- In just four months, Oulu, with its 39 partner municipalities in Northern Finland, will step into the spotlight as European Capital of Culture 2026.
- The full programme will be officially launched on Thursday 4 September 2025 in Oulu, streamed live across Europe.
Hundreds of partners are creating a year in which Northern Finland becomes a new hub of culture. The programme will offer something for everyone: large-scale exhibitions, festivals across all genres, world premieres, performing arts, village celebrations, permanent artworks, sports, and community events across a vast region of 40 municipalities.
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Oulu, with its 39 partner municipalities in Northern Finland, will step into the spotlight as European Capital of Culture 2026. The full programme will be officially launched on Thursday 4 September 2025 in Oulu, streamed live across Europe. The Oulu2026 programme is built around the theme of Cultural Climate Change, meaning a lasting enrichment of cultural life connecting people through world-class experiences, creativity, and new ways of thinking.
"2026 will be a transformative year for our city, for Northern Finland, and for Europe. We invite everyone to join us as we open the door to new stories, encounters and experiences shaped by our unique northern perspective," says Piia Rantala-Korhonen, CEO of Oulu2026
About Oulu2026
Oulu, Finland's northern capital with 200,000 inhabitants, will hold the European Capital of Culture title in 2026 alongside 39 partner municipalities. The Oulu2026 programme is built around the theme of Cultural Climate Change, meaning a lasting enrichment of cultural life connecting people through world-class experiences, creativity, and new ways of thinking.
Live stream details
- Programme Launch: Thursday 4 September 2025
- Time: 11:00 EET 9:00 CET
- Live stream link: https://oulu2026.eu/en/programme-launch/
Everyone across Europe is warmly invited to follow the stream and be among the first to discover the stories, artists and highlights shaping Oulu's European Capital of Culture year.
Oulu2026 Page: https://oulu2026.eu/en/
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250829591577/en/
Contacts:
International Press Contacts:
Oulu2026 Programme Director Samu Forsblom samu.forsblom@oulu2026.eu
Oulu2026 International Marketing Communications Specialist Lasse Launimaa lasse.launimaa@oulu2026.eu
