Wild City
Oulu is on the cusp. We could settle for being a tame municipal city on the fringe. Or we could go Wild. We choose Wild.
With Wild City we bring wildness into the city by celebrating the wilderness around it. Creating a new cultural approach with our unique northern vibe. Oulu as a cultural laboratory, going wild for Europe.
What exactly is a creative city in the middle of the wild nature? What is a lively, creative village? How do art, subcultures and creative spaces fill emptiness, silence and darkness?
BidBook (pages 22-35)
Programme lines
Each of the three programme themes include programme lines which enable us to group connected projects together to maximise synergy and impact.
Art Takeover!
Meet the buzz. Dancers, circus, poetry and artwork taking over the city. Art might surprise you as a spectacular event or when you walk into a grocery store. It tunes you into creativity at your workplace, makes you smile on a busy day.
Creative Villages
The Creative Villages programme line reshapes the city and its cultural climate by adding places for creativity in the urban space.
Stream to the future
True and sustainable cultural climate change begins with children and young people. Our schools and cultural services will collaborate to seek solutions to future challenges at the crossroads of art, science and technology.
Urban Boost
The Urban Boost programme line gives young people the opportunity to build the future on their own terms and to challenge out-dated practices.
Latest
Venice Art Biennale 2026 exhibition to Oulu – Open call for the exhibition at the Finnish Pavilion now open
The European Capital of Culture Oulu2026 is involved in organising the exhibition at the Finnish Pavilion at 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia in 2026, and the exhibition will also be shown in Oulu as part of the programme of the Oulu2026...
Sauna is now hot!
Sauna culture is a part of the Oulu2026 cultural programme and we took part in a sauna discussion event in Tartu on May 10–11. The aim is to set a world record for sauna bathing at the beginning of June. Sauna culture is now in high demand both here in Finland and...
Open call: Climbing over Oulu – Revisiting the landscapes of the hidden city
Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde from France, partnering with Flow Productions from Oulu, will begin implementing their project that was selected as part of the European Capital of Culture programme this June in Oulu. The ensemble will include participatory urban walks...
Join the Wild Herb Celebration on 8th of June!
Wild Herb Celebration on Saturday, June 8, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is an event for the whole family at Åström park in Oulu (Isokatu 1), where the possibilities of the nature are presented extensively: nature's wild products, food, cosmetics and experiences!...
TOP3 tips for current European Capitals of Culture
We asked this year's teams of European Capitals of Culture for highlights for the coming summer. This is how we were answered from Norway, Estonia, and Austria. Bodø, Norway, TOP3 Midsummer Mystery, Breivika Beach 22.6. Bodø2024's big summer opening event will be a...
Qstock acts for Oulu2026 Stage announced
All the acts for the Oulu2026 Stage showcasing artists from the Oulu region have now been selected. As many as 164 applications were submitted in the open application process, and 8 acts were selected to play at the festival. The audience can enjoy the versatile...
The Sound of the North route takes you through the different eras of popular music in Oulu
“The Sound of the North – tracing the origins of popular music” is a digital story route that can be experienced throughout Oulu using your own mobile device. The permanent route, which will be published on 10 April, is part of the Oulu region’s journey towards...
Open Call for the ARToulu art area
The European Capital of Culture 2026 brings us Oulu’s new ARToulu art area, where art will pop up and surprise you in unexpected places. Dozens of installed artworks will change the face of the Oulujoki estuary’s seven city neighborhoods, turning them into interesting...
Baseline for the evaluation of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture is published
The Centre for Cultural Policy Research Cupore explores and evaluates the next Finnish European Capital of Culture – Oulu2026. The English version of the report describing the baseline of the assessment in 2022 has now published on Cupore's website. The report shows...
CULTUR€ – Matching with Busine$$
Do you know how culture and art can be used to produce and increase the value of companies? Cooperation with culture and creative industries creates new opportunities to develop your company’s business, products and services. It is also a good way to reach new...