Case:European Capital of Culture Oulu2026
In 2026, Oulu is the European Capital of Culture – an EU flagship initiative celebrating Europe’s cultural richness, diversity and common heritage.
Oulu 2026, a €50M programme includes a year-long celebration featuring events like the Irish Festival of Oulu’s Cultural Kaleidoscopes.
Project Snapshot
Client: European Capital of Culture / Oulu 2026 / Cultural Kaleidoscopes (The Irish Festival of Oulu)
Role: Narrative strategy, concept design, audience engagement, copywriting
Scope: From street performance to cultural system — working directly with the artistic director and multidisciplinary team
Status: Public launch Sept 2025, full unveiling in 2026
Oulu2026 in numbers
€50M initiative (2021–27)
2M expected visits
+20% growth in tourism
Led by Oulu + 39 municipalities
Hundreds of partners across Europe
The Irish Festival of Oulu 100,000 visitors since 2006
The program launched on September 26th, 2025. I was invited to contribute to this film as a concept designer/scriptwriter, while I want to give full credit to the original director, crew, and artists — my role was to help modify and refine, building on their outstanding work.
Designing Resonance — Arts, Culture & Engagement in Oulu2026
The full story will unfold in 2026, so for now I can only share a glimpse — out of respect for the ongoing work.
More will follow as the journey continues.
The Brief
Oulu’s European Capital of Culture year 2026 brings Northern Finnish culture into streets, homes, and everyday life.
My work is linked to the Cultural Kaleidoscopes Street Festival, part of the Irish Festival of Oulu. The task is to design how this event could resonate internationally, while staying rooted in the local community.
My Roles
Concept Design — contribute to the framing the core idea: how an Arctic city can speak to Europe.
Branding — simple, co-created, human tone over gloss.
Audience Engagement — invites, not ads; fast loops with locals.
Digital Ecosystem — one spine across street, site, social.
Film — scripts as prototypes, tested until they feel true.
Project Aims:
Engaging audiences across Europe and beyond.
Amplifying international cultural visibility.
Creating shared, real experiences.
The Challenge
Oulu2026 is a year-long celebration. We want to make culture tangible — so that by 2026, the city already feels connected beyond its borders and ready to step onto the European stage.
The Approach
We’ll shape a living ecosystem where international art and everyday life meet — in the street, online, and in shared cultural spaces. I’ll bring human-centered design, scriptwriting, concept designing and help with branding.
Aims
Engage audiences across Europe and beyond
Amplify international cultural visibility
Create shared, real experiences that strengthen identity.
The Impact (so far)
The full impact will unfold in 2026. Already, the work is creating new ways for Oulu to connect with Europe. The project is building pride locally and sparking curiosity internationally.
Why it matters to me?
This project is about more than events. It’s about the breathtaking international scale art and culture. I’m thrilled to be part of this journey.
For more information, check www.irish.fi, and Oulu2026.
What’s next in Oulu 2026:
Between now and 2026, new chapters will open — prototypes and encounters. Follow along: the most powerful moments are still to come.
Also, if you want to read more of my other films or novels, please visit Art | Novels, or more specifically, if you’d like to read an analyze the architecture of a sitcom-episode. Or, just click to PhD Research.