Let's create the Dream Year of Culture together! The City of Lappeenranta's Cultural Department invites citizens, associations, cultural practitioners and creative entrepreneuers to join in creating Lappeenranta's Dream Year of Culture 2024.

Make your event part of the Dream Year of Culture 

Cultural operators are invited to bring their own event as part of the Dream Year of Culture. Anyone can download the Dream Year Of Culture logo and be part of the Dream Year of Culture. By using the logo, you will get involved in the city's communication.

To use the logo:

- The cultural operator must to create an event in the South Karelia events calendar under the category "The Dream Year of Culture".

- The number of participants in the event must be reported afterwards using the form.

- Events linked to the Dream Year of Culture commit to follow  the principles of Safer Space

Open calls for Culture pop-ups

During the Dream Year of Culture, there will be open calls for cultural operators to produce "Culture pop-ups". The Lappeenranta Dream Year of Culture 2024 will enable an inclusive experience for all. It means new accessible experiments that meet the wishes of the city's residents. The Culture pop-ups will be free of charge, open to all; performances, participatory workshops and different art forms. The aim is to enable artists and cultural operators to work professionally and showcase their skills, and to create low-threshold cultural experiences that inspire people to get involved in culture and events.

Culture pop-ups are provided by cultural professionals: individual self-employed artists, associations, cooperatives and companies from which the City of Lappeenranta buys the Culture pop-ups as a purchased service. For each selected culture content the Dream Year of Culture pays 1000€. The artists will be selected on the basis of the applications. 

Apply: E-lomake - Kulttuuritupsahdukset 2024 (formbox.fi)

There is no limit to the genre of the art, culture pop-ups may include performances, participatory workshops, environmental arts or events driving from the cultural heritage. 

The selection is based on the suitability of the content, the prerequisites for implementation, existing references and the professionalism of the organiser. The selection will be subject to the condition that the culture pop-up is free of charge to the visitor/consumer and that the event commits following the Principles of safer space.

In the application, the applicant must submit a budget of 1000€ stating where the money will be spent. Please note that the 1000€ includes all the cost. Find out if the venue you are planning to use requires a venue rental fee and include this in the budget. Cultural content can also take place in a public space or outdoors. 

The practical implementation of the selected content is planned and scheduled together. It is the responsibility of the artist/cultural practitioner to prepare the necessary materials for communication and marketing. Event should be published in the EC calendar of events and the number of participants should be included in the report after the event. Selected organisers will receive further instructions. In addition to the Culture pop-up, you can promote your own product or service.

I Culture pop-up open call from 18.9. to 18.10.2023 for 1.1.-31.3.2024   

II Culture pop-up open call from 1.2. to 28.2.2024  for 1.4.-30.6.2024   

III Culture pop-up open call from 1.5. to 31.5.2024 for 1.7.-30.9.2024   

IV Culture pop-up open call from 1.8. to 31.8.2024   

for 1.10-31.12.2024 

Apply: E-lomake - Kulttuuritupsahdukset 2024 (formbox.fi)

Other open calls

ITE-art day - Open call for art enthusiasts and people who make art for their own pleasure:

We are looking for exhibitors of their own art and performers for the event on 5 October in Galleria Pihatto. We encourage all self-poets, crafters, craft enthusiasts, shower singers, knitters and painters to sign up. Anyone can take part. The art you bring can be anything you like: paintings, photographs, crafts, sculptures or installations. Performing art can be poetry recitation, storytelling, singing, music or performance art. The idea is to get people in the city to be brave enough to express their own creativity. So you don't have to be a professional artist or performer - on the contrary.

To register, email: tuulia.ahokas@lappeenranta.fi

Poster walls and the posters of the Dream Year of Culture

Posters for the Dream Year of Culture are free to pick up at Lappeenranta City Hall from the customer service center Winkki. 
 
Two poster walls have also been brought to the streetscape of the city of Lappeenranta. You can add an announcement about an event, workshop or other cultural activity to the poster walls with a low threshold. Announcements of events of all sizes are welcome. Admission to the event to be announced may be free or it may be subject to an admission fee. 
 
The poster walls can be found at the end of the Kauppahalli (Snellmanninkatu 14) and in IsoKristiina at the entrance to Brahenpiha (you can leave a notice on the wall at the entrance to Brahenpiha by calling the shopping center's secutiry tel. +358 40 631 3771).