One of this autumn’s new initiatives is ‘Meanwhile Use Space for Culture and Arts’, which began operating in September in the former caretaker’s flat in Haihara. Local artists are given free use of the space as a studio and venue for six months. In return, they organise cultural activities open to the public, such as workshops, exhibitions and events. The first artists of the autumn are visual artist and illustrator Saara Vallineva and puppet and shadow theatre artist Tytti Marttila.
Another new initiative is the community artist programme, which is being extended to cover the entire Kaukajärvi-Annala area. Community artists Piritta Suominen and Veera Hanhiniemi will be working with young people through initiatives such as Tampere’s Icehearts programme, as well as engaging with them in their own everyday environments. The community artists are creating a collaborative art project in which young people work together to design and build lightweight textile installations as well as painted, three-dimensional plywood elements as part of their own local environment. The starting point is the young people’s own ideas. The project’s main work is created by weaving strips of translucent fabric into a net-like structure. This lightweight textile artwork, which sways in the breeze, will be suspended in the Haihara area, allowing people to walk through it as part of the art experience. Some of the works will be placed elsewhere in the Kaukajärvi and Annala areas, such as at bus stops or as mobile installations. Similar large, striking and lightweight textile installations are often seen at festivals around the world. The techniques used for street art range from speciality paints to markers and stickers. These works will be illuminated during the now-familiar community-based light art workshops. The aim is to inspire young people to engage in creative activities, to strengthen self-expression and to create new ways of participating in cultural activities in their own neighbourhood.
Art offers young people the opportunity to get to know both the Haihara Art Centre and their own local area. At the same time, it strengthens their sense of inclusion, community spirit and safety. The artworks and content created during the programme will also be showcased at events in Haihara, such as Haifest, community-based light art workshops and Haihara Christmas.
The aim of these new operating models is to increase long-term collaboration between artists, residents, young people and local organisations, and to lay the foundations for the continuation of these activities in the years to come. The City of Tampere’s Public Cultural Services' partners for the autumn’s activities are the Annala Youth Centre, Tampere Icehearts, Pirkanmaa FinFami Huppu project, Messukylä Parish, Vamos Tampere and local organisations.
