The event’s program includes a snow sculpture competition, art installations, and other special features.
The Finnish city of Oulu has been awarded the status of European Capital of Culture 2026 and has prepared a rich annual programme of events that focuses on Sámi culture and climate change. According to Euronews, Oulu has officially become the new European Capital of Culture, taking over from the Slovenian city of Nova Gorica and the Italian city of Gorizia, the first cross-border European Capital of Culture, as well as the German city of Chemnitz, which held the title last year.
During the year, Oulu hosts a wide range of cultural, artistic, and social events.
In particular, the Oulu 2026 programme focuses on the theme of climate change, both culturally and literally. It is about the environment and the long-term development of the city’s creative industry.
In June, the Climate Clock art route will launch, which will include seven site-specific installations by Finnish and international artists. Among them is the work No.1574 Stone by the British artist Rana Begum, which consists of five stone sculptures inspired by glaciers and sea ice. Also – the installation Architectural Snowflakes: Letters from Heaven by the Japanese artist Takahiro Iwasaki – hundreds of elegant symmetrical “snowflakes” stylized as the architecture of the local church.
In the middle of February, Nallikari SnowFest will take place, a snow sculpture competition where 10 teams will compete on the theme “By the Sea – Meren äärellä”, with only three days to create their works.
Soon after, Nallikari Beach will host the Frozen People electronic music festival, which will take place on the frozen sea.
In summer, dark nights are replaced by almost constant light, with the sun setting only for a few hours at night. This will be taken advantage of by the organizers of the Midnight Sun Run, which will take place on July 4. Participants will be offered distances ranging from 10 km to a full marathon.
In November, Oulu will host the Lumo Art & Tech Festival, a ten-day digital art and technology festival with numerous installations and events.
Throughout the year, visitors will also be able to explore local cuisine through the Arctic Food Lab project, particularly during the Sense Fest and Arctic Tasting events.
The program also focuses on the culture of the Sami people, an indigenous group that traditionally lives in northern Finland, Sweden, and Norway, as well as parts of Russia.
Sámi playwright Siri Brock Johansen will present the opera Ovllá, which tells the story of the oppression of the Sámi people. Many members of this community have lost touch with their culture due to forced assimilation policies, and the play explores this theme through a fictional story inspired by real-life events.
In addition, the Oulu Art Museum will host the first Sápmi Triennale until May. The traveling exhibition will showcase contemporary Sámi art and duoji, traditional Sámi crafts.
What is the European Capital of Culture program?
The European Capital of Culture initiative was founded in 1985. Since then, more than 60 cities have been designated as cultural capitals.
The goal of the program is to highlight the cultural richness and diversity of Europe. For participating cities, this often serves as an impetus for international recognition and the development of cultural infrastructure.
The number of European cultural capitals changes every year, and in some years, up to nine cities have held the title simultaneously. In 2026, there are two such cities: Oulu in Finland and Trenčín in Slovakia. The program of events in Trenčín will begin in February.