The main principles of Annantalo's future service and premises concept are presented on the kerrokantasi.hel.fi website. Residents now have the opportunity to influence the future development of the facilities and services of Helsinki's own arts centre for children and young people. You can access the survey via this link.(Link leads to external service)
Director of Annantalo and Head of Children's Culture Pirjetta Mulari sees the reform as further strengthening the importance of Annantalo.
– Going forward, Annantalo will increasingly be a place where children and families in Helsinki can interact with art, each other and the future with an open mind. Together with the residents of the city, we are building Annantalo into a meaningful place for future generations, Mulari says.
The renovation of Annantalo is currently in the preliminary planning and needs assessment phase. Construction is expected to start in the early 2030s.
Coming up: art playground and living room
Over the past spring, we have worked together with children, young people, families and a wide range of specialists to come up with the future services and facilities of Annantalo. Residents’ wishes and the different user needs have been identified through play and brainstorming workshops for children, surveys, interviews and online discussions.
Ideas received from residents have introduced new emphases to the future of Annantalo. This will be even more visible in the new premises created during the renovation:
Play is increasingly seen as an environment for creative growth that permeates the activities throughout the centre. Children's participation will be at the heart of Annantalo's activities: children's art, ideas and visions will be made more visible, and children's participation in the building will be strengthened.
The core of Annantalo's existence, art and high-quality art education, will continue to be the foundation of Annantalo's operations, and the new service concept will build on this strong expertise.
In the Annantalo of the future, the premises will support a wide range of participation and activities. For example, there will be an art playground, which will invite visitors to engage in play and creative activities outdoors, and a ‘living room’ for creative work and interaction, where you can sit, rest and make art together without the pressure to perform. Annantalo is also being developed as a multi-sensory and peaceful place to counterbalance the hustle and bustle of everyday life.