Call for applications for Meanwhile Use Spaces in Tampere is now open – including new sites

The City of Tampere has developed a model whereby temporarily empty spaces are made available to cultural operators. The model has been in use since 2022 and has spread from Tampere to Turku.

This time, a total of 6 spaces are open for applications, 4 of which are owned by the City of Tampere and 2 by private companies. The City of Tampere is also offering one new site: the Kaupin Virkatalo, the former official residence of the mayor of the municipality in the Kauppi Hospital area. 

The new sites also include premises offered by companies 

Finnpark is offering a 238m² commercial space for the summer in the Kuninkaankulma shopping centre, formerly occupied by Alko.

Koskikeskus is offering an exterior glazed commercial space. The Space is located under the slipway on the Suvantokatu side of Koskikeskus and is available for artists to use during the summer for an exhibition or a commissioned artwork, for example.

Three sites owned by the City of Tampere, familiar from previous application rounds, are also included: a commercial space in the building of Pyynikki swimming hall, rooms from Lielahti manor and the Kaleva hall, which this time includes 3 working rooms.  

"We are particularly excited that we have now included premises owned by businesses in the city centre! This is the first experiment in applying the Välitila-model to private properties. If successful, there will certainly be more to come and other cities will be interested in adopting the model. Of course, we hope that we will receive a large number of high quality applications from the cultural community and that the cooperation will be perceived as fruitful. " 
- Meri-Maija Näykki, developer of the The Meanwhile Use Scheme, freelance artist-producer

There is a constant supply of temporarily vacant space in the city and the city is looking to harness these spaces for productive use. The Meanwhile Use Spaces application takes place about twice a year and looks for interesting cultural and artistic concepts for empty spaces. The spaces are made available to the operator on a temporary basis (2–9 months), allowing for pop-up and experimental activities.  

Cultural and artistic operators in Pirkanmaa can apply a space for work, production and presentation of works, projects, open cultural space, exhibitions or other creative activities. The space or the result of its use must be used to organise cultural activities for citizens (e.g. workshops, exhibitions, events).