Record-breaking year for Children’s Cultural Centre Rulla crowned Public Cultural Services’ 2025
The year 2025 was filled with celebrations, new initiatives, and bringing culture closer to Tampere residents. The highlight was the 20th anniversary of Children’s Cultural Centre Rulla, marked by a new record of 37,959 visitors. Altogether, the services of Public Cultural Services attracted 283,651 visits to cultural centres, exhibitions, events, and through the Art Arc cultural education programme.
A year of celebration for children’s culture
Children’s Cultural Centre Rulla’s 20th anniversary was crowned with a record-breaking 37,959 visitors. To celebrate, Rulla hosted a series of engaging exhibitions. The year began with A Friend by the River, a warm and experiential exhibition about life and wonders along the riverbank. The exhibition year culminated in Garden of Light – Rulla’s 20th Anniversary Exhibition, which uses light art to highlight biodiversity, environmental empathy, and the significance of light on Earth. Garden of Light remains open until 22 March 2026.
During the anniversary year, maternity clinics in Tampere distributed a Baby’s Guide to Culture package to all babies born in 2025, helping families discover the City of Tampere’s cultural offerings for babies and children. The package also includes the booklet Born to be Creative, which guides families on a shared journey into art and culture with their child. Distribution of the package will continue in 2026.
Together with the Art Arc cultural education programme, Rulla organised the seminar Taidetta vauvoille – miksi? (Art for Babies – Why?) for professionals working with infants. The year concluded with the Time to Celebrate! exhibition in Tampere Hall’s Winter Garden, showcasing works by children aged 5–12 created in Art Arc’s programmes for first and sixth graders as well as in Rulla’s art classes. Through Art Arc cultural education programme, 24,955 children and young people experienced culture during 2025. Art Arc also developed a workshop performance in collaboration with preschool groups and Dance Theatre MD, and created art planting boxes in the Kaukajärvi–Annala area.
Culture House Laikku celebrated its centennial
In 1925, a new library building was constructed on the edge of Tampere’s Central Square. Since 2018, it has served residents as Culture House Laikku. The Laikku 100 anniversary brought monthly events to the house and culminated in a public celebration in October, echoing the opening festivities from a century ago with speeches, music, and celebratory poetry.
One of the exhibition highlights in 2025 was Lainasto, which showcased residents’ own meaningful artworks. The borrowed pieces told stories of childhood memories, history, hometown, identity, joys, losses, family, friendships, and love. Altogether, Laikku’s exhibitions attracted a record 37,878 visitors in 2025.
Tampere Jazz Happening welcomed a new artistic director
In music, the Tampere Vocal Music Festival gained international attention: its choir review featured 55 choirs from six countries over three days, and the five-day festival brought singers from 82 choirs and vocal ensembles to the city. Tampere Jazz Happening filled the city with jazz for the 44th time during All Saints’ weekend. Long-time artistic director Juhamatti Kauppinen retired, and Martyna van Nieuwland was appointed as his successor. In 2026, the Tampere Biennale will focus on new Finnish art music from 15–19 April, with the programme published in February. Tampere Jazz Happening will return in late October 2026.
Renovations at Nekala and Tullikamari cultural centres
The new Nekala Cultural Centre progressed towards opening through extensive renovation and an operator selection process. Livelaboratorio Tampere Oy was chosen as the operator. The centre offers 44 workspaces for over a hundred art professionals and also houses facilities for The Adult Education Centre of the Tampere Region and Nekala Library. In February 2025, a major renovation also began at the Tullikamari Cultural Centre, scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. Tampere Kulttuurikamari Oy will continue as its operator.
Culture reached people and neighbourhoods
Culture was brought closer to residents and into neighbourhoods. Under the shared title Dreams of Culture, new forms of cultural work were piloted in residential areas, and the experiences and practical models were compiled. These pilots are part of the Developing a Model for Cultural Activities in Residential Areas project, continuing until spring 2026.
The Haihara Art Centre further strengthened its role as a cultural hub in the Kaukajärvi area, with 9,027 visitors to its summer exhibitions. Cultural activities in Hiedanranta expanded with the opening of a temporary cultural centre at Lielahti Manor, aiming to provide participatory art and cultural activities for local residents and to support community spirit in the developing district.
Tampere Summer Park Concerts remained a strong part of the city’s summer cultural offering, with 91 concerts attracting nearly 14,500 listeners. As part of the Laikku 100 celebrations, the legendary Dallapé orchestra—also celebrating its centenary—performed at the Laikunlava Outdoor Stage.
Cultural services for older adults organised about 700 events across the city, reaching nearly 22,000 participants. Assisted living units and local meeting points hosted Rautatie theatre performances, which will continue in spring 2026, and enjoyed visits from artist companions. In South Hervanta, a street art project with artists of immigrant background resulted in an Art Walk Map highlighting electrical box artworks that celebrate diversity and community. Cultural companions published Parhaat paikat – opas tamperelaisille tärkeisiin paikkoihin (Best Places – A Guide to Tampere’s Most Meaningful Spots) in May and created a new culture route in Kaleva; a video of the route will be released on the Kulttuuri Tampere YouTube channel in 2026.
Libraries hosted 570 cultural events with about 32,000 participants, including celebrations of milestones such as Moomins 80 and Laikku 100.
Support for artists and cultural operators grew
In 2025, 164 project grants for culture were awarded—about 18% more than in the previous year—reflecting both the vitality of Tampere’s cultural scene and the importance of support.
The Culture Bank service for arts professionals and cultural content buyers expanded from Pirkanmaa to a nationwide service covering 14 regions, with the aim of improving artists’ employment opportunities and networking.
Public Cultural Services also strengthened cross-municipal cooperation. The Operation Pirkanmaa project evolved into a cultural network of 20 municipalities, which will continue regional cultural development under Tampere’s leadership until 2029. As part of this work, a community artist model was piloted in the neighbourhoods of Tesoma, Peltolammi–Multisilta, and Hervanta in autumn 2025.
We thank all partners, cultural actors, and residents who helped make 2025 a remarkable cultural year—together!
