ARToulu art area
A new ARToulu art area is coming to Oulu as part of the European Capital of Culture Year 2026.
The neighborhoods along the Oulujoki estuary will transform into a multifaceted art area as numerous artworks will be installed into the urban landscape. Visual artworks will captivate, surprise and delight in densely populated neighborhoods as well as in urban nature.
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The art area is composed of seven city neighbourhoods along the Oulujoki estuary. Orientation map of the area: kartta.ouka.fi/IMS/?mid=dsrba
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The ARToulu art area is completed with artworks chosen through the international open call.
Over a 150 applications from over twenty countires were submitted through the ARToulu international open call. The four artists that were chosen are Carl-Fredrik Emrik (Sweden), Julijonas Urbonas (Lithuania), Chili Seitz (Germany) and Isaac Cordal (Spain).
The chosen artworks expand the concept of what public art in urban spaces can be. Curators Anna Ruth, Satu Oksanen and Leevi Lehtinen paid attention to how the artworks relate to the surrounding nature and space and what new elements they add to ensemble of pieces that were selected in the first open call.
What is the art area?
Along the Oulujoki river is a popular walking and biking path, along the archipelago route, from the city center to the Nallikari seashore, and back along the opposite side of the river. The ARToulu art area is formed by seven city neighborhoods along the river’s estuary. The areas stretch from the city center to Pikisaari, Hietasaari, Toppilansaari, Toppilansalmi, Meri-Toppila and Tuira.
Art will be brought to nature and residential areas – close to the people as part of a living urban culture. Art will pop out and surprise us in unexpected places, making our daily environment interesting and extraordinary as we let art sprawl out in urban spaces. We plan on installing dozens of artwork in the neighborhoods along the Oulujoki estuary in a distinctive art area.
The art area artwork will be shown for the duration of its individual lifespan, and hopefully some of the art will continue to delight the residents and visitors even after the European Capital of Culture year. We hope that the neighborhood residents will embrace the artwork as their own and that visitors from afar find joy in coming to look for art and happening upon it unexpectedly. The art area will be accessible 24/7 and throughout all the seasons by environmentally friendly modes of transportation.
The artwork for the art area will be announced in 2026. These pieces will be selected through an open call geared towards professionals of visual arts. The selection committee will pay special attention to the originality and surprise quality of the proposed artwork particularly regarding the way that it will be integrated into its environment. The art area should reflect the multiplicity of the visual arts and challenge the notions of art in public spaces. The art area residents will participate in and influence some of the artwork.
The ARToulu art area is part of the European Capital of Culture 2026 programme. The Oulu Artists Association’s Exploring ART project is financed by the Oulu Cultural Foundation, the Ministry of Education and Culture as well as the Oulu Artists Association.
Oulu is the European Capital of Culture for the year 2026. Oulu and the entire northern Finland will be filled with culture, art, and events in the coming years. Northern Finland will rise to the world map in an unprecedented way as Finnish and international cultural experts create something new in cities, countryside, and nature. It is a journey spanning several years, culminating in the year 2026. ARToulu art area is part of the Oulu2026 cultural programme and cultural climate change.