Beyond Survival: International Time Travel
Connecting the histories and futures of Oulu and Manchester (UK) through our rivers, industries and stories of migration and belonging. Four artists, in collaboration with communities across both places, explore our connections and imagine what comes
Developed by SICK! (UK) in collaboration with ILME as part of their From Here To Art programme created for Oulu2026, Beyond Survival: International Time Travel traces the post-industrial histories of Manchester and Oulu through participatory storytelling, installation, sound and performance.
Artists Niki Colclough, Michael Betteridge, Nina Rantala and afshan d’souza-lodhi work with people in both cities to uncover connections between place, industry and belonging. New works will be presented as part of Oulu 2026 European Capital of Culture and SICK! Festival, made possible with support from the Finnish Institute UK and Ireland. Be part of the making. Be part of what comes next.
Our impact to Culture-
climate change
We contribute to Cultural Climate Change by elevating underrepresented communities through projects connecting Oulu and Manchester in global conversations around sustainability, migration, shared industrial pasts and the possibility of fairer futures. Our public-realm summer events reclaim public spaces as vibrant hubs of co-creation, blurring the lines between audiences and participants and turning local narratives into shared futures and cross-border solidarity.
When and where
Organisers
Artists Niki Colclough, Michael Betteridge, Nina Rantala and afshan d’souza-lodhi, working with people connected to the land and our rivers, queer communities, migrant women and non-binary people, and local residents across Manchester and Oulu.