As part of Oulu August Festivals’ Delta Life project, the documentary series Artists Arise in the Delta has followed six young artists for more than two years as they have developed their practices and worked towards Oulu’s year as European Capital of Culture.
The series features dancer Ida Remsu, visual artist Marianne Kauppila, composer Niilo Korsulainen, pole dancer Mandi Koskela, and musician siblings Emilia and Joonatan Lappalainen, who perform together as Duo Lappalainen.
A 10-minute short documentary has been made about each artist. The films will be released on Saturday, 3 October at 15:00 at the Genelec Lounge in Kauppakortteli Pekuri. Admission is free.
The artists’ journeys have also been documented over the years through the social media channels and websites of Pohjoinen kulttuurivirta and Oulu August Festivals. The project culminated in the artists' performances and an exhibition during summer 2026.
Mandi Koskela: “You don’t have to know everything right away”
Pole dancer Mandi Koskela, originally from Ranua, performed in June at the Maakinen Martinniemi event by the sea and at Martinniemen Kerhola. Mirella’s song Kaikki vielä edessä (“Everything Still Ahead”) provided inspiration for the choreography.
“I especially wanted young people to recognise something of themselves in the piece. That feeling that you don’t have to know or decide everything right away. That you can pause in the present moment and still trust what the future holds,” Koskela says.
Niilo Korsulainen: a long-held dream of opera
During the project, composer Niilo Korsulainen composed his first opera. Poikanne Yrjö is a chamber opera telling the tragic story of a young man who wanted to go to war and what awaited him there.
The opera premiered in July and August at Pohjankartano Hall as part of the Oulu2026 programme. Composing an opera had been a long-held ambition for Korsulainen.
“In opera, music doesn’t carry the drama on its own. Things happen on stage, the text speaks, and music can shape what happens through even the smallest gestures. It can heighten the atmosphere and take it somewhere words cannot reach. That is why opera has long been a great dream of mine,” Korsulainen says.
Marianne Kauppila: “This work is real”
Visual artist Marianne Kauppila, whose work focuses on mural art, was selected as the Visual Artist of the Year for this year’s Oulunsalo Soi Chamber Music Festival. The festival’s visual identity was built around her work, and her exhibition Rock’n’roll Lovestyle was on display at Oulunsalo Library from 6 August to 28 September. Joonatan Lappalainen from Duo Lappalainen performed at the exhibition opening.
The exhibition itself grew out of Kauppila’s relationship with music and her journey as an artist. "Music reaches deeper for me than words can. Being invited to be the Visual Artist of the Year reminded me that this work is real – that other people can see something in it, too,” Kauppila says.
Ida Remsu: “Art deserves to be seen”
Dancer and dance teacher Ida Remsu presented her latest work, Lub-dub, in August at Varikko Panimo as part of the Oulu Delta Art Days. Percussionist I-han Fu performed in the piece. Alongside the performances, Remsu led an inclusive dance workshop based on the work.
“I think art deserves to be seen. It isn’t hidden away; it is part of life. With my work, I want to offer something that feels both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time – a three-dimensional experience that stays with you,” Remsu says.
Duo Lappalainen: exploring new collaborations
Duo Lappalainen consists of musician siblings Emilia and Joonatan Lappalainen. Combining violin and marimba, the duo performed with Oulu-based poets Tuisku Koskela and Jyri Ollila at Oulun Muusajuhlat Literary art Festival in August.
“We had never combined playing music with spoken poetry before. We’d be happy to do something similar again in the future. Maybe we’ll perform with the same line-up somewhere again, or perhaps find new interdisciplinary collaborations. We’re open to anything,” Emilia and Joonatan say.
The Artists Arise in the Delta documentary series is part of the Oulu2026 cultural programme.
Oulunsalo Soi welcomed approximately 1,150 visitors from 5–9 August, the festival’s largest audience in nearly a decade. Two of the concerts sold out. This year’s programme focused on the theme of Europe, with works from nearly 30 different countries featured in the concerts.
“Based on the journey we have taken, we can conclude that the umbrella of European music encompasses an astonishingly diverse range of styles. Perhaps what is needed to hold a united Europe together is precisely the fact that everyone cherishes their own (musical) culture. Long live diversity!” says the festival’s Artistic Director, Atte Kilpeläinen.
This year, Oulunsalo Soi took place in Oulu, Oulunsalo and Ii. The festival comprised eight concerts and the opening of an art exhibition. In addition to the ticketed concerts, the programme included two free events. The festival’s visual artist of the year, Marianne Kauppila, presents her Rock’n’roll lovestyle exhibition at Oulunsalo Library until 28 September.
The concerts attracted a large international audience, and several performances ended with standing ovations. Alongside more traditional chamber music, the festival featured film music and Finland-Swedish poetry, as well as a combination of chamber music and theatrical storytelling. The closing concert ended with Europe’s The Final Countdown, setting the countdown in motion for next year, when the festival will celebrate its 30th anniversary.
Founded in 1998, the festival is part of the Oulu August Festivals. Viola player Atte Kilpeläinen has served as the festival’s Artistic Director since 2024 and will continue in the role.
This year, Oulunsalo Soi takes audiences on a musical tour of Europe. Over the course of the five-day festival, a distinguished lineup of leading artists from Finland and abroad – including the Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Theatre of Voices, the Meta4 String Quartet, and Red Nose Company – will guide audiences on a journey exploring the many countries that make up our continent.
The festival opens at Oulunsalo Library with the opening of this year’s featured visual artist Marianne Kauppila’s exhibition, Rock’n’roll Lovestyle. The opening event will feature a performance by Oulu’s rising percussion talent Joonatan Lappalainen.
Ensemble Music, Lunch Concert, and Theatrical Storytelling
The festival’s first two concerts are a celebration of ensemble music. At the opening concert at Karjasilta Church on Wednesday, 5 August, the festival’s international guest, the Danish vocal ensemble Theatre of Voices, will demonstrate its versatility in both early and contemporary music. The concert will also feature Ravel’s string quartet performed by the festival’s true workhorse, the Meta4 string quartet. On Thursday, 6 August, Theatre of Voices and Meta4 will perform their own version of Mozart’s Requiem at Oulu Cathedral, among other works.
Friday, 7 August begins with a lunchtime concert by students of the Oulu Conservatoire at Aulis Theatre Restaurant. On Friday evening, audiences can expect laughter – and perhaps a few tears – as the acclaimed theatre company Red Nose Company brings its new production, Voces – Inner Voices, to Valvesali. This staged concert for two clowns and the Meta4 String Quartet combines some of the finest chamber music classics with theatrical storytelling. The performance is sold out.
Festival weekend includes a rare piano quintet, poetry, neighborly love, and a prelude to the anniversary year
On Saturday, 8 August, the festival returns to Akolan kuivuri, where violinists Minna Pensola and Antti Tikkanen will push the boundaries of virtuosity. Bacewicz’s violin quartet, in turn, takes entertainment to the extreme. On Saturday evening at Oulu City Hall, pianist Heini Kärkkäinen will perform Josef Suk’s rarely heard piano quintet together with Meta4. Before the concert, the festival’s visual artist of the year, Marianne Kauppila, will discuss her artistic work.
The closing day of the festival, 9 August begins at AaltoSiilo with a concert dedicated to our beloved neighbouring country, Sweden. Starring Vuokko Hovatta, the programme features settings of poetry in both Finnish and Swedish. It also includes original compositions by Atte Kilpeläinen, arranged for string quartet by Jussi Lampela. The concert is almost sold out.
The festival’s closing concert returns to the festival’s roots in Oulunsalo. In summer 2027, Oulunsalo Soi will celebrate its 30th anniversary, and this summer’s finale at the Oulunsalon Nuorisoseuran talo is the starting shot for planning the anniversary year.
The festival is part of the Oulu August Festivals and the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture programme.
Marianne Kauppila, an Oulu-based visual artist and designer specializing in murals, has been chosen as the Visual Artist of the Year for the Oulunsalo Soi Chamber Music Festival. Kauppila’s exhibition Rock’n’roll lovestyle is part of the festival programme and will be on display at the Oulunsalo Library from August 5 to September 28, 2026. The festival’s visual identity is based on works from the exhibition.
Kauppila has a distinctive style built on graphic elements and clean lines. In her works, the human world merges with nature-themed elements, creating a world of its own – timeless and without people. Through her art, Kauppila primarily explores the relationship with nature, human behavioral patterns, and everyday themes. At a deeper level, her work reflects global crises affecting the Earth and humanity, environmental concerns, and a certain profound sadness about the horrors of the world and human indifference.
In the Rock’n’roll lovestyle exhibition, these themes are approached through the perspective of music. The exhibition explores Kauppila’s relationship with music and how it has evolved over her lifetime. The works move through emotional states from love to sorrow, loss, and disappointment, then to anger, and ultimately back to joy and happiness through rebuilding. “The series portrays how music has shaped my identity and my experience of the world from a personal perspective, as well as its significance in my life,” Kauppila explains.
Kauppila is also featured in the Artists Arise in the Delta documentary series as part of the Oulu August Festivals, which has followed the journey of six young artists since 2024 toward Oulu’s year as European Capital of Culture.
The Oulunsalo Soi Chamber Music Festival will take place August 5–9, 2026, in the Oulu region as part of the Oulu August Festivals. The festival programme will be published in May.
The member festivals of Oulu August Festivals will create a truly European August of experiences in 2026 by being part of the European Capital of Culture programme. The summer culminates in the Delta Life grand finale weekend, which invites the whole world to pause the wheel of time at the birthplace of Oulu.
Oulu August Festivals in the European Capital of Culture year:
- Elojazz (30 July–1 August) brings a New Orleans–style jazz street to the city together with Oulu2026.
- Oulunsalo Soi Chamber Music Festival (5–9 August) resounds with Eurovision! High quality with a low threshold.
- Muusajuhlat Literature Festival (19–23 August) explores what it means to be European and how its conscious or unconscious influence shapes both Finnish and international literature.
- Oulu Arts' Night transforms into Oulu No Arts Day (20 August), which extends throughout the weekend as the Delta Art Days (21–23 August). The Oulu No Arts Day prompts reflection on what life would be without art, while the Delta Art Days present a cavalcade of creativity and tune the city for the following week’s Delta Life grand finale.
- Air Guitar World Championships are part of the Delta Life grand finale. On the Delta Stage, at the birthplace of the City of Oulu, the greatest air guitar show of all time will unfold. The first final round takes place on Friday, 28 August, and the second on Saturday, 29 August, when the world champion will be crowned.
- Oulu Music Video Festival (27–30 August) launches a new European music video competition. Entries for the international competition open at the end of 2025, and for the national competition at the beginning of 2026.
- Premiere on 27 August: Faravid’s Land, a new immersive work created by Flow Productions and Oulu Theatre.
- Delta Life Grand Finale (27–29 August) crowns Oulu August Festivals. As the sun sets on the Delta Stage, at the birthplace of Oulu, global influences meet the life of the Oulujoki River. A carnival-like yet deeply moving, all-encompassing cultural experience awaits – free of charge.
The Oulu August Festivals are being held for the 15th time this year. Awesome August begins with Elojazz on Thursday, July 31st, and ends with Choir Day at the City Hall on Friday, August 29th.
During the month-long multidisciplinary arts festival, highlights include the 20th anniversary of the Oulu All Star Big Band, heroic chamber music experiences, literary art from punk to opera, the first Nordic music video competition, and a variety of children's programs. Contestants from 15 countries will compete for the Air Guitar World Championship title.
Most of the hundreds of events in August are free of charge. Tickets are already running low for some events, and tickets for late-August events will go on sale in early August. The full program is available on the Oulu August Festivals website. There you can browse and filter events by calendar, art form, or event type. The events of Oulu Arts' Night are also shown on a map.
Elojazz – July 31–August 2
Elojazz opens with a performance by Iiro Rantala at Tuira Church. As in previous years, the main concerts will take place in the atmospheric open-air Hupisaari Open-Air Theater on Friday and Saturday. Pre- and after-parties will be held at Jumpru and the Amarillo nightclub. Artistic director Aili Ikonen has curated a program featuring top-tier international and Finnish jazz performances.
Oulunsalo Soi – August 6–10
The Oulunsalo Soi Festival offers chamber music concerts with a twist of other art forms in surprising venues. Artistic director Atte Kilpeläinen’s guiding principle is that these experiences can’t be had anywhere else but at Oulunsalo Soi. Performances will take place in unique locations such as the Kuivuri venue at Akola Manor in Ii and a boathouse in Hietasaari. The world of comics also enters chamber music, as this year’s visual artist Aapo Kukko illustrates a Shostakovich concert.
Oulu Muusajuhlat Literary Arts Festival – August 13–17
Literature and spoken word in various forms fill downtown Oulu, with events at venues like Cultural Centre Valve, Cafe Konstantina, the pop-up stage Klonka, Tähtitorni Café, and several libraries. Events will also take place in Ii, Kempele, Pyhäjoki, and Hailuoto. The festival features literary discussions, poetry, and cross-disciplinary art clubs from lunchtime to late night—primarily in Finnish, but with room for other languages as well.
Oulu Arts' Night – August 14
The first program announcements for Oulu Arts' Night have been released, with dozens of events already scheduled. More events can still be submitted for programming. Traditionally, the Arts' Night draws tens of thousands of people to the city center to enjoy the arts.
Air Guitar World Championships – August 20–22
This year marks the 28th edition of the Air Guitar World Championships, promoting world peace, with the final taking place on Friday, August 22nd from 8–10:30 p.m. at Rotuaari Square. National champions and challengers from around 15 countries will compete, beginning with the Dark Horses Qualifications on Thursday. The festivities kick off on Wednesday, August 20th with “Airientation Day,” open to all air guitar enthusiasts. The day includes the whimsical “Airlympics” and takes place at World Music School Air by the river delta. The championship garners global media coverage reaching up to 450 million people each year.
Oulu Music Video Festival – August 21–24
In addition to the traditional national music video competition, the Oulu Music Video Festival will feature a Nordic competition this year. The festival’s theme is “Hyperreality.” Music videos, films, music, and club events will take place at Cultural Centre Valve, Pikisaari, Snooker, and 45Special. The Saturday night Pumpeli Gala will be held at RioLive.
Flow Circus – August 26–29
As part of the Oulu August Festivals, Flow Productions presents the contemporary circus performance A Study of Losses. The Kompani Giraffe production blends circus, modern magic, and object manipulation with music composed by Zach Condon of the American band Beirut.
Extras
The Extras program gives the audience the opportunity to experience the city from the perspective of a wheelchair user. The Esteetöntä (“Accessible”) performance is created in collaboration with the audience and will be turned into a media artwork. Accessibility to the arts is a special focus in the content and production of the Oulu August Festivals. The association's Saavuta project is working to improve both physical and mental accessibility at cultural events.
Choir Day – August 29
This year, Choir Day wraps up Oulu August Festivals on Friday. The final Friday evening of the summer will be filled with singing in pubs and on the streets—especially at Oulu City Hall. The newly renovated city hall provides a stunning visual and acoustic setting for choirs and vocal ensembles.
Children’s Program – August 3–17
Families will find plenty of events during Awesome August for Kids, part of the festival from August 3–17. From Children’s Jazz to the 30th anniversary concert of Soiva Siili, there’s something for kids of all ages.
Most of the events during the Oulu August Festivals are free of charge. You can explore the full program on our website, which is continuously updated. Ticket information is also available on the site.
We are looking for volunteers for a variety of roles at Oulu August Festival events. Volunteering offers valuable experience, helps you develop new skills, and gives you a behind-the-scenes look at event production.
Oulunsalo Soi
Oulunsalo Soi offers relaxed and engaging volunteer roles such as ticket sales, decoration, and catering. As a volunteer, you’ll get to enjoy incredible concerts and meet artists. If you're excited to join, sign up by Monday, July 14.
OMVF – Oulu Music Video Festival
OMVF is looking for volunteers for roles such as info staff, club assistants, tech crew, and roadies. As a volunteer, you’ll experience the festival from the inside and contribute to this unique celebration of music, moving image, and Northern urban culture in a warm and welcoming team. Volunteers are provided with a hot meal for each workday, free access to screenings and club events, and a festival t-shirt as a souvenir.
Elojazz
Elojazz is looking for cheerful, energetic, and reliable volunteers for various roles including setting up the festival area, decoration, wristband exchange, and customer service at ticket sales. The festival is also seeking a social media volunteer to create content from the concerts during the festival days.
In addition to work shifts, volunteers are offered meals, a festival t-shirt, and a festival pass for enjoying the music outside their shift hours. No previous experience is required.
Air Guitar World Championships
Volunteer tasks at the Air Guitar World Championships include event preparations, airport transfers, and working at info points and merchandise stalls. Volunteers are needed during the event week, Tuesday, August 19 to Friday, August 22.
The Oulunsalo Soi Chamber Music Festival will take place in the Oulu region August 6–10, 2025. The festival includes ten concerts and an art exhibition. The festival is arranged for the 28th time and the Artistic Director is violist Atte Kilpeläinen.
“I’ve brazenly declared that my goal is to program concerts for Oulunsalo Soi that would be impossible at any other festival,” says Kilpeläinen. “Following that guiding principle, we’ve worked all year, and we’re eagerly awaiting the chance to present the fruits of our labor at the festival.”
The Visual Artist of 2025 is Oulu-based cartoon artist Aapo Kukko. The festival’s visual identity is based on his upcoming graphic novel Punainen Beethoven (Red Beethoven), which delves into the life of composer Dmitri Shostakovich. The exhibition bearing the same name will be on display at the Oulunsalo Library from August 7 to September 26. The exhibition’s opening event will take place on Wednesday, August 6, to kick off the festival, with music by violinist Elina Vähälä and double bassist Maria Krykov.
The overarching theme of the festival is heroism. The opening concert on Wednesday, August 6, in the White Hall of the former County Government House (Lääninhallitustalon valkoinen sali), will explore heroic figures through a rich musical programme ranging from Chopin to J. Karjalainen and from Debussy to David Bowie.
On Friday, August 8, two free concerts are offered. The day begins with a lunchtime concert by young heroes – students from the Oulu Conservatory – at the Theatre Restaurant Aulis. You can start your weekend with Art goes Afterwork at Restaurant Valveen Paljetti, where festival artists take the stage in a relaxed and playful atmosphere.
The festival Friday concludes with an intimate club by EVA trio at RioLive. The trio – vocalist Essi Wuorela, kantele player Anna-Karin Korhonen, and cellist/flutist Vesa Norilo – will perform a fresh and swinging blend of beloved Finnish folk songs and contemporary classics set to Finnish poetry.
EVA trio also presents a family-friendly concert titled The Squirrel, the Finch, and the Little Bird on Saturday, August 9. This children’s concert at Valvesali features fresh arrangements of children’s song classics, performed with two young soloists. It also includes lesser-known children’s and folk songs reimagined by the trio in playful and captivating versions.
Celebrating composer Dmitri Shostakovich
Saturday, August 9, marks exactly 50 years since the death of composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Oulunsalo Soi will honor his legacy with two concerts. At the City Hall Banquet Hall, a wide selection of his works will be performed while cartoon artist Aapo Kukko illustrates the concert live. The creation process will be projected on screen, and the finished artworks will be available for viewing and purchase afterward.
The Shostakovich celebration culminates in an open-air concert at the Hupisaaret Open-Air Theatre, in collaboration with the Oulu Symphony. German viola virtuoso Nils Mönkemeyer will serve as both soloist and conductor.
Unconventional Concert Venues
This year, the festival invites audiences to experience music in unusual locations. One such venue is the new Akolan Kuivuri event space in Ii, located on the grounds of Akola Manor. The concert on Thursday, August 7, explores forest biodiversity through sound, scent, and word, with musical interludes complemented by author and freelance journalist Jenni Räinä discussing deforestation.
In the industrial setting of AaltoSiilo in Meri-Toppila, the theme is unfinishedness – reflected in both the music and the venue. Composer Lauri Marjakangas will present his contribution to a musical chain letter that began in June at the Sysmä Suvisoitto Festival and will arrive in Oulunsalo Soi via Rauma Festivo. His task is to pick up from the previous composer and pass the message onward after the festival.
The festival concludes by the water, among boats, as a prelude to Oulu’s 2026 Capital of Culture year. For the first time ever, the boat hall of the Oulu Workers’ Sailing Club at the Oulujoki river delta will serve as a concert venue. The programme includes the Finnish premiere of Sextet for Strings by Olli Mustonen and a fresh arrangement of music by Brahms.
Tickets are available at Ticketmaster’s online store, physical outlets, and at the Valve Cultural Center’s ticket office. Programme subject to change.
The full programme can be found on this link.
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
Oulunsalo Soi's new artistic director, violist Atte Kilpeläinen, has unveiled his first program.
"Over the years, I've had the opportunity to plan concert programs in many places, but this festival feels like a clearing of the hard drive. It became clear quite soon that now is the right moment to get the ideas out of my system," Kilpeläinen describes the planning of his first festival. "The concept for some concerts has been brewing in my mind for well over ten years."
One of these long-gestating ideas is a musical trial to be heard on Thursday, August 8th, exploring how much of Brahms' music can be legally battered. The courtroom drama concert will take place in the council chamber of the Oulunsalo municipal hall. Alongside Kilpeläinen, pianist Anna Laakso and bassoonist Etienne Boudreault will perform, with actor Timo Vuento serving as judge.
French photographer Christelle Mas serves as the festival's visual artist. Her exhibition "Paradise" will be displayed at the Oulunsalo library from August 8th to September 27th in collaboration with Photo North – Northern Photography Center. The opening of the exhibition on Thursday, August 8th, is part of the festival program. The festival's visual identity, as usual, is based on the works of the visual artist of the year.
The festival's opening concert on Wednesday, August 7th, is a tribute to deceased composers. In the White Hall of the Provincial Government Building, the Takapiha Quartet honors the virtuosity of composers like Jaakko Kuusisto and Kaija Saariaho by performing their compositions.
Friday, August 9th, promises two very different concerts at the Cultural Centre Valve. The evening kicks off with a laid-back after-work concert in café, Valveen Paljetti, where J.S. Bach's music collides with Finnish humppa. The evening concludes in Valvesali with compositions inspired by mothers. Belgian accordion virtuoso Philippe Thuriot performs in both concerts.
Saturday begins with the "Tears" concert at Kempele Old Church, where Oulu Baroque Orchestra's Obo Ensemble plays compositions from the Baroque era and modern arrangements. In the evening, RioLive stage hosts Samae Koskinen, who has garnered much attention from his latest album release.
The festival's final day begins with a concert based on J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations, where five musicians rearrange the hugely popular piece in a completely new order. The last concert on Sunday starts 200 years ago and ends with a recent composition. This musical journey creates a performance like no other.
Oulunsalo Soi Chamber Music Festival takes place in the Oulu region from August 7th to 11th. The festival, consisting of nine concerts and an art exhibition opening, brings top chamber music names from Finland and abroad to the Oulu region for the 27th time.
