Helsinki Culture Award goes to Iiris Autio, Science Award to Minna Palmroth; judoka Louna-Lumia Seikkula is Young Helsinki Athlete of the Year

The City of Helsinki traditionally presents awards to distinguished residents on Helsinki Day, 12 June. Awards were again presented this year in the fields of science, art, culture and sports. In addition to these, the City awarded nine Golden Helsinki Medals, based on merit in the service of the City. 

Mayor Daniel Sazonov presented the awards during the Helsinki Day celebrations. 

“On Helsinki Day, we celebrate the city we all call home. Helsinki is full of talented, skilled and inspiring people. Today’s honorees have each, through their own merits and in their own fields, successfully promoted Helsinki to the world and brought joy and pride to us all,” says Mayor Daniel Sazonov.

Culture Award goes to the Managing Director of Tero Saarinen Company 

Each year, the Culture and Library Sub-committee of the City of Helsinki’s Culture and Leisure Committee presents the Helsinki Culture Award to an accomplished individual as recognition for significant artistic achievements or important work that promotes culture in Helsinki. The award amount is EUR 15,000.

This year’s award goes to Iiris Autio, Managing Director of Tero Saarinen Company, who is a key strategic influencer in Finnish contemporary dance. Since 2001, she has managed Tero Saarinen Company and built it into one of Finland’s leading internationally oriented performing arts organisations, promoting sustainable collaboration and the development of the sector’s structures and cultural exports. 

Artist of the Year awards given to three top artists in their respective fields 
 

The Helsinki Artist of the Year awards, each worth EUR 5,000, are awarded annually to artists in Helsinki representing different fields of art. This year’s honorees are singer-songwriter Emilia Sisco (Emilia Heinonen), knitwear designer and textile artist Juha Vehmaanperä and visual artist and game artist Ville Kallio. 

Emilia Sisco is a Helsinki-based soul singer and songwriter who has quickly gained international attention; she is known for her powerful voice, opinionated lyrics and charismatic performances on stages both large and small. Her award-winning and critically acclaimed work enriches Helsinki’s diverse cultural scene. 

Juha Vehmaanperä is an internationally recognised knitwear artist based in Helsinki who combines slow fashion, queer theory and traditional craft techniques with contemporary expression in their work. Among other accolades, they have received the Taito-Finlandia 2025 and Young Designer of the Year 2022 awards. 

Ville Kallio is an internationally renowned Finnish visual artist and game artist whose distinctive and socially critical video games have garnered widespread attention. He rose to prominence particularly with his Cruelty Squad video game, winning the State Prize for Media Art in 2023 for its artistic merit and bold expression. 

Athletes awarded 

 
For the second year in a row, the 2026 Helsinki Athlete of the Year is tennis player Harri Heliövaara. He won the doubles title at the ATP Finals alongside his partner, Henry Patten. The pair also won the doubles title at the Paris Masters and reached the quarterfinals at both the French Open and Wimbledon. Heliövaara’s achievements also include third place in the world doubles rankings. The value of the award is EUR 10,000. 

The title of Young Helsinki Athlete of the Year goes this year to judoka Louna-Lumia Seikkula (b. 2004). Representing Meido-Kan of Helsinki, the athlete won the European U23 Judo Championships in the -63 kg weight class. The victory was historic, as it marked the first European U23 championship title in Finnish judo history. The value of the award is EUR 2,500. 

Basketball coach Janne Hänninen wins the 2026 Helsinki Coach of the Year award. He coached the under-18 girls’ basketball team to a historic silver medal at the FIBA U18 Women's EuroBasket. This was the first time that Finland’s U18 girls’ team advanced to the medal round. Hänninen also serves as head coach of the HBA-Märsky women’s basketball team in the Women's Basketball League. Hänninen has long worked to promote the growth of girls’ and women’s basketball and has also been invited to speak at numerous international coaching clinics. The value of the award is EUR 2,500. 

An honorary mention goes to Erik Piispa, a physical coach with a long career. He works with several top Finnish athletes at the National Olympic Training Center Helsinki, which operates in conjunction with Metropolitan Area Sports Academy Urhea. The athletes coached by Piispa have achieved great success in international competitions. Piispa takes each athlete’s individual needs into account and, in addition to the physical coaching itself, spends a great deal of time interacting with them. 

The 2026 Helsinki Sports Club of the Year is Roihu ry, a pesäpallo club founded in 1957, which has 415 active members. Roihu works determinedly to create a safe hobby environment for children and young people. The club’s activities emphasise equality, communality and a safe atmosphere. Roihu has received particular praise for its positive and family-friendly operating culture, as well as the safe atmosphere in the stands. The value of the award is EUR 5,000.

Scientific Award awarded to Academy Professor Minna Palmroth 

The City of Helsinki Scientific Award was presented to Academy Professor Minna Palmroth. Palmroth works as a professor at the University of Helsinki Faculty of Science, where she researches space physics.

She is a researcher of exceptional international stature, whose work has contributed significantly to the understanding of near-Earth space, space weather and issues related to the sustainable use of space and improved society’s resilience in the face of changing space conditions. These themes are also relevant to the City of Helsinki as a hub for high-tech, data-driven and research-based innovation. 

On Helsinki Day, the City of Helsinki also awarded research grants to 11 research projects. The total grant amount is EUR 73,000. The City of Helsinki awarded research grants to the following applicants: Wenfei Liao, Morris Viitanen, Satu Mattila, Haikku Arosuo, Minerva Nordberg, Sari Front, Zong Xu, Frans Saraste and Petteri Niskanen. Research grants were also awarded to two researchers who did not wish to have their names made public. 

Golden Helsinki Medals for nine recipients 

The Golden Helsinki Medal is the highest recognition of the City of Helsinki, a kind of honorary citizenship. The City Board decides on the awarding of Helsinki Medals annually, and the City presents them to the recipients on Helsinki Day. 
This year, Golden Helsinki Medals were awarded to eight individuals who have worked in various ways for the benefit of Helsinki, as well as one long-standing elected official of the City. 

Jyrki Eräkorpi, Director of Youth Work 
 

Jyrki Eräkorpi is the Director of Youth Work at Helsinki YMCA and a member of its management group, as well as a long-time partner in Helsinki’s youth work. He has played a key role in preparing and developing the model for cooperation with organisations and in strengthening collaboration among youth and sports organisations. 

Pekka Hurme, retired 
 

Pekka Hurme has had a long and distinguished career working for various sports organisations and the Olympic Stadium. Since retiring from his position as marketing manager, Hurme has remained active as a writer for several neighbourhood newspapers, highlighting people and events of significance to Helsinki residents. 

Jarmo Hyökyvaara, entrepreneur and board professional 

Jarmo Hyökyvaara is a seasoned growth entrepreneur, business executive and board professional. Hyökyvaara has contributed to the development of the City's business advisory services and the creation of the Maria 01 startup ecosystem, which strengthens Helsinki's vitality and appeal. 

Marjaliisa Kauppinen, retired 

Marjaliisa Kauppinen has demonstrated long-standing and exemplary civic engagement by developing the idea for the Christmas Path, an event open to everyone. The Christmas Path, designed for families with children, was first organised in the surroundings of Seurasaari Open-air Museum in December 1996. 

Ilkka Niemelä, University President 
 

Ilkka Niemelä has served as President of Aalto University since 2017. He has established himself as a strong advocate for internationalism, expertise and research-based regeneration. Niemelä has promoted cooperation between Aalto University and the City of Helsinki to find solutions for sustainable development and strengthen the attractiveness and retention power of the entire region. 

Marja Salomaa, journalist 
 

Marja Salomaa is a veteran city journalist known for thorough research and strong, fact-based journalism. She provides clear and knowledgeable insights into current issues affecting the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, covering the development of Helsinki and phenomena related to urban policy. 

Mikko Sarjanen, singer and musician 
 

Mikko Sarjanen is known as the singer and lyricist of the band Atomirotta. His lyrics bear a strong connection to East Helsinki. Alongside his musical career, Sarjanen has worked to promote literacy among young people in Helsinki. 

Emma Tamankag, founder of Heed Finland 

Emma Tamankag is the founder of Heed Finland, an organisation that provides free health advice to immigrants. Tamankag’s work promotes health, education and integration and strengthens equity and wellbeing in Helsinki. 

Helsinki Medal for distinguished service in a position of trust 
Juha Viertola, Chairperson of Helsinki Municipal Central Election Committee 

Juha Viertola has served in various elected positions with the City of Helsinki for over 20 years. The most significant of these have been his positions as Chairperson of the Central Election Committee and as a member of the Building Committee.