WHEN: 17.9. 2025 | 14:00–15:30
WHERE: Tekstin talo (Lintulahdenkatu 3, 00530 Helsinki)
VENUE: Permanentosali – 1th floor
HOW: onsite only (no streaming)
FOR WHOM: free for anyone upon registration
REGISTER FOR THE EVENT VIA FOLLOWING LINK: https://forms.office.com/e/QaeJutNr84
Did you know that in Finland there’s a State Art Commission (Valtion taideteostoimikunta), appointed by the Ministry of Education and Culture, that is in charge of acquiring works of art for government properties and buildings in government use? Works are commissioned directly from artists and acquired through competitions and purchases. The Finnish National Gallery oversees the Commission. Acquisition decisions are made by a committee consisting of eight members, each in the term of office for three years.
On Wednesday, September 17th, Globe Art Point is organising a panel discussion exploring the processes behind acquiring public art in Finland. In addition to presenting the main state body responsible for public art acquisitions Valtion taideteostoimikunta, the discussion will also highlight other schemes and organisations that offer artists opportunities to participate in various competitions, enabling them to have their artworks displayed in public spaces across Finland or sold to private art collections.
EVENT PANELLISTS
Hanna Hannus – Head of Communication at The Artists’ Association of Finland
PhD Leevi Haapala – Dean, Academy of Fine Art, University of Art, Helsinki
Henna Paunu – Chief Curator, Collections at Espoo Museum of Modern Art
Moderated by architect and curator, Dr Mika Savela.
ABOUT OUR PANELLISTS
PhD Leevi Haapala, Dean, Academy of Fine Art, University of Art, Helsinki since 2024. Haapala is a curator, a researcher and board member in the field of contemporary art. He has worked as a Museum Director, Kiasma, Museum of Contemporary Art/The Finnish National Gallery, Helsinki 2015-2024 and before that as a Praxis Professor, Exhibition Studies in Academy of Fine Arts, University of Arts, Helsinki 2014-15. Haapala is a Board Member of CIMAM (International Committee of Museums and Collections of Modern Art) in 2023-2025 and a board member at OP Bank Art Foundation since 2023.
Hanna Hannus has worked at the Artists’ Association of Finland seven years altogether, since 2021 in her current role as Head of Communications. She is responsible for communicating current news related to public art on the publicart.fi website. Hannus holds a Master of Arts degree in art history from the University of Helsinki.
Henna Paunu is a museum professional and art historian with extensive experience in leadership, curating, public art, and writing. She currently serves as Chief Curator of Collections at EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art. Throughout her career, Paunu has worked broadly and internationally as an expert in fine arts, contributing to museums, exhibitions, education, and various positions of trust. In recent years, her focus has increasingly turned to curating and developing public art projects in Espoo, where she plays a key role in shaping the city’s cultural landscape.
Dr. Mika Savela is an architect, curator, editor and designer. He is co-founder of Selim Projects, a platform for multidisciplinary projects in design, editing, publishing and exhibiting. He has practiced professionally in architecture and urbanism and holds a doctorate from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), where his research focused on global biennialization and curatorial narratives around the Asian megapolis trope. He has subsequently worked in several capacities in research-led curatorial projects, including at the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) and other institutions in arts and design. For the 3-year term 2018-2020 he served as editor-in-chief at he Finnish Architectural Review. Most recently 2021-2025 he has worked with national architectural policy and public art advisory at Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike), and is member of the Finnish State Art Commission.
ABOUT THE EVENT VENUE
Tekstin talo, the House of Text, is a new literary community and multifunctional space for text culture, located in Helsinki, in Sörnäinen, on Lintulahdenkatu 3, 00530 Helsinki. Tekstin talo
HOW TO REACH THE VENUE
It is easy to get here by public transport. For more information, see the HSL Route GuideLink to an external website, Is opened in a new window.
By metro
The nearest metro station is Sörnäinen, which is 600 metres from Tekstin talo. From Hakaniemi metro station, it is 900 metres to Tekstin talo.
By tram
Coming from the city centre, the nearest tram stop is Lintulahti (H0311). Tram lines 6 and 7 stop there, and it is about 100 metres from the stop to Tekstin talo.
Coming from Sörnäinen, the nearest tram stop is Sörnäinen M (H0312). Tram lines 6 and 7 stop there, and it is about 200 metres from the stop to Tekstin talo.
By bus
Coming from the city centre, the nearest bus stops are Haapaniemi (H2405) and Haapaniemi (H2407). The following bus lines stop there: 61, 64, 65, 66, 67, 600, 611, 714, 617, 623, 633, 643, 665N, 71, 73, 74, 74, 77, 78, 79N, 711, 717, 718, 721, 731, 738, 739.
Coming from Sörnäinen, the nearest stop is Haapaniemi (H2406). The following bus lines stop there: 61, 64, 65, 66, 67, 600, 611, 714, 617, 623, 633, 643, 665N, 71, 73, 74, 74, 77, 78, 79N, 711, 717, 718, 721, 731, 738, 739.
By car
There is no visitor parking. There are a few free parking spaces nearby on Lintulahdenkuja. Paid parking is available, e.g., on Lintulahdenkatu and Kaikukatu.
READ MORE & ACCESIBILTY & REGISTER:
https://www.globeartpoint.fi/events/the-art-of-acquisition-public-commissions-in-finland/