Pradhan)

Teo Ala-Ruona in conversation with Sara Sassanelli

25th September 2025

blue visual

Positioning - A Symposium on Curatorial Thinking in the Nordic-Baltic Region & Beyond

24th September 2025

HEL Treats offered a taste of Finnish dance, circus and theatre to international presenters and journalists

17th September 2025

Tayo Adekunle's 'Reclamation of the exposition' artwork

UK-based artist and curators to visit 'Invisible Race' exhibition at the Finnish Museum of Photography

20th August 2025

Photo of SICK! Festival Artistic Director and CEO Tracy Gentles

SICK! Festival's Artistic Director: "The world’s facing big challenges, but we’re also seeing people come together and support each other."

19th August 2025

A collage picture of six artists

Chisenhale Dance Space announces artists selected for the Interval retreat

7th August 2025

glass works

EGS to Take Part in Irish Design Week 2025

people

Open Call: An International Retreat for Dance, Live Art and Performance Artists

front of a house, summer, people outside

HIAP Helsinki - Dublin Residency Exchange 2026

A boy writing on the wall

Beyond Survival – International Time Travel: Open Call for Artists

Black and white image of five people.

UK-based curators to visit the Helsinki Biennial 2025

Portrait of artist, curator, researcher, and writer Ali Akbar Mehta

Ali Akbar Mehta: “The residency at Delfina Foundation has been an intimate way to engage with the London art scene”

a black and white photo of a man wearing glasses and a suit .

Aleksi Malmberg appointed Director of the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland

10th January 2025

a double decker bus is reflected in the window of a red telephone booth .

The Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland is looking for a new Director

7th October 2024

a group of ceramic vases sitting on top of a sandy floor in front of a window .

Severe cuts proposed to arts and culture funding in Finland

3rd September 2024

a woman with short hair is wearing a black turtleneck and looking at the camera .

Bengi Ünsal: “Post-Brexit, facilitating international exchange has become more crucial than ever.”

a woman sits on a couch next to a dog

Choreographer-Dancer Maija Nurmio: "Mentoring was an eye-opening, reassuring and delightful experience"

Anssi Kasitonni receives the Below Zero Finnish Art Award 2025

Sara Kärpänen is smiling for the camera while standing on a set of stairs .

Sara Kärpänen appointed new Programme Director of the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland

a man in a blue shirt sits on a bench in front of three posters one of which says acrobats line

Adrian Berry: "The opportunity to work internationally is now more valuable than ever"

a room with a lot of colorful sculptures hanging from the ceiling .

Outi Pieski’s works acquired by Tate as the museum launches new programme to increase the representation of Indigenous artists in its collection

We are looking for a Director for our Arts Programme

11th March 2024

Circus artist Henri Kangas: “Mentoring opens doors to new networks”

12th February 2024

Artist interview: Niko Hallikainen

5th February 2024

The Institute is relocating to Somerset House!

2nd February 2024

Staff news: Nimco Kulmiye Hussein joins our team as maternity cover for the role of Programme Director for Society

19th January 2024

Advance voting for the Finnish Presidential elections

16th January 2024

Heikki Hiilamo: “Participation income allows people to engage in a reciprocal relationship with society”

Malin Groop appointed as new Chair of the Board

28th April 2023

Below Zero winner Nastja Säde Rönkkö: “Exploring the symbols of blood, tears and sweat in contemporary culture”

Person with a black bob, dark eye makeup, and black latex suit holds a whip in a red-lit room.

Dogs Don’t Wear Pants at South Social Film Festival

30th December 2020

Person with a coat on writing on a wall

Open Call: Mental health projects and commissions for SICK! Festival 2022

21st December 2020

Repeating white wireframe geometric patterns on a lavender background.

We're looking for a new Director!

3rd December 2020

Frosted glass with a diamond pattern over a blurry green tiled background.

Oulu-Edinburgh STEAM residency participants selected!

3rd December 2020

Black and white portrait of a smiling bearded man wearing a flat cap and hooded jacket.

Media artist Teemu Määttänen: "There’s something magical about the way light moves"

3rd December 2020

Santa Claus in a cage, an old man in a red scarf, and three armed men in a snowy blizzard.

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale at South Social Film Festival

27th November 2020

$Clear rectangular pillars refracting colorful blurred lights on a black background.$

Teemu Määttänen’s work Noste lights up the Southbank Centre

23rd November 2020

Four headshots: a man, a young woman, a woman with a colorful necklace, and a woman looking up.

PRESENT: Equality in arts education: Arts and culture as children's rights

12th November 2020

Smiling woman in a red dress with black trim, standing against a textured wall.

Animation director Ami Lindholm: the first film I made is suddenly topical again

30th October 2020

Four headshots: a smiling blonde woman, a man with dark hair, a person with glasses in black and white, and a woman with short dark hair.

PRESENT Choreographing intimacy: Trust and boundaries in acting

30th October 2020

Cartoon drawing of an airplane with legs walking, advertising the "In short, Europe: ESCAPE" online short film festival.

In Short, Europe ESCAPE showcases European short films

23rd October 2020

Five individual portraits of men and women.

PRESENT Finntopia - British perspectives on the world's happiest country

15th October 2020

A person in a black jacket with arms outstretched and another in a bright yellow jacket stand on a sunny bridge overlooking water.

Dancer-futures researcher Simo Vassinen: Rave culture could act as a tool for futures research

14th October 2020

Man in a tan suit standing in a snowy landscape with a factory in the distance.

Aurora comes to London!

8th October 2020

A comic strip shows a knight struggling to pull a sword from a stone, then cleverly jams the sword into a large hammer to extract both triumphantly.

Comic artist Petteri Tikkanen unites Totoro and Moomintroll for The Lakes International Comic Arts Festival

7th October 2020

Black and white poster for "THE WORKMAN'S WIFE" showing a screaming woman, her eyes covered by the title bar, with thin strings on her face. Text includes "EAST 15 ACTING SCHOOL" and "WE ARE AIMING AT YOUR LAWS."

Director Ronja Siljander brings Minna Canth to a new audience

7th October 2020

A long, arched tunnel completely covered in colorful graffiti, with a person walking towards light at the far end.

Staff's Choice: On Banksy's trail

7th October 2020

Three images: a woman with blonde bangs, a woman outdoors gesturing, and a stylized black-and-white man at a desk.

PRESENT The future of artist residencies: Sustainable travel, presence and practice

6th October 2020

Accessibility Statement

22nd September 2020

Three portraits side-by-side: a Black woman in black and white, a man with a mustache, and a man with a beard.

PRESENT Together Alone: Artists share their experiences from virtual open call projects

17th September 2020

Three headshots of women, two in color and one in black and white.

Accessible orchestras: Connecting with audiences beyond the hall

11th September 2020

Long exposure night view of London's skyline, with the illuminated Shard and city lights reflecting on the river, framed by a weathered post in the foreground.

Staff's choice: a toast to the Thames

7th September 2020

Four headshots of people: a man with glasses, a smiling woman, a man with a mustache, and a woman with glasses and red lipstick. The first is in color, the others are black and white.

Expanding live experiences: The digital future of theatre

3rd September 2020

Teal text "PRESENT" with the second "E" stylized as an eye with eyelashes.

Present - A series of discussions on the future of culture

28th August 2020

Three portraits: a black and white photo of a woman, a color photo of a woman outdoors, and a black and white photo of a man with a cap and shadow across his face.

Making your festival virtual: No portable toilets needed

25th August 2020

Engraving of a Mother Earth figure with clouds and a tree.

Visual artist Jenna Sutela: It feels comforting to draw parallels between obsessive introspection and cosmic movements

24th August 2020

A smiling woman with curly brown hair, red lipstick, and a red and blue plaid scarf.

Director Lucie Dawkins: Translation is always a creative question

18th August 2020

Three smiling women's headshots.

How will festival cities survive Covid-19? Lessons from Edinburgh, Galway and Helsinki

12th August 2020

A woman in a dark dress balances on a tightrope, holding a large teardrop-shaped object overhead, viewed from the back.

TelepART mobility support programme expands to include academic researchers

10th August 2020

A bright green light illuminates a foggy dirt road flanked by pine trees and earth mounds.

Staff’s Choice: Best books to read in your hammock

7th August 2020

A man speaks into a microphone and gestures, standing in front of two abstract paintings.

Sami Kero’s Ice Hole photos in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland

4th August 2020

A man with grey hair and a goatee smiles at the camera, wearing a red polo shirt.

Poet Robert Powell: "The concept of borders has become enlivened and electrified"

A young man in a suit and white shirt underwater in a pool, surrounded by colorful plastic balls.

Free 'Together Alone' -outdoor screening shows video art created under lockdown

Three women in colorful wigs and light jackets lounge around a candlelit table with drinks; one sips from a glass while the others look thoughtful.

Pekka Airaxin from DEMO festival: The planet is too complex for one species to manage

Light grey diamond pattern on a dark background with a subtle brick texture.

Open call for artists: STEAM Residency in Edinburgh and Oulu

Icy landscape with swirling snow, dark patches, and long blue shadows.

Creative director Victoria Pratt: Right now is the best time to implement measures to enable sustainable societies

Black and white photo grid showing a person and hands pinching a dark, textured, folded material into a peak.

Curator Eloise Sweetman: “The question of intimacy has always been up for debate”

A cluster of light-colored mushrooms growing from a white, textured surface.

Aleksi Vesaluoma from Caracara Collective: Nature has answers to many of our problems if we just look closely

Artist Aapo Nikkanen: Many of us will re-evaluate our consumption now

A young Black woman with bright blue hair and red curly earrings sits, looking forward, against a backdrop of large red lips. She wears a blue crop top, jeans revealing a Calvin Klein waistband, and a cross necklace.

Staff’s choice July: New perspectives and Pride Inside

A person in a dark suit with a white helmet walks through a crowded city street, seen from behind.

Visual Artist Yassine Khaled: Maybe the pandemic will make us choose to live closer to nature

Four diverse, barefoot dancers on a stage: one blurred in the foreground, two passing each other in the center, and one walking left.

Choreographer-artistic director Sonya Lindfors: Our black bodies cause fear just by being

Smiling blonde woman with blue eyes in a green sweater, standing in a lush green landscape with a stream.

Comic artist Miila Westin: I wanted to tell stories of courageous women during the time of the pandemic

Collage of a laptop on a street at night, a tablet in a tree, and green text '#WE_NEED2TALK_#RE:?' on black.

Theatre artist Anne Pajunen: Ironically, the pandemic enabled us to reconnect

Black and white photo of a young woman with light hair in a dark top, standing next to a classical marble statue and a decorative wall.

Arts multitasker Maria Korkeila: Making this music and video collection resembled creating a fashion show

A red "KEEP THIS FAR APART" sign in a park, with spaced-out people and a towering city skyline in the background.

Director Anna Nykyri: “Empty space is an opportunity for art and adventure”

Man with curly hair and beard against a brick wall.

Choreographer Emrecan Tanis: “What does ‘at home’ actually mean?”

A 360-degree photo of a person in a forest holding white balls, surrounded by trees and fallen leaves.

Circus artist Sakari Männistö: I hope the viewer feels they have met us

A woman with wide eyes and an open mouth performs on stage, gesturing with both hands against a red curtain.

Actor Heidi Niemi: I introduced Rachel McAdams to my favourite Eurovision acts

A man with a beard and a woman with curly hair and small dots under her eyes, both look to the right against a green background.

Artist Maija Tammi: "It is really frustrating when an immortal dies"

Woman in a white tank top and dark pants dancing with arms raised against a large window.

Artist Jani Ruscica: ”Freedom of expression feels timely now because we have lost the freedom of choice”

Two protest scenes: a person holding a "Black Lives Matter" sign, and a large crowd gathered in a city square under a blue sky with a seagull flying overhead.

Black Lives Matter

A woman in a colorful patterned outfit and light grey boots crouches on a modern wooden staircase with white railings, smiling slightly.

Curator Jenni Nurmenniemi: “Care is invisible, but societies don’t work without it”

Circus tent at sunset with two silhouetted figures and strong sun glare.

Staff's Choice: Get ready for the June festivals!

A green background with "TOGETHER ALONE" in pink text, surrounded by event times and dates: "4pm cest 20/4", "4pm cest 30/3", "4pm cest 4/5", and the hashtag "#togetheralone".

These Together Alone projects got selected on the final round!

Black and white drawing of a smiling, muscular sailor with chest hair and a tattoo, partially covered by a green circle, next to a pink panel with five orange circles.

Talking Tom of Finland: A Live Birthday Q&A with Durk Dehner

Illustration of two muscular men in leather on a green background, with a yellow censor circle over one, beside a pink background with yellow geometric shapes.

Curator Olivia Ahmad: “There was a hunger to see Tom of Finland’s work in the UK”

An osprey sits in a large stick nest with an egg visible, next to a body of water.

Staff's Choice: Waiting for the hatchlings

A smiling person with short blonde hair, wearing a dark coat and a plaid scarf, stands in a rural setting with red buildings in the background.

Science lecture: 'COVID-19: contact tracing and the costs of non-pharmaceutical interventions'

A stylized drawing of a man in a cap with pink and white stripes, on a background of teal and yellow squares.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell: ”Tom of Finland gave us an antidote”

Pencil drawing of a man in an open leather jacket on a yellow background, beside a geometric pattern of teal and pink shapes.

Antti Kauppinen from Tom of Finland Society: “Vanilla patriarchy has squeezed the edge out of Tom of Finland”

Green graphic with "TOGETHER ALONE" in pink text, flanked by dates "4pm cest 20/4", "4pm cest 30/3", "4pm cest 4/5", and the hashtag "#togetheralone".

New Together Alone - projects selected!

30th April 2020

Black and white illustration of three muscular men in leather jackets, two wearing caps, in the style of Tom of Finland.

Virtual Private View of Tom of Finland: Love and Liberation

16th April 2020

Green graphic featuring the pink text 'TOGETHER ALONE', with event dates 20/4, 30/3, and 4/5 at 4pm EEST, and the hashtag '#togetheralone'.

Together Alone Round 1: Selected Projects

A person with messy hair and a determined expression holds a large axe, wearing a grey, splattered garment, in front of a rustic wooden door.

Seven Brothers gets a one woman treatment by Heidi Niemi

A man with a mustache and beard wears a green hooded jacket and looks directly at the camera in a dimly lit urban setting.

JP Valkeapää, the director of Dogs Don’t Wear Pants: This film isn’t defined by traditional good taste

Painting of a vibrant, cloudy sky with blue, pink, and yellow colors.

Staff's Choice: Staying busy at home!

31st March 2020

Orange background with green text "TOGETHER" and pink "ALONE" below it, surrounded by "4 pm eest 20/4", "4 pm eest 4/5", "4 pm eest 30/3", and "#togetheralone".

Together Alone – fast paced Open Call launched

23rd March 2020

A smiling woman and a man dancing in a rustic bar.

1.–2.3. Mika Kaurismäen Mestari Cheng Glasgow’n elokuvafestivaaleilla

21st February 2020

Three display stands with abstract blue and white panels; red knitted booties hang from the central stand, against a grey fence.

New music piece 'Sateentekijät' is looking for playful performers

21st February 2020

A smiling person in a striped shirt balances a stack of books on their head.

Nordic Comics Today with Kaisa Leka

20th February 2020

A lone figure walks on a rocky riverbank with a boat, stone bridge, and city skyline under a bright, glary sky.

Tuula Närhinen's Deep Time Deposits reopens for Fridays

16th February 2020

A smiling man in a green jacket and hat sits on outdoor steps, holding a setar, with a tar beside him in a snowy forest.

Musician Marouf Majidi: “What I had found in Europe I had to rediscover in the Middle East”

29th January 2020

Artist Miia Kettunen: I want to blur the boundary between nature and humankind

28th January 2020

Two women sit on the ground, each holding a large drum, against a pink sky with a glowing orb and bare tree silhouettes.

Viivi Maria Saarenkylä and Hildá Länsman from Vildá: ”There are as many gigs lined up as we want to play!”

27th January 2020

Seven musicians, including a woman, playing violins, upright bass, mandolin, and acoustic guitar.

Petri Prauda from the folk band Frigg: The band's 20th anniversary year is a bit of a calendar ballet

24th January 2020

A smiling woman with long dark hair, wearing turquoise earrings and a pendant, in front of stone planters with green plants.

Linguist Antonella Sorace: “Learning another language changes your native language too”

23rd January 2020

A smiling woman in a plaid blazer stands in front of bookshelves.

Linguist Riitta Valijärvi: Here’s how you can help minority languages survive

16th January 2020

Ornate red brick building with a wet, reflective courtyard, green grass, and potted trees under an overcast sky.

Interns’ choice for January: Surrealism, Fashion, Love and Religion - what’s not to like?

10th January 2020

A woman with short curly hair and a patterned black and white cardigan looks forward against a blue textured background.

Minna Långström on The Other Side of Mars documentary: “Humans can be quite destructive creatures when we expand to new worlds”

10th January 2020

Smiling woman with light brown hair and a dark blue top, against blurred greenery.

Director Iiris Härmä: “Artificial Intelligence has so much potential for both the good and the bad”

10th January 2020

Two people on the floor in dim light, a woman's hand on a man's head.

Dancers Ville Oinonen and Maria Nurmela: “We could perform this piece for the rest of our lives!”

10th January 2020