Four months to go until the start of the European Capital of Culture year. More than 500 operators are working together to create a year in which northern Finland will be the new cultural center of Europe.

Oulu, with its 39 partner municipalities in Northern Finland, will step into the spotlight as European Capital of Culture 2026. The full programme will be officially launched on Thursday 4 September 2025 in Oulu, streamed live across Europe.

There is a lot of excitement surrounding the European Capitals of Culture. In fact, there are an increasing number of initiatives, both at national level, in individual countries, and at international level, involving several countries, aimed at exploring individual aspects of the European Capital of Culture programme in greater depth.

Oulu 2026, European Capital of Culture,  has announced the First Highlights for the Oulu Music Video Festival: A Never-Before-Seen Brian Eno Documentary, a Performance by Billy Roisz, and a Musical by Chantal Akerman.

Culture is everywhere in life – and now you can share your creativity with everyone! The European Capital of Culture year will be part of day-to-day life as well as celebrations. You can now propose your programme for inclusion in the official Oulu2026 cultural programme and apply for a targeted grant to realise your project within the Oulu2026 region.