Helsinki Day production grants awarded to 11 events
Helsinki is once again celebrating its birthday on 12 June and filling with hundreds of inspiring events for people of all ages. There will be events in the city’s parks, cafés, museums, community centres and cultural venues, and all will be free of charge.
The events are being put together by local residents and departments of the City of Helsinki and coordinated by Helsinki Events Foundation, which awards production grants towards the Helsinki Day programme each year. Organisations, clubs and private individuals alike can apply for a production grant by submitting an event. This year’s production grant budget was around EUR 30,000.
The recipients of the production grants were chosen by a jury of local residents and representatives of Helsinki Events Foundation on 15 April. The members of the 2026 jury included Kaisa Järvelin, Senior Coordinator of the Art Testers cultural education programme, Sara Virnes, producer and organiser of a variety of cultural events, Tero Tiittanen, Team Mentor with the preventive and comprehensive child welfare organisation Icehearts, Aleksi Paasonen, Project Coordinator for the Sekasin Live youth work initiative of MIELI Mental Health Finland as well as Communications Manager Laura Gottleben and Senior Producer Marianne Saukkonen from Helsinki Events Foundation.
The deadline for production grant applications was 31 March, and a total of 224 applications were received. Production grants were awarded to 11 events, and the largest single grant was EUR 5000.
The jury assessed the applications based on criteria such as localness, communality, diversity, accessibility and regional representativeness. The goal was to sponsor events that would appeal to as many different audiences as possible around Helsinki. Particular emphasis this year was given to events organised by young people for young people.
Production grants were awarded to the following events this year:
- Graffititaidetta kaikille
- Haltijoiden puisto
- Helsinki Säiliö
- Lapinlahden Lähteen Helsinki-päivän puistojuhlat
- Leikkiklubin suuri poliisi & rosvo
- OAF Open Stage
- Pingisrieha
- Showpainia Käpylän lippakioskilla
- Stadin kalajunnut onkii
- Streetzone Helsinki Day Puhos
- Tää ei oo taidetta tää on punkkia Arabia
Helsinki Events Foundation would like to extend its sincere thanks to all production grant applicants and everyone who has submitted ideas for this year’s Helsinki Day programme so far!
Although the production grants have now been allocated, events can be registered until 10 June. All kinds of inclusive and free-of-charge events can be added to the official Helsinki Day programme. Find out more and get involved: https://helsinkipaiva.fi/en/
Photo: Saara Vanhala