Oulu2026: Finland's European Capital of Culture Unveils Program

Oulu, a city in northern Finland, will serve as the European Capital of Culture in 2026, with a program centered on 'Cultural Climate Change' and community engagement. Piia Rantala-Korhonen, CEO of Oulu Culture Foundation, outlined the project's three main goals: making Oulu culturally vibrant, creating a more balanced community, and establishing the city as a creative hub in northern Europe. The cultural program was developed through three public calls that generated over 2,100 proposals. Key events include a New Year's show broadcast by national TV YLE, an opening festival in mid-January transforming the city center into a cultural space, and a focus on Sami culture during the first three months. For the first time, Sami artists will take leading roles in an opera at Oulu Theatre with the production 'Ovllá'. Another major project is 'Layers in the Peace Machine' by Ekho Collective, inspired by AI researcher Timo Honkela's book 'Peace Machine'. The initiative also involves collaboration with other European Capitals of Culture, including a roundtable on December 3, 2025, with Bodø2024 and Kiruna2029 at the Arctic Futures Symposium in Brussels. Youth engagement includes the Agentti 026 program, Xulu202X combining dance and hip hop, and the Frozen People festival on February 28. The project aims to leave a sustainable legacy of new cultural spaces, skills, and increased political priority for culture.