Literary Art Festival Muusajuhlat (Muse Festival) is the most notable literary happening in Oulu area. The festival brings together poets, writers, musicians, and artists from all around Finland. The versatile programme offers something for literary enthusiasts of all ages. The programme is mostly in Finnish but there are also events that include multiple art forms and are suitable for non-Finnish speakers.

This years Muse Festival has an international guest as the Danish writer Kim Leine comes to talk about his life and his works. Kim Leine is at Ii's Kulttuurikauppila on 18th of August and at Pekuri Library on 19th of August.

On 17th of August the Muse Festival features a poetry night in honour of the birth of Wisława Szymborska. Celebrations for the 100th birthday of the Nobel prize winning poet have readings of Symborskas works in Finnish and Polish, music and a poetry workshop.

As music is an international language, Muse Festival also features interesting Finnish musical artists. We get to hear the award winning Litku Klemetti, local folk duo Peltokurki and many more musical acts at different events during the festival.

The events are centered at the Oulu city centre in restaurants, libraries and other locations. Some events are held in nearby municipalities around Oulu. Most events are free of charge.

The nine poems or muses of antiquity have inspired humanity since ancient times. Now the muses are calling us to the world of reading and writing once again. The books delight, enchant and captivate. When reading them you can empathize, be charmed, reminisce, stray and linger – the books have all our stories and countless worlds.