Beyond Survival: International Time Travel at Oulu2026
In collaboration with SICK! Festival in Manchester, Oulu2026, Cultural Cooperative ILME and the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland.
Developed by SICK! (UK), Beyond Survival: International Time Travel traces the overlapping post-industrial histories of Manchester (UK) and Oulu, mapping memory, migration and identity through participatory, border-crossing storytelling, installation, sound and performance.
Between March and November 2026, artists Niki Colclough, Michael Betteridge, Nina Rantala and afshan d’souza-lodhi will work with people in Oulu and Manchester to uncover complex and surprising connections between place, industry and belonging, transforming these stories into new artistic works that resonate across cultures and generations.
The new works will be presented as part of the Oulu 2026 European Capital of Culture programme and the SICK! Festival in Manchester (UK) this year. The collaboration is made possible with support from the Finnish Institute UK and Ireland.
Meet the artists shaping the journey:
Niki Colclough: Invites us to think with rivers, connecting Manchester and Oulu through the emotional and ecological histories of water and industry.
Michael Betteridge: Transforms queer stories of migration and belonging into a powerful choral soundscape shared between two cities.
afshan d’souza-lodhi: Leadsstorytelling project The Aunties, bringing together migrant women and non-binary people to imagine futures grounded in care, resistance and collective strength.
Nina Rantala: Explores planetary connection and shared industrial heritage through participatory sculpture that brings us closer to the earth.
Each new artwork developed through the project will be presented in 2026 as part of Oulu 2026 European Capital of Culture and in Manchester as part of the SICK! Festival.
Be part of the conversation. Be part of the making. Be part of what comes next.
Partners
SICK!
SICK! is a Manchester (UK)-based, nationally recognised arts charity working at the intersection of art, health, and social justice. Our mission is to use art and creativity to connect people, communities, and artists, making everyone creators of fairer, healthier futures. sickproductions.org
The project connects directly to the “From Here To Art Travel Agency” concept developed for Oulu 2026 by Kulttuuriosuuskunta ILME.
Kulttuuriosuuskunta ILME
Kulttuuriosuuskunta ILME is a multidisciplinary cultural cooperative that aims to increase society's well being through equally accessible art. kulttuuriosuuskuntailme.fi
The project is part of the three-year strategic partnership between the Finnish Institute and the SICK! Festival, supported by the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland.
