Thank you!

Lappeenranta’s Dream Year of Culture provided a common denominator for the cultural events organised in the city in 2024. We thank all the more than 1000 event organisers and over 200 000 visitors. Together we made Lappeenranta’s Dream Year of Culture a reality and gave visibility to local culture in all its diversity. 

Check out the overview of Lappeenranta's cultural dream year 2024 here (in Finnish).

About the Dream Year of Culture

Lappeenranta’s Dream Year of Culture 2024 brought a diverse cultural program to the city’s residents, aiming to enhance inclusion and promote well-being. Throughout the year, numerous events, workshops, and networking opportunities provided space for creativity, community building, and cultural experiences. 

The Dream Year’s offerings were designed to cater to all age groups, with special attention given to engaging residents at the greatest risk of social and economic disadvantage. For this target group, a total of 18 workshop series were organized, emphasizing free participation. These workshops were planned in collaboration with participants, considering their wishes and interests. They offered opportunities for creating art and crafts, exploring dance, and painting graffiti, among other activities. 

As part of the dream year of culture, Lappeenranta used a reverse procurement model to purchase culture pop up events valued at € 1,000 each. Four open calls yielded 143 applications, of which 37 were selected for implementation. The program spanned various art forms, including music, dance, visual arts, theater, literary arts, circus, and jewelry design. Activities included performances, concerts, and workshops. Culture pop ups attracted a total of 4972 participants and provided momentary employment for 45 individuals. 

The dream corner, a space dedicated to cultural initiatives located in IsoKristiina, hosted a variety of programs throughout the year. In the spring, the space featured improvisational performances, exhibitions, art projects, and workshops. In the fall, it was filled with exhibitions, craft workshops, and cultural experiences. Access to the dream corner was granted through an open call, and the space was provided rent-free to participants. A total of 21 organizers utilized the dream corner during the year. 

Some of the dream corner’s spring programming was part of the Mental Health Awareness Week from May 20–26, 2024. Additionally, the dream year of culture organized a window art exhibition showcasing works created in project’s workshops during the week. 

The dream year of culture was also prominently featured during Lappeenranta’s 375th anniversary week. A festival tent in the fortress area screened movies chosen by residents through a public vote, with selections catering to families, youth, and adults. In collaboration with Fazer, the Marianne candy’s birthday party event took place in Pusupuisto and the summer theater area, offering diverse programming for all ages and featuring pop-up cafés by local food providers and organizations. 

Art was integrated into everyday life through the creation of art benches. These benches, designed as artworks, were created by art school students, visual arts students, and the city’s summer artists, and were placed throughout the city. 

In collaboration with the NordConnect project, the Hobby Hop – Exploring Hobbies in Lappeenranta event at City Hall introduced local hobby opportunities, particularly for immigrants and international students. Various organizations presented their activities, and informative sessions in the council hall helped new residents discover meaningful activities. 

The dream year of culture also contributed to the creativity into business training program for clients of the south-east Finland employment office in partnership with Faros & Com Oy. The goal was to develop participants’ core skills, combining creativity with successful business strategies. The dream year of culture hosted an online training module on May 2–3, 2024. 

Diversity training was provided to city leaders and managers, focusing on multiculturalism and enhancing organizational capacity to embrace and leverage diversity in workplaces. 

Six culture forums were organized during the year, with three in 2023 serving as co-creation platforms for the dream year of culture. The forums included training sessions on topics like using the South Karelia event calendar, organizing events, and business counseling. In 2024, the forums addressed themes such as cultural well-being, service design, and the introduction of the culture bank project, which will expand to South Karelia in 2025. The forums also featured panel discussions and summaries of the year’s events and initiatives. 

The eastern Finland culture forum, held in Lappeenranta under the theme “building the future together,” was organized by Taike and the Regional Council of South Karelia. This rotating forum is hosted annually in the city celebrating its dream year of culture. 

Twelve Culture Cafés were held in collaboration with the Regional Council of South Karelia, providing updates on current topics, showcasing cultural operators, and fostering networking through guided discussions. 

In September, The Eloon! Tour, a collaboration between Taike and the Federation of Finnish Entrepreneurs, arrived in Lappeenranta. The dream year of culture contributed to its planning, aiming to connect creative industries with other sectors to address challenges through innovative solutions. 

The Foundation Day Seminar titled "Culture as a Builder of the Future" brought together influencers from local foundations and audience. It included a panel discussion. 

The dream year also collaborated with other city departments in events such as the Disability Council’s We Live Here Too!, the Fun Summer in Marjola event, open house days at city offices, the Senior Council’s Joyful Age Day, the Youth Department’s Kaamospuhallus, and the church’s Joy for Families event. Additionally, the International Children’s Christmas Event, organized by L.I.I.D.F. ry in Sammonlahti, and the multicultural Long Table Celebration were part of the dream year. 

From July 2024, Gallery Pihatto became part of the dream year of culture’s coordination, aiming to spotlight local artists and cultural operators, strengthen culture as a livelihood, and encourage residents to engage with culture. The gallery was offered rent-free to exhibiting artists. 

In the fall, an international event week was held in collaboration with the European Artist Trail project, featuring the "Osalliset" exhibition curated by Kaakon Taide, concerts by the Belgian orchestra Youth Fanfare, and a visit from MEP Sabine Verheyen. 

Lappeenranta’s dream year of culture 2024 was filled with unforgettable experiences and new opportunities. It brought culture closer to residents, fostered community, and lowered barriers to participating in and enjoying art. This year left a lasting legacy of enriched cultural life and meaningful memories for the city’s residents. 

During Lappeenranta's dream year of culture 2024: 

Events: 1 150 

Participants: 251 323 

Events held on 312 days in 2024 

On average, Lappeenranta residents attended events 3.4 times 

For more information, please contact:

Nelly Hakkarainen, nelly.hakkarainen@lappeenranta.fi