Tampere aims to be an internationally attractive cultural city

The cultural service network plan examines the development of the service network, significant construction projects, and extensive ways of organising services. The aim is that Tampere will be known as a hub of international events and culture, and the city will attract people to have experiences all year round. The objective will be realised by renovation and constructing new buildings for library activities, museums and cultural actors in the region over the next decade.

The reputation of Tampere as a desirable place to live and a vibrant cultural city go hand in hand. In the coming years, Tampere is expected to be a city with one million museum visitors, the capital of performing arts, and a home for creative people, where cultural services are accessible to everyone as local services. 

The goal of becoming the city with one million museum visitors will be promoted by Tampere Art Museum's new building and renovation project, Sara Hildén Art Museum's new building project, and the projects Kulttuurikehä and Collections Centre of Tampere Museums. The idea of the capital of performing arts will be implemented by renovating Tullikamari and by continuing the renovation of Tampere Hall and by assisting the renovation projects of Tampere Theatre and Tampere Workers' Theatre. The transformation of Nekala school into a cultural centre, the The Creative Hiedanranta project, and the renovation of the current facilities of cultural and art communities enable the city to become a home for creative people. Accessible local services will be improved through the development of the library's service network, the campus network of Tampere Region Center of Adult Education, the regional work model, and public art.

-The culture service network plan is the first of its kind in Tampere. It is an important package, even by national standards, which, when implemented, will take Tampere to a whole new level as a city of culture, says Juha Ahonen, Director of Culture.

The preparation of the service network plan considered the cultural residents' study carried out last year, extensive negotiations with cultural organisations, an open resident event organised in October 2023, and the Council's statements on impact assessment. The principles of the plan were discussed in the City Board on 6 November 2023.

Hiedanranta becomes the cultural district

One of the key projects of the cultural service network plan is the concept of the cultural facilities in Hiedanranta. The aim is to create an experiential and vibrant area of the new neighbourhood in Hiedanranta that promotes Tampere's international reputation as a city of experiences.

According to the plans, companies in the creative sectors, tourism and restaurant services, and market-based event and experience services will be located in Hiedanranta alongside the city's own cultural services and those supported by the city. The aim of the centralisation is to strengthen business opportunities and co-operation in the creative industries.

 According to the project plans, the city would rent the factory premises from Hiedanrannan Kehitys Oy. The old factory property has a total of 30,000 square metres, of which the city would rent approximately 16,500 square metres for its own and supported cultural services. According to the plans, the premises rented by the city would house music schools, the activities of the Tampere Region Center of Adult Education, the library, Tarinatalo, galleria and performing arts facilities. The plan also includes a 1200 square metre multi-purpose event hall. 

The city's commitment to be the main tenant of the cultural facilities will launch the renovation of Hiedanranta's old factories. The centralisation of cultural and creative activities in the Hiedanranta factory area will make the use of the facilities more efficient. This will enable the construction of new cultural facilities that meet the needs of the city. The project also aims to solve the serious challenges facing the cultural sector in other parts of the city. It will also have positive impacts on tourism, basic art education, and educational pathways in the creative sectors. 

-In the Hiedanranta factory area, publicly supported cultural services are intertwined with business activities in the creative sector and also contribute to the creation of other services and innovations. Co-operation improves the business opportunities, awareness, audience base, production methods, and networks of the creative sector actors. The school's location in the vicinity of cultural facilities also creates new opportunities for learning, says Deputy Mayor Matti Helimo.

Shared spaces bring efficiency to space use. Compared to the rental costs of the current facilities of the operations moving to Hiedanranta, the rental costs would increase by about 10 per cent as a result of the new facilities, but, correspondingly, the number of square metres would increase by nearly 50 per cent.

The project's demand and project planning will be tackled in 2024, and implementation planning and contract tendering in 2025. Construction will likely start in 2026, in which case the first facilities would be in use in 2028. The cultural district will grow to its full potential by 2030.