Oulu 2026 - Cultural Climate Change

From 16 to 18 January, the Finnish city of Oulu set the stage for the Opening Festival of Oulu 2026 – European Capital of Culture. A delegation from the LOV2030 team was there to experience three wintery days filled with culture, creativity and inspiration.

More than 200 events spread across the city centre attracted over 250,000 visits. From large-scale public moments to intimate exhibitions, culture was everywhere, connecting residents, visitors and international delegations alike.

The highlight was the public opening ceremony on Friday. Performances by the Screaming Men Choir, a restrained rendition of Imagine, and speeches by, among others, the President of Finland, the Mayor of Oulu and representatives of the European Commission underlined culture as a powerful force for connection. The ceremony concluded with the Oulu Peace Proclamation, a strong statement in favour of peace and dialogue.

The festival also impressed on a substantive level. PLAY: Fotografiska x Oulu brought a Fotografiska Tallinn exhibition to Finland for the first time. Set in a shopping centre, the exhibition invited visitors to look differently: at play as a source of joy, resilience and connection, and as a silent, universal language. Layers in the Peace Machine transformed City Hall into an immersive installation where visitors could experience peace as a dynamic process—shaped by interaction, memories and choices. The rare Ice Music Concert by Terje Isungset added an almost fairytale-like moment: music made of ice, carried by winter light and silence.

Museums and cultural venues raised both focus and imagination. Eanangiella – Voice of the Land at the Oulu Art Museum presented Sámi art and duodji in an impressive scenography. At cultural centre Valve, exhibitions such as Photo North – Mutant and Nondurable offered a small yet playful display, where dead insects were brought back to life through light and colour.

New spaces also opened their doors in a festive way. The renovated central library is spacious, bright and welcoming. At the very top sits Kotilo, the new cultural centre for children: soft, playful and designed for reading, discovering and creating. During the opening, The Book of Oulu was presented, in which two hundred children portray their city as they see it—playful, honest and rich in imagination. In Kotilo, the book, original illustrations and interactive media art come together, allowing children to quite literally become guides of their own city.

A particularly poetic moment was Black Snow, a participatory project involving children from the city and the wider region. Their handmade artworks lit up a park, pushing back the winter darkness. Warm, magical and deeply connecting.

Alongside the public programme, the festival also offered inspiring networking moments with European Capitals of Culture from the past, present and future. Sharing experiences and further strengthening our European network proved immensely valuable—an energy boost we carry with us towards Leuven & Beyond.

The Opening Festival of Oulu 2026 showed how culture brings people together, strengthens creativity and community, and has the power to transform cities. An inspiring start. We are already curious to see what Trenčín 2026 has in store.