European Artist Trail®: The universal journey of art

Lappeenranta’s Dream Year of Culture 2024 is part of the European Artist Trail Project. The European Artist Trail 2023–2030 project aims to create a Europe-wide network of artists from the grassroots level. The 2024 tour, covering eight countries, will culminate in an exhibition at Lappeenranta City Hall lobby.

This non-profit initiative by German artist Nirgül Kantar-Dreesbeimdieke aims to build bridges between different cultures and communities through the universal language of art. Kantar-Dreesbeimdieken travels across Europe connecting small towns and communities, bringing visibility to art made by people with special needs. Kantar-Dreesbeimdieke carries a different artwork with her from one place to the next. Along the way, she conducts artist interviews which she publishes on her social media channels.

The route of the 2024 European Artist Trail runs through Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway and Sweden to Finland, where Lappeenranta will be the finale of the tour. Kantar-Dreesbeimdieke will exhibit digital prints of the works she has collected along the way. In total, works by artists from eight different countries will be on display.

The European Artist Trail exhibition will be open daily in the Lappeenranta City Hall lobby 28.10.–1.11 at 8–17. The opening will be celebrated on Tuesday 29.10.2024 at 18–19. The opening will feature dance & saxophone duo Veera Sojakka and Annika Toivonen. The exhibition and the opening event is free of charge.

Check out also the exhibition ”Osalliset” curated by Kaakon taide at Galleria Pihatto 29.10.–27.11., which will be part of the European Artist Trail as a parallel exhibition. The exhibition is featuring works by Heidi Laukka, Svetlana Lunina, Antti Nieminen, Saara Reinikainen and Santtu Tuomola.