A new sound installation, which was unveiled in Oulu Cathedral on Easter Sunday, transforms over 4,000 mysterious cosmic signals into an immersive spatial audio experience.

Launching September 2026 in Oulu, Northern Finland — just below the Arctic Circle — Danish artist Jakob Kudsk Steensen unveils a major site-specific installation that draws on Finnish mythologies about the afterlife and botanical seed banks — places where life and memory continue in suspended animation.

The European Capital of Culture brings a wide range of events and experiences to Oulu and Northern Finland: international artists, festival on sea ice, ice swimming.

Attention to Sami culture is one of the main objectives of the Oulu 2026 program and was one of the things that most impressed foreigners who visited Oulu in the first days of its activity as European Capital of Culture for 2026.

As someone who has spent over two decades researching European Capital of Culture hosting processes — and, in particular, observing the role of opening ceremonies and the use of public space — I approached Oulu 2026’s opening weekend with a mix of curiosity and professional interest.