Making the 2026 culture programme together - We Are the Culture programme call is now open!

In 2026, the Linnanmaa and Kontinkangas campuses will host, among other things, monthly cultural lunches with surprising musical and improvisational performances. The campuses will also serve as an event venue for after-work film nights, concerts and plays. For art enthusiasts, there will be changing art exhibitions and art tours of the university's art collections.

In addition to the above examples, there is much more to come! The 2026 European Capital of Culture year will be full of experiences, and the University of Oulu will play a key role in building a collaborative and diverse culture programme open to all. The offering of events related to the European Capital of Culture year at the University of Oulu will be updated on this page during 2025: oulu.fi/en/oulu2026.

While the university is developing its own culture programme, the open call for the Oulu2026 "We Are the Culture" programme launched in September 2024 and will remain open until the end of August 2025. The call gives, for example to groups of friends, local communities and public organisations the opportunity to propose their own events as part of the Oulu2026 programme. The aim is to gather as diverse a range of actors and ideas as possible to enrich the European Capital of Culture programme in Oulu. All programme proposals approved by members of the University of Oulu community can be included in the university's 2026 culture programme, provided they are clearly connected to the university's activities.

For more information and the application form, visit oulu2026.eu/en/opencall.