On the Children's Culture for All! campaign day on Thursday, 20 November, residents of Helsinki will have the opportunity to explore various children's cultural activities and operators around Helsinki for no cost at all. In total, around 40 operators in the field of children's culture will be participating.
During the day you can e.g. test different types of circus arts under the guidance of the Linnanmäki Circus School in Tapanila, participate in a miniature figurine demonstration at Youth Centre Kameleontti in Munkkivuori, try out darkroom work at the Finnish Museum of Photography in Ruoholahti and take a peek behind the scenes at the Helsingin Teatterikoulu theatre school in Itäkeskus. You can also try your hand at playing instruments and enjoy open choir rehearsals, workshops and light art, among other things.
Getting to know arts and culture hobbies
The objective of the campaign is to provide information on children's culture and promote children's right to art and culture. There is still a significant number of children and young people in Helsinki who do not have access to arts and culture hobbies.
“Arts and culture are still not as well known as sports, for example. We want to show the wide range of opportunities in arts and culture, and how low the threshold is to get involved. Participating in arts and culture hobbies may not even require a common language. I hope that the campaign will reach especially those families who might not even think that art and culture could interest them," Chief of Children's Culture in Helsinki, Director of Annantalo Arts Centre Pirjetta Mulari says.
According to research, arts and culture are beneficial in many ways. One of the core tasks of the City's cultural services is to ensure that everyone in Helsinki is able to connect with art and culture throughout their lives.
“Art and culture can make a big difference to your life, if you have access to them. They can introduce children and families to whole new dimensions. Today, the world around us is very challenging in many ways, and finding a favourite art form can provide a new way of making sense of it," says Mulari.
"Children's culture operators have realised the value of working together"
The idea for a joint open day was born at a network meeting of children's culture operators in Helsinki, led by Mulari as Helsinki's Chief of Children's Culture. Helsinki has organised the campaign, which is at the heart of what the City does: acts as an enabler and convener of art and culture in Helsinki. In keeping with the new City Strategy, Helsinki will also focus on the wellbeing of and services for children and young people in Helsinki during the current four-year period.
“One of the City's tasks is to increase the visibility and accessibility of children's culture in Helsinki, which is the aim of this campaign.”
“It is a challenging time in the arts and culture sector due to major cutbacks, but I believe hardship can also be turned into a unifying factor. I'm really glad that children's culture operators in Helsinki have understood the value of working together," Mulari says.
The Children's Culture for All! campaign is organised as part of the national Children's Rights Week on 17–23 November. To find out more about the events and operators involved in the campaign, visit Children’s Culture for All.
