As summer begins, a new art route has appeared in Oulu’s urban landscape, inviting passersby to experience art as part of everyday surroundings. The new public artworks of the ARToulu Art Area spread across the natural and built environments of the Oulujoki estuary — surprising along familiar paths and encouraging a fresh perspective.

By the Korkeasaari Bridge in Pikisaari, white organ pipes rise from the riverbank. Antti Tolvi’s visual sound installation responds to the wind, its hum strengthening and fading with nature’s rhythm. On a walk through the city, small human figures catch the eye on building façades — Isaac Cordal’s sculptures quietly observe urban life. Near Tuira beach, Kaija Hinkula’s playful and colorful streetlight greets passersby like an old friend.

ARToulu demonstrates the diversity of public art. Instead of grand monuments, it offers small, fleeting, and insightful encounters that live in harmony with their surroundings.

Thirteen artists have created site-specific works across the city: Julijonas Urbonas, Anna Tahkola, Antti Tolvi, Kaija Hinkula, Isaac Cordal, Kimmo Ylönen, Sini Talonen, Carl Fredrik Emrik, Chili Seitz, Riikka Keränen, Pia Hentunen, Dominik Fleischmann, and the artist group Tuuli Malla, Tero Harju, Aimo Aikio, and Erja Taskinen. 

Six of the permanent artworks will be donated to the Oulu City’s Collection.

Summer programme: tours, workshops, and performances

Throughout the summer months, ARToulu Art Area offers weekly guided walking and cycling tours led by community art coordinator Hanna-Leena Ruottinen. The tours are free and open to everyone, with some suitable for children accompanied by a parent.

Pop-up art workshops for all ages will be held at Hamina-Ville playground in Toppilansalmi every Tuesday starting June 30. The workshops explore techniques such as plant printing, watercolor painting, and building insect hotels.

A series of performances will also take place across the art area throughout the summer, featuring Eero Tahkola, Gabriella Presnal, Timo Viialainen, Juha Valkeapää, and Kornelia Mangi.

Event schedules can be found in the Oulu2026 event calendar, the ARToulu Art Area event calendar on the project’s website, and the MunOulu city media calendar.

About the project

The ARToulu Art Area is a public art project produced by Oulun Taiteilijaseura -63 ry and is part of the official programme of Oulu European Capital of Culture 2026.

The project is funded by Oulun kulttuurisäätiö, the Ministry of Education and Culture, and Oulun Taiteilijaseura -63 ry.