Night of the Arts kicks off Helsinki Festival with hundreds of events

Once again on 14 August, the Night of the Arts spreads throughout Helsinki with hundreds of free events. The programme will include open rehearsals in theatres, dance, circus, literature and discussion sessions, museum open houses, and live music in every style imaginable. Anyone can register their own event for the Night of the Arts until 12 August.

Live music is a long-standing tradition of the Night of the Arts, and this year’s offerings include chamber music concerts at the Hakasalmi Villa, compositions inspired by beloved poems at the Winter Garden, piano music in Kaivopuisto, and numerous gigs in parks and pubs. The literature and spoken word programme will feature, for example, expeditions into the Kalevala at Oodi Central Library, the Night of Journalism by Uusi Juttu, and the Outsider Art Festival’s poetry stage at the House of Text. Open rehearsals will be offered at venues such as the Helsinki City Theatre and Dance Theatre Hurjaruuth.

For children, the Night of the Arts will offer mask-making at Kallio Library, a storytelling session at Kansalaistori, open doors at the Pakila Puppet Theatre House, a concert by the “Rock Rodents” at the University’s Great Hall, and diverse activities at Annantalo, Vuotalo, and Cable Factory. The French company Cie Alexandra N’Possee’s Zig Zag street dance piece, performed in various locations across Helsinki during the evening, will also be created together with young Finnish dance enthusiasts.

The Night of the Arts culminates at 8 pm in Senate Square with the international theatre group Theater Toli’s acrobatic performance Pedaleando Hacia El Cielo (“Pedalling to the Sky”), where bicycles balance between earth and sky. Suitable for all ages, this cinematic piece combines movement, dance, and live music in a captivating way.

EGS’s Mapping Helsinki highlights places of meaning for locals

The series Mapping Helsinki by EGS—Finland’s most internationally significant graffiti artist and the creator of the Helsinki Festival’s new visual identity—will be on display from 14 to 31 August at six locations around the city. In the spring, the Festival and Helsingin Sanomat invited locals to share places of personal significance, and the artworks have been placed at selected sites based on those suggestions, ranging from a park to a water tower and from an island to a traditional rug-washing pier.

“Helsinki is made up of layers of memories and stories. They are not marked on maps. That’s why I wanted to bring out places that matter to people—and make them visible,” EGS explains.

Two and a half weeks of star guests and premieres in the festival programme

The rest of the Helsinki Festival programme offers two and a half weeks of international orchestral, theatre, and dance performances, world premieres, timely and thought-provoking works, and a selection of unique concert nights at Huvila.

The Bang on a Can All-Stars, founded alongside the New York music institution Bang on a Can, return to Helsinki after decades, performing two genre-blurring nights at the Dance House Helsinki. The venue will also host the Sydney Dance Company’s acclaimed double bill Impermanence | Forever & Ever.

Latvian violinist and conductor legend Gidon Kremer will bring his Kremerata Baltica orchestra to the Festival for the first time, and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe will also perform at the Helsinki Music Centre under the baton of star conductor Robin Ticciati. Woman at Point Zero, based on music by British composer Bushra El-Turk and the novel by Egyptian feminist writer Nawal El Saadawi, is one of the most talked-about recent operas.

The iconic Huvila will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a special concert featuring, among others, Pepe Willberg, Arppa, and Bess. International stars coming to Huvila include Anoushka Shankar, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Luz Casal, and Bryce Dessner, while Finnish top artists will include Ismo Alanko, Olavi Uusivirta, Arppa, pehmoaino, and Auri.