Would you be interested in opportunities to cooperate with the City? Want to know more about grants, facilities or perhaps art awards? On these pages, you can learn about how we partner with cultural operators and networks.
Art and culture for Helsinki residents, with partners
The City of Helsinki promotes the operating conditions of cultural operators, diverse art and culture, and resident-oriented art-related and cultural activities. In close cooperation with art operators in Helsinki, we provide cultural events, performances, exhibitions, courses and art education for the city’s residents. We also support art and culture through grants. For artists, we provide well-equipped performance venues and a professional production environment.
Our objective is to strengthen the operating conditions for professional art in Helsinki, increase resident participation in art and culture, and promote the fulfilment of cultural rights.
The City’s Vision for Arts and Culture 2030 aims to strengthen Helsinki’s position as a distinctive and internationally attractive city of culture.
Grants for culture
The aim of the City’s culture grants is to promote the opportunities of Helsinki residents to encounter, experience, participate in and create art and culture.
Go to the culture grants website.(Link leads to external service)
Facilities
The City provides facilities for makers of and events related to art and culture. Some facilities are subject to a fee and some can be reserved free of charge.
Completed in 1898, Villa Eläintarha is a City-owned wooden villa building located in Tokoinranta, Helsinki. It operates as an artist residency under a cooperation agreement between the City’s Culture and Leisure Division and the Myymälä2 cooperative.
Read more about Villa Eläintarha(Link leads to external service).
The City of Helsinki rents out studios in the Artists’ House on Harakka Island. The studios are provided primarily to Helsinki-based visual artists and artisans.
City-owned premises can be reserved for different lengths of time and for many different purposes. Learn more about the Varaamo service and reservable facilities at schools, for example.
Read more about other facilities and equipment provided by the City.
Organising art-related and cultural activities
Are you organising leisure time activities or looking for support for running such activities? We want to provide a good setting and support for organising activities for residents, associations and organisations alike.
Read more about the Finnish model for leisure activities and become an organiser.
Basic arts education refers to long-term education in different fields of art, intended primarily for children and young people. It provides pupils with skills to express themselves and develop their skills in a goal-oriented way. The City of Helsinki supports the provision of basic arts education through grants.
We also support art-related and cultural activities for children and young people in particular through grants. The grant for regional cultural hobby activities is awarded to low-threshold art-related and cultural hobby activities preventing segregation for children and young people as well as the development of new operating models.
Cultural centres
The activities of the City’s cultural centres are held in cooperation with artists. Each cultural centre is unique and offers different services and opportunities. Feel free to directly contact the cultural centre for which your particular activity would be suitable.
Go to the culture services homepage for a list of the City’s cultural centres.
Cooperation with organisations
The City of Helsinki is an active partner for organisations. Are you interested in the Organisation Advisory Council, or perhaps the City’s grants for organisations? Click the link below for information on these and other matters related to the City’s cooperation with organisations.
Go to the ‘Cooperation with organisations’ website.
Ethical principles for partnerships
The City of Helsinki has drawn up ethical partnership principles for its cooperation with organisations and grant allocation.
The purpose of the ethical partnership principles is to harmonise the manner in which the City of Helsinki partners with organisations, associations, foundations and activity groups.
Read about the City’s ethical principles for partnerships.(Link leads to external service)
Art and Culture Awards
All art and culture awards are granted without application.
The Helsinki Culture Award is awarded annually by the Culture and Libraries Sub-committee of the City of Helsinki’s Culture and Leisure Committee to an accomplished artist as recognition for significant artistic achievements and/or important work that promotes culture in Helsinki. The award amount is 15,000 euros.
Helsinki Culture Award Winners:
2025 Pekka Lanerva, artistic director of the Love & Anarchy: Helsinki International Film Festival
2024 Mikki Kunttu, lighting and set designer
2023 Maija Vilkkumaa, musician
2022 Timo Ruuskanen and Tuukka Vasama, the Red Nose Company
2021 Sanni Seppo, freelance photojournalist and photographic artist
2020 J. Karjalainen, musician and songwriter
2019 Meeri Koutaniemi, photographic artist, photojournalist and human rights activist
2018 Leea Kleemola, actress
2017 Esko Salminen, actor
2016 Viva Granlund, visual artist
2015 Kati Outinen, actress
2014 Pelle Miljoona, musician and writer
2013 Kjell Westö, writer
2012 Susanna Leinonen, dance artist and choreographer
2012 Erik Bruun (Design Award), graphic designer
2011 Stefan Bremer, photographer
2010 Arto Halonen, film director
2009 Helena Hietanen, visual artist; Jaakko Niemelä, visual artist
2008 Eero Raittinen, musician; Jussi Raittinen musician
2007 Ritva Valkama, actress
2006 Tove Idström, scriptwriter
2005 Seppo Vesterinen, producer/manager
2004 Pekka Milonoff, theatre manager
2003 Hannu Mäkelä, writer
2002 Tero Saarinen, dance artist
2001 Marjatta Levanto, head curator (children’s art education)
2000 Reko Lundan, theatre director
1999 Eeva Rista, photographer; Simo Rista photographer
1998 Pirjo Bergström, musician
1997 Fujiwo Ishimoto, textile artist
1996 Kaisa Rastimo, film director
1995 Géza Szilvay, principal/music education; Csaba Szilvay, lecturer/music education
1994 Elina Salo, actress
1993 Juhani Pallasmaa, architect
1992 Juha Siltanen, writer
1991 Jorma Uotinen, dance artist
1990 Rafael Wardi, visual artist
1989 Eeva-Kaarina Volanen, actress
1988 Kaija Siren, architect; Heikki Siren, architect
1987 Edvin Laine, film director
1986 Kaj Frank, industrial designer
1985 Aale Tynni, writer
1984 Aulis Sallinen, composer
1983 Kari Suomalainen, cartoonist
1982 Margaretha von Bahr, dance artist
1981 Jussi Jalas, conductor
1980 Tove Jansson, writer
1979 Erik Tawaststjerna, professor (music)
1978 Arvo Turtiainen, writer
1977 Tuulikki Pietilä, graphic artist
1976 Emmi Jurkka, actress
1975 Matti Pitkänen, photographer
1974 Heikki Aaltoila, composer
1973 Eila Pennanen, writer
1972 Dora Jung, textile artist
1971 Erik Lindström, actor
1970 Aimo Tukiainen, sculptor
1969 Simon Parmet, conductor
1968 Joel Rinne, actor
1967 Yrjö Soini, writer
1966 Tauno Hannikainen, conductor
1965 Aimo Kanerva, visual artist
1964 Hagar Olsson, writer
1963 Eino Kalima, theatre director
Every year, three distinguished artists from Helsinki are granted an award for important, topical work that they have conducted, based on annually changing focal points pertaining to cultural aspects and the committee strategy.
Helsinki Artists of the Year:
2025
Tinja Salmi, scenographer, dress designer
Cecilia Damström, composer
Laura Kajander, excecutive director of the Finnish Baroque Orchestra (FiBO), violist
2024
Niko Hallikainen, author
Vilma Jää, musician
Vidha Saumya, visual artist
2023
Anna Brotkin, screenwriter
Ima Iduozee, choreographer, director
Sonja Salomäki, artist, textile art
2022
Matti Salo, musician and poet
Katja Lundén, choreographer and dancer
Leena Harjunpää, choreographer and dancer
2021
Rebekka Aili Kuukka (Rebekka Yeboah), musician
Johanna Ilvessalo, visual artist and sculptor
Eero Ojanen, composer and musician
2020
Jaana Taskinen, theater director, audience worker and drama teacher
Jussi Lehtonen, actor, theater director, pedagog and researcher
Kirsi Manninen, costume designer and scenographer
2019
Karri ”Paleface” Miettinen, rap artist, writer, lyricist, radio host and activist
Valtteri Raekallio, dancer and choreographer
Milja Sarkola, playwright, scriptwriter and theater director
2018
Aapo Häkkinen, musician
Saara Turunen, writer
Tuukka Vasama, performance artist
2017
Sade Kamppila, circus artist
Sonya Lindfors, dance artist
Ninni Perko, community artist
The Culture and Libraries Sub-committee of the City of Helsinki’s Culture and Leisure Committee rewards an outstanding cultural act each year. The award is intended for noteworthy and novel cultural acts or projects, and the activities granted this award must be focused on Helsinki or its residents. The amount of the Cultural Act Award is 5,000 euros.
Helsinki Cultural Act Award winners
2025 Kapsäkki Cooperative. Honourable mentions: Porttiteatteri ry, Karhupuisto Film Festival 2025 (Sons of Lumière Oy).
2024 Heidi Hänninen (KAS! Kontula Art School)
2023 Pienten Helsinki. Honourable mentions: Skidit Oy, Markku Puustinen.
2022 Refugee Film Festival (Turvapaikanhakijoiden tuki ry). Honourable mentions: Youth Open Mic activities, Kvääristö – a safer space café and bar in Kallio, Helsinki.
2021 Maunula-Seura (Entäs nyt Maunula? working group). Honourable mention: Kino Gas film event series in Suvilahti (Pop Up Kino Helsinki).
2020 Suvilahti TBA. Honourable mentions: Helsinki Walk Festival, Radio Majava.
2019 Loukko Centre of Subcultures (Loukko ry). Honourable mention: Kontula Book City literature event.
2018 The Sanat haltuun project. Honourable mention: Pop Up Kino Helsinki, Reflektor light art festival in Kivinokka.
2017 Mahtava Merihaka. Honourable mentions: Riviera Cinema, Suvilahti DIY Skatepark
2016 Lapinlahden Lähde Oy and Cooperative Lapinlahden Tilajakamo. Honourable mentions: Kontula Electronic festivals, Herttoniemi Block Party.
2015 Sompasauna. Honourable mentions: Noora Dadu’s documentary theatre performance Minun Palestiinani, café Muu Maa in Mustikkamaa.
2014 Opening of WHS Teatteri Union (Association WHS ry). Honourable mentions: Arkadia International Bookshop, Ääniwalli cultural space.
2013 Festivals of Kallion Kulttuuriverkosto (Kallio Kukkii, Kallio Kipinöi, Kallio Walking Festival). Honourable mentions: The Roihukino suburb festival, sing-through of the Kalevala organised by a folk music student group of the Sibelius Academy.
2012 Night Visions film festival. Honourable mentions: Cleaning Day, construction of the Baana cycling route.
2011 Restaurant Day. Honourable mentions: Villa Aino Ackté concert series, Kalasatama container square (particularly the Bermuda Helsinki container).
2010 We Love Helsinki. Honourable mentions: Helsinki Poetry Jam, the Skidit festival.
2009 The Suvilahti graffiti wall. Honourable mentions: Setting up new premises for Kapsäkki, Bassline Festival (Basso Media Ltd), the Open House Helsinki event
In 2009–2016 and from 2023 onwards, the Helsinki Cultural Act Award winner is selected based on suggestions requested from residents.
Instructions for organising events
Need advice and support for organising an event in Helsinki? We provide our partners with support in organising a responsible event and regarding matters such as permit processes.
Tips for communication
Advertise your art-related or cultural event in the City’s event calendar! Users can search the calendar for events of interest to them, e.g. by time, place or event type.
You can use the MyHelsinki event calendar to advertise events that are of interest to tourists and Helsinki residents.
If you organise hobby activities for children and young people in Helsinki, you can advertise your activities on harrastukset.hel.fi.
The Culture Bank is a free online service that brings together art and culture professionals in one place and makes their expertise easily accessible. Through the service, professionals can publish their own profiles and offer commissionable services such
The national Lähellä.fi service helps residents find nearby services, leisure time activities and volunteering opportunities that support their wellbeing. Advertisements published through the website are also highlighted on the City of Helsinki’s Wellbein
The Administration Centre for ELY Centres and TE Offices (KEHA Centre) maintains the national Fintegrate (kotoutumisentukena.fi) online service. You can advertise an activity that you organise in the service if it supports integration and is easy to get i
We also advertise art-related and cultural events supported with grants in our cultural partner newsletter, in the Kaupungin tuella tapahtuu (‘Events supported by the City’) section. In the newsletter, you will find instructions on how to propose your eve