The 32nd Oulu Music Video Festival will take place on August 21–24, 2025. This year's festival theme is Hyper Reality.

The modern music video was born into a world where media no longer just depicted reality but began to produce it. French philosopher Jean Baudrillard called this phenomenon hyperreality: visual imagery replicates itself to the point where the original reality disappears. In the 1980s, the power of simulation was especially evident in the United States, where advertising, television, and consumer culture turned products into symbols of identity. The golden age of music television reflected this transformation. Today, AI, VR and deepfake technologies, video games, reality TV, and social media platforms have made hyperreality a part of everyday life—alongside which physical reality, as we understand it, appears like an illusion, a pale imitation.

“Music videos are part of hyperreality, but they can also dismantle it—return the experience to the body, to time and space. I’ve curated screenings for the festival that mix 'traditional' music videos with experimental short films. OMVF wants to ask how music video might be freed again as an art form, reaching back to its avant-garde roots of the 1920s. A music video can be so much more than just a product to market music,” says artistic director Joel Karppanen.

The festival’s new visual identity and the Pumpeli Awards for the best music videos have been designed by video artist and illustrator Irene Suosalo. Based in Helsinki, Suosalo works primarily with animation loops and video installations, blending analog and digital techniques. She textures and compresses her animations using video synthesizers, in a way reminiscent of creating electronic music. Suosalo’s retro aesthetic often references experimental animation, abstract art, and techno culture. Internationally, she is known for illustrations published in outlets such as The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg. 

The first program announcements for the festival will be made later this spring. 

Submissions are currently open for the first-ever international music video competition in OMVF’s history, the OMVF Nordic Music Video Competition.

Photo: Adele Hyry

Oulu-based comic artist, illustrator, and scriptwriter Aapo Kukko has been selected as the Visual Artist of the Year for the Oulunsalo Soi Chamber Music Festival. As in previous years, the festival's visual identity is based on the work of the chosen artist. The title is awarded in collaboration with the Oulu Comics Center.

Kukko's exhibition, Punainen Beethoven (Red Beethoven), is part of the festival's programme and will be on display at the Oulunsalo Library 7/8–26/9/2025. He will also participate in one of the festival concerts by creating live illustrations.

Kukko is known for his historical narratives with strong factual foundations. The exhibition at Oulunsalo Library is based on his upcoming graphic novel Punainen Beethoven, set for release in fall 2026. The novel explores the life of Soviet composer Dmitri Shostakovich over several decades.

“I am grateful for this honour. The combination of drawn images and music, especially classical music, is captivating. They support each other on the roads of art in this windy world. Through Shostakovich’s music, I have found new creative energy for my own artistic work,” Kukko says.

Since 2008, Kukko has created more than a dozen graphic works, either independently, with scriptwriters, or as part of a team. His comics and illustrations have been published in Kaltio, Ilta-Sanomat, Kaleva, and posters for the IIK!! Horror Film Festival. He has also led comic workshops in schools across the Oulu region for several years.

Oulunsalo Soi Chamber Music Festival will take place 6.–10.2025 in the Oulu area as part of Oulu August Festivals. The festival program will be announced on 6 May.

Photo: Hanna Kukko

Esteetöntä community art piece has been selected for the 2025 Oulu August Festivals' program. This year’s open call focused on accessibility.

Esteetöntä is a performance that offers a new way of thinking and a fresh perspective on urban space: what is it like to experience a city from a wheelchair and to be assisted? The piece is created by theatre professional Hilkka Hyttinen originally from Oulu, photographer Susanna Lyly originally from Haapajärvi, and sound artist Esa Nissi from Oulu.

Participants in this free event will experience the city while sitting in a wheelchair, accompanied by an assistant. They will have the opportunity to empathize with the experience of a person with reduced mobility and to observe urban space and its challenges from a wheelchair user’s perspective. During the journey, participants will document the city under guided instructions. The event will also include wheelchair users acting as experts by experience.

After the wheelchair tour, participants will be interviewed about the challenges and successes they encountered. Based on these experiences, the sound artist and photographer will create a new piece combining photos taken during the journey and an audio composition. This media artwork will be available for the public to experience both during the event and online via Northern Cultural Stream channels.

The community artwork will take place in August, during week 34. Detailed dates and locations will be announced later.

Oulu August Festivals highlights the talents of artists and art organizations from Oulu and Northern Finland. This year, seven works or events applied for the programme, from which the Oulu Cultural Events Association board selected Esteetöntä to complement the festival’s other programme.

The open call is carried out in collaboration with the Oulu Cultural Events Association's Saavuta – Equal Access to Cultural Events for All Project. The project is funded by the North Ostrobothnia ELY Centre through the European Social Fund, as well as by the municipalities participating in the project: Oulu, Ii, Kuusamo, and Raahe. The project is part of the Oulu Cultural Events Association's Oulu2026 Delta Life Project.

Flow Productions brings the Stockholm-based contemporary circus group Kompani Giraff to Oulu August Festivals with their performance A Study of Losses. This contemporary circus piece blends contemporary circus, magic, and object manipulation, featuring four circus artists and a collection of forgotten everyday objects that come to life in an atmospheric setting. The storytelling is deeply intertwined with the music of Zach Condon, the composer behind the American band Beirut.

The performances will take place at Valvesali, Cultural House Valve, 26–29 August, 2025.

Kompani Giraff is known for their visually dazzling, dramaturgically structured and technically advanced circus performances. They combine contemporary circus, magic and object manipulation to create an extraordinary world like no other.

A Study of Losses is a free interpretation of the novel Verzeichnis einiger Verluste (eng. An Inventory of Losses) by the award-winning German author Judith Schalansky. It is a book that uses magical realism to describe life and history as a series of losses and disappearances. 

The ticket sale will begin in April via Ticketmaster and at the Cultural Centre Valve ticket office.

Flow Circus Presents: A Study of Losses | 26–29 August, 2025 | Valvesali, Cultural Centre Valve

The oldest music video festival in the world, Oulu Music Video Festival, launches its first international competition series, the OMVF Nordic Music Video Competition, for the 2025 edition of the festival. The competition is open to directors living and working in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland.

Filmmakers can submit their videos via FilmFreeway.com/OMVF from 19th March to 31st May. Twelve videos will be selected to be screened at the festival, and the winner of the competition will be awarded at the legendary OMVF awards gala with a prize designed by artist Irene Suosalo and a pair of Genelec 1029 speakers valued at €8,000.

The competition is part of the Oulu 2026 European Capital of Culture program and will expand into a European competition in 2026.

Oulu Music Video Festival takes place on 21–25 August 2025. In addition to the Music Video Competition the festival offers curated music video and movie screenings, panel discussions, workshops, networking events, audiovisual after parties, an art exhibition and many other events.

The festival programme will be released later in the spring and submissions for the Finnish Music Video Competition open in May.

More information:
Executive Director Juhani Oivo
Oulu Music Festival 
www.omvf.net
+358 45 651 6596
juhani(at)omvf.net

The recruitment for the summer 2025 events team of Oulu August Festivals is starting! We are looking for a versatile group of people to help organise and communicate about Oulunsalo Soi Chamber Music Festival, the Air Guitar World Championships and other Oulu August Festivals events. We are hiring communications assistants, production assistants, photographers, audience surveyors, social media reporters, and marketing assistants. Finnish language is not necessarily needed for all marketing assistants and photographers.

These are one-month positions intended for students over the age of 18, offered through the City of Oulu's summer internship program. More information about internships is on the City of Oulu's webpage (unfortunately only in Finnish).

Our office is located in Oulu city center at the Valve Cultural Centre. Due to the short and intense nature of the season, we prioritize on-site work to ensure efficient onboarding and smooth communication. Occasional remote work can be arranged if necessary. Evening and weekend shifts are part of the job, especially in August.

We are looking for individuals with diverse backgrounds and skill sets. All positions require teamwork as well as a flexible and eager-to-learn attitude. Application instructions can be found at the end of the page.

We work as a team, meaning a variety of tasks may arise during the summer, and everyone is expected to assist beyond their primary responsibilities. The work is guided and supported by Oulu August Festivals’ skilled and versatile producers.

We are a discrimination-free organization and follow the principles of safer spaces in all our events.

Marketing Assistants

We are looking for two marketing assistants. The tasks include distributing marketing materials (posters and brochures) around the city by bicycle and possibly by car, working in pairs, as well as assisting with other festival marketing duties. Finnish language skills are not required. The work period is approximately from 14 July to 13 August.

Requirements for the position:

Photography Trainees

We are looking for 2–4 individuals for versatile event photography during the periods 29 July–28 August and 5 August–4 September.

Requirements for the position:

How to apply?

SEND your application, and optionally your CV and/or portfolio, by email as a single PDF attachment if possible, no later than 10 March 2025, to pia@oulunjuhlaviikot.fi.

AND register as a summer job applicant through the City of Oulu’s Kuntarekry system by 10 March 2025 at 3:00 PM.

More information

You can find comprehensive news and photo materials from previous years’ events on our website and social media channels.

For questions regarding the job positions, please contact Pia Alatorvinen at +358 44 7232 676 or pia@oulunjuhlaviikot.fi.

Oulu August Festivals is looking for accessible art for its program in August 2025.

Oulu August Festivals highlights artists and art organizations from Oulu and the northern region in its program. Artists can apply for the 2025 program until 2 February 2025.

In previous years, there have been tightrope dancing, aerial acrobatics, media art, theatre, opera, immersive multidisciplinary works, urban adventures, and a folk music and dance event. For the 2025 programme, a production is sought that places special emphasis on the accessibility of art.

SELECTION CRITERIA FOR THE 2025 OPEN CALL

One production will be selected. The responsibility of executing the production lies entirely with the artist/team. Oulu August Festivals supports the production with a maximum of 3000 euros. If there is an admission fee, tickets can be sold through Oulu August Festivals. Ticket revenue, after service fees, will go entirely to the creator/group.

The artist/team commits to give special attention to accessibility in the production, from one or more perspectives. We welcome creative solutions to reach new audiences and make art accessible despite various barriers. It is possible to receive support for accessibility-related issues during the production phase from the Oulu Cultural Events Association's Saavuta Project. We encourage all kinds of applications from artists and artist groups of diverse backgrounds.

The production will become part of Oulu August Festivals' joint marketing, which is carried out by a team of professionals and include diverse campaigns across various channels. Additionally, depending on the nature of the production, there may be an opportunity to present the production at the Northern Cultural Stream website and social media, and/or create a recording of the production. Visibility on the Northern Cultural Stream will be agreed upon separately. The artist/team also commits to sharing their working process, particularly from an accessibility perspective, in a webinar or seminar organized by the Saavuta Project (more information about the Saavuta project at the Oulu Cultural Events Association's website).

Oulu August Festivals has the EcoCompass Certificate and follows those principles in all of its operations. Oulu August Festivals is also a discrimination-free festival that adheres to the principles of creating a safer space. We expect these aspects to be taken into account in events included in the Oulu August Festivals' programme.

Use this link to submit the application via Google Forms. A project plan and budget need to be added in the application. The form will be open until 2 February, 2025 at 23:59. The board of the Oulu Cultural Events Association will select the production, and the applicant will be notified personally of the selection by the end of February 2025.

The open call is carried out in collaboration with the Oulu Cultural Events Association's Saavuta – Equal Access to Cultural Events for All Project. The project is funded by the North Ostrobothnia ELY Centre through the European Social Fund, as well as by the municipalities participating in the project: Oulu, Ii, Kuusamo, and Raahe. The project is part of the Oulu Cultural Events Association's Oulu2026 Delta Life Project.

More information: Producer Laura Siitonen, laura(at)oulunjuhlaviikot.fi, p. +358 41 3135341.

Win a ticket to a unique jazz experience on Fri, 2 August. Macro concert brings the artist close to you like a camera's macro lens. The jazz vocalist and Artistic Director of Elojazz, Aili Ikonen, will perform together with pianist Tuomas J. Turunen for just eight people in a secret location in Oulu on 2 August at 17:30.

Join the raffle by commenting the posts either on Facebook or Instagram by 29 July at 16:00. Tag a friend you'd like to bring along to share the experience with you. The winners will be notified personally.

In addition to the Macro Concert, Aili Ikonen will perform at Elojazz on 1 August as the soloist for Oulu Symphony in her "Valo" album release concert.

Photo: Tero Ahonen

Six young artists have been selected for the documentary series "Artists Arise in the Delta" for the years 2024-2026. As part of Oulu August Festivals’ Delta Life project, the series follows the artists' journey towards Oulu 2026 European Capital of Culture year. The documentary series features Ida Remsu, Marianne Kauppila, and Duo Emilia and Joonatan from Oulu, Niilo Korsulainen, originally from Oulu but studying in Helsinki, and Mandi Koskela from Ranua. The age range of the artists is 14–28 years.

Ida Remsu, a dancer and dance teacher student studying at the Oulu University of Applied Sciences, describes her participation in the series as follows: "It's interesting to see what kind of traces I, as an artist, will leave during this project, and which ones will be washed away with the waves. However, on this shoreline, I intend to dance and, like the waves, create a momentary joy for those watching."

Representing dance art is also Mandi Koskela, a pole dancer from Ranua, who is a two-time world champion in the Pole Sport junior A category. "It's so great to be involved in such a project! I'm looking forward to all the new and wonderful things!"

Musical siblings Joonatan and Emilia Lappalainen are featured in the documentary series as a duo. Joonatan studies classical percussions and drum set at the Oulu Conservatory, while Emilia studies violin and singing at the Oulu Conservatory and in the youth education program at the Sibelius Academy. "It will be interesting to look back and see what has been done, and also to give other people the opportunity to see what the life of a young aspiring artist is like," says Emilia Lappalainen.

Niilo Korsulainen, a composer of art music, is currently studying music theory at the Sibelius Academy. "At best, melodies are like a gateway to another world for me, somewhere I usually only reach in dreams, or to those magical, somehow unreal moments that can be experienced, for example, on a summer night in the midst of nature," Korsulainen describes his relationship with art music.

According to visual artist Marianne Kauppila, who specializes in mural art, murals have the power to unite communities and visually enhance urban spaces. "I am fascinated by the idea of how huge works of art transform spaces, tell stories, and reflect the spirit of the times, and at best, depict the values and life of their location, whether it's a public urban space, office space, or private hangout."

The artists' journey is followed on the social media channels and the website of the Northern Cultural Stream. The entire project will be condensed into a series of short documentaries, which will be released in the summer of 2026.  The project will culminate in the artists’ performances or exhibitions in the Oulujoki River Delta area during Oulu August Festivals in 2026.

The Oulu Culture Events Association, coordinating the Oulu August Festivals, has entered into an agreement with the Oulu Culture Foundation for a major event to take place during the European Capital of Culture year. The climax of the Delta Life project will occur at the end of the 2026 Oulu August Festivals on the last weekend of August.

The spectacle, taking place in the birthplace of the city around Pokkisenväylä, will weave together stories and future prospects of the region and European waterways into a multidisciplinary outdoor event. The event is free of charge, and the audience can participate in the amphitheater-like setting around Pokkisenväylä and throughout the city in a festival atmosphere.

Musician, singer-songwriter, author, and video artist Jukka Takalo serves as the scriptwriter and artistic director for the Delta Life project.

"The audience will experience a show happening on water and in the airspace, which can be participated in through multimedia globally. A significant motive for the entire Delta Life project is to make the life of the region visible and acknowledge the significance of our own stories. The style of the event is joy and carnival for world peace. It is better achieved with a smile than with gritted teeth," says Jukka Takalo about the plans.

The content and meaning of the Delta Life spectacle will be built in the preceding years through events, encounters of artists, scientists, communities, and various audiences. Delta Life events will take place not only in Oulu but also along the waterways of the region inland and across the seas worldwide.

"A significant investment also brings the responsibility for the creator to ensure that the journey and experience are truly meaningful for the soul, the heart, and the region," Takalo continues.

Oulu August Festivals with its partners produce the extensive Delta Life concept. Anu Lähteenmäki is the project manager responsible for the project at the Oulu Culture Events Association.

For the Oulu Culture Events Association, the Delta Life spectacle represents a significant opportunity for development. Implementing this large project strengthens the skills of the association's members and other event and cultural operators in the region, and it expands networks to an international level.

"Our goal is that after this project, both Oulu August Festivals and other third sector cultural operators in the region will be more competent and stronger. Our role as an association is to act as a facilitator and supporter, especially for smaller professional or aspiring operators. If successful, cultural activities in the region will be permanently more high-quality, diverse, and international after 2026. To achieve this, we naturally need collaboration at the local, national, and European levels," describes the association's executive director, Pia Alatorvinen, about the future.

As a collaborative partner in the project for Oulu August Festivals, the design and production company Sun Effects takes on a role specializing in the planning, production, and spectacular execution of audiovisual content.

"It is an honor to be involved in designing and executing the culmination of the European Capital of Culture year together with Oulu August Festivals and other stakeholders. Jukka Takalo's event concept is rich and multidimensional, fostering close collaboration around the local actors and region-specific narrative. This enables the realization of a unique, internationally acclaimed event. I believe that through the upcoming collaboration also with the regional creative industry, we will achieve something greater than a spectacle," says Matti Jykylä, the Artistic Director of Sun Effects.

Oulu was selected as the European Capital of Culture on June 2, 2021, and just the following week, the first Delta Life event took place on the Kiiminkijoki River, the Journey to Magical Martinniemi. Since then, there have been events large and small from the deltas to the sources on the Ii, Kiiminki, and Oulu rivers. Delta Life also visited the European Capital of Culture, Kaunas, in May 2022. In addition to the events of Oulu August Festivals this year, Delta Life is spotlighting young artists and exploring elements of literary arts in the Iijoki River and other areas.

Information about upcoming events can be found in English on the Oulu August Festivals website and social media. Information about the Delta Life project is also available at www.deltalife.fi. Background and atmosphere of the events is provided by the Northern Cultural Stream channel at www.pohjoinenkulttuurivirta.fi.

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