Tampere cultural services are aiming high

The city’s Director of Culture Juha Ahonen describes that the city's cultural services are standing on two legs. One leg has accessible, low threshold services for municipal residents, and the other has international-level events and cultural programme aimed at increasing the city’s appeal and retention power.

- The first leg has the most important ethos. Its purpose is to produce well-being for the residents of Tampere. We are constantly developing ways to activate city residents to use services. We have noticed that, after the coronavirus pandemic, some older people in particular have not found their way back to cultural services. We are also developing services provided at home to make sure everyone has access to library books, for example, says Juha Ahonen.  

Among other things, he praises Kaikukortti card, which enables participation in activities subject to a fee for those who may have a tight financial situation.

Room for creating something new

Tampere is known as a city of events. The Tampere Region Festivals association includes more than 30 different cultural festivals.

- That is a lot. Throughout its history, the city has been able to make good investments in event platforms. We have understood that the experience economy is a key part of the city’s appeal and growth factors. In the future, we will have to have an even clearer view of what each person does and act together in order to create something new. We must not be set in our old ways.

- Keeping up this positive buzz requires a special focus, particularly on supporting the independent field. History has shown that one creator’s work may be multiplied, taking many new forms. Just think about Aleksis Kivi’s plays or Eino Leino’s poems. We must provide an opportunity for this.

Juha Ahonen is pleased to see, among other things, how brick-and-mortar shops moving elsewhere has not resulted in empty spaces but, instead, different creative players are now using them. This is taking Tampere forward towards its goal as a home for creative people.

– We have created great conditions for entertainment in Tampere that will enable the city to become the largest city for experiences in the Nordic countries, among other things. Now, we should create similar conditions for artistic productions less centred around entertainment, Ahonen emphasises.