The Arts Council 2007 - 2009
Chair
Raija Partanen
raija.partanen (at) saunalahti.fi
Vice chair
Laura Kuitunen
laura.kuitunen (at) pp1.inet.fi
members
Juha Kuosmanen
Raija Manninen
Turkka Manninen
Pipsa Nieminen
Yrjö Pulkkinen
Pentti Ronkanen
Seppo Uuranmäki
Fostering the arts
To boost professional arts in the region, we grant subsidies and employ regional artists. We also work towards promoting public appreciation of artists and their pursuits. In addition, we focus on improving the material conditions for artists' work.
- Grants to artists.
- Art prize.
- State subsidies to groups and organisations.
- Regional artists.
Strenghtening cultural identity
When regional development strategies are being worked out, we are given a say. On these occasions we make a point of promoting the arts and culture. Our work also involves looking for new sources to fund artistic work. To this end, we seek to stretch conventional ideas of interest groups, and to exploit the opportunities offered by various employment and regional development funds within the EU.
- Regional artists' projects.
- Teaming up with the various cultural offices in the region's municipalities, aiming at securing basic cultural services and boosting spearhead projects and cultural travel.
- Kulttuuria hoitolaitoksiin / Arts in hospital, a project to be carried out together with Central Finland Health Care District.
- Kulttuurin kääntöpiiri / Cultural Compass, a project included in the major cultural programme Väli-Suomi 2000 / Central Finland 2000. (www.valisuomi2000.fi)
- Teokseni takana kuva / The image behind my work, an exhibition project to be carried out together with the arts councils of Northern Karelia, Northern Savo and Southern Savo, as well as various art museums in the region.
- Upgrading the network of regional arts councils within the Province of Western Finland.
Art education & cultural education
Our work aims at bringing schools and cultural institutions closer to each other. To this end, and to complement primary education in music and the visual arts, guiding regional artists visit schools. Furthermore, we are engaged in projects of various kinds.
- Cooperation project between schools and cultural institutions to be carried out together with the Arts Council of the Varsinais-Suomi region and the Jyväskylä regional service unit of the Education Department of the Provincial Office of Western Finland.
- Koulut liikkeelle - kulttuurit kohtaavat / Cultures meet in schools.
- Kulttuurin koulutus / Cultural education, a project focusing on interaction. To be arranged in cooperation with the Cultural Management unit, University of Jyväskylä.
Influencing cultural policy
We actively observe cultural life in Central Finland, to be able to express opinions and comment on various topical phenomena. We also contribute to discussions of arts and cultural policy as well as prevalent values and priorities.
information services
Our office serves as a regional information centre for culture and the arts. We provide artist registers, announce grants to be applied for, counsel in matters relating to the EU, and run a reference library of cultural publications, just to mention a few of our services.
- Updating and issuing a cultural catalogue covering Central Finland.
- Organising seminars, courses and lectures.
- Editing publications and reports on topical issues.
Employment for artists
We will soon launch an employment project for artists and other professionals within the cultural sphere. The project aims at securing a new generation of artists in Central Finland.
The cultural industry
- Promoting the cultural industry in the region, linking it with the overall development of the information society. This involves film and TV production, the music industry, publishing and new media.
- Fostering cooperation between the public and private sectors, aiming at accessible cultural products and services with wide-ranging content.
International interaction
We work at making Central Finnish art and culture more widely and better known abroad. Our duties also involve establishing new international links, especially in Scandinavia and Russia. In addition, we seek to make the most of all present contacts and keep in touch with local artists living abroad.
- An apartment in Prague, rented together with the Arts Council of Southern Savo as low-cost accommodation for artists visiting the city.
- Regional artists' international projects.
- Participating in international artist exchange and guest studio programmes, such as Artists in Residence.
