A series of performances will activate and enliven public spaces in Oulu from street corners to libraries in 2026 as part of the ARToulu art area.

The open call was the third one organized for professional artists by the ARToulu art area. The call attracted wide interest, with over one hundred applications submitted. Applicants represented a broad range of artistic fields, from performance art to dance, conceptual art to poetry, and music to circus art. From the applications a diverse and multidisciplinary selection of nine works emerged. The chosen artists include both established figures in the art field as well as emerging artists.

The selected performances address themes central to contemporary society such as energy, loss, the ramifications of war, financial institutions, fossil fuels and social interaction. The selected works will take place in public spaces in various ways. Some are performative pieces that audiences may find themselves drawn into involuntarily, while others harness collective human behavior as the driving force of the performance. Works will be realized across all districts of the art area—on streets, by the water, and even suspended in the air. A detailed schedule of performances will be published in early 2026.

An open call for performances and ephemeral art was held in September 2025 for ARToulu art area. The call was curated by artist Nestori Syrjälä. The selected artists are Eero Tahkola, Riiko Sakkinen, Gabriella Presnal, Jenny Mansikkasalo, Timo Viialainen, Juha Valkeapää, Kornelia Mangi, Karoliina Loimaala, and Maarit Bau Mustonen. In addition, the Oulu Artists’ Association -63 invited curator Nestori Syrjälä to produce a performance for 2026.

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.