Oulu2026 received plenty of program proposals
Oulu2026 open call for program proposals brought together plenty of program proposals for the European Capital of Culture Project in Oulu.
All together 423 proposals were submitted by the end of May. Half of them were larger project proposals and the other half focused on ideas to be further developed.
“We are thrilled about the quantity and quality of the proposals. The general level of proposals was amazingly high. Part of them were really well thought, long-term entities. Overall people had understood what the European Capital of Culture is about and the concept of culture was used in a versatile and colorful manner,” tells Cultural Director Samu Forsblom who is in charge of the program work in the European Capital of Culture Project.
Most of the proposals were from Oulu but also plenty of them came from the region such as from Kuusamo, Tyrnävä, Nivala and Hailuoto. In addition, proposals were submitted from abroad for example from Germany and Portugal.
One of the most important criteria for the Capital of Culture selection is European dimension. “That is why Oulu2026 will be sparred by three international experts. They all have broad experience from programme work at previous European Capitals of Culture,” continues Forsblom. Artistic experts are Suvi Innilä (Turku 2011), Laur Kaunissaare (Tallinn 2011) and Claudia Woolgar (Leeuwarden 2018).
“Before their work we will read through each proposal with the program work group and we will be in touch with each proposer in one way or another. Proposals will be used as material for our bid book which will be submitted to the international jury in May 2020,” tells Forsblom.
The final decision of the European Capital of Culture 2026 will be done in summer 2021.
More information:
Samu Forsblom
Program Director
samu.forsblom(at)ouka.fi
+358 44 703 7558
