Interesting exhibitions, peeks into the festivals and events of the upcoming year, influential commynity art, music videos, stories and dance acrobatics are all to be expected during the opening festival at Valve. Experience a communal travel agency and light installations decorating the cultural centre’s windows at night. Welcome to Valve!
Exhibitions
Exhibitions at Valve Fri–Sun at 10 am to 8 pm
Light installation on the windows Fri–Sun at 4–10 pm
Photo North – Northern Photographic Centre
nabbteeri: mutant and nondurable
nabbteeri’s exhibition in Northern Photographic Centre’s Gallery engages with the artist collective’s work with invertebrates and invites viewers to sense their immediate environment, the teeming life around them, and its disappearance from the perspective of other species.
Those who breathe through their moist skin and the few whose air tubes pierce their chitinous shells / dried exoskeletons of the sacred, limbs, wings, and sensory organs, revolve in a projector carousel.
nabbteeri is an artist collective active since 2008, whose diverse and multimedia works are based more or less on messy interactions between the artists and other beings. In temporary, site-specific works, various leftovers, found materials, borrowed pieces, 3D animations, and other crafts intertwine with the space and gradually transform.
Ville Rinne: Nature Of Science
In the Foyer Gallery, Ville Rinne reflects on his exhibition Nature of Science on how humans strive to understand nature: “While newspapers report on the melting of polar ice caps and record-breaking wildfires, a researcher studying the distribution of a daphnia species stares into a fist-sized puddle in Tvärminne. He has done this every summer for decades. Two hundred kilometers to the north, a researcher from the Finnish Meteorological Institute measures the carbon dioxide bound by biomass in Hyytiälä. A third researcher examines the retreat of the Arctic treeline in Utsjoki.”
Since 2016, Rovaniemi–based Ville Rinne has photographed everything related to research, including researchers, fieldwork, materials and research sites. He has also collected visual materials related to research over the decades. Rinne will begin working on his doctoral dissertation on narrative in post-documentary photography at the University of Lapland in 2025.
Comics Gallery!
Harri Filppa: 20 comic artists and 26 comic books
The exhibition compiles 26 comic books by twenty comic artists, introducing each as its own story. Comic illustrated book presentations have been created by Oulu Comic Center’s Executive Director Harri Filppa. The collection works as a lead up to book recommendations as well as as an inspiration to anyone looking for new reading experiences.
Exhibition features books by creators united through a close relationship to Euro-Arctic region’s mindscapes, languages and cultures. Amongst Northern comic artists featured are f.e. Mari Ahokoivu (FI), Anneli Furmark (SWE), Hanna Kukko (FI), Emilia Laatikainen (FI), Jyrki Nissinen (FI), Marko Raassina (FI), Ville Ranta (FI), Riika Ruottinen (FI), Jens K. Styve (NO) and Jaana Suorsa (FI).
”The union of illustration and words in comics narration highlights stories that might otherwise get left untold”
– Harri Filppa
Valveen Paljetti Exhibition Space
Lumo Light Festival Oulu: Black Snow
Community art installation designed by Tiina Vehkaperä, created in collaboration with school students of Oulu2026 area.
Valvegallery
Inka Hannula and Teemu Raudaskoski: Kaikki lutviutuu
Exhibition opening on Friday 16th of January at 19–21!
Kaikki lutviutuu -exhibition is a collection of collaboration pieces of a Tampere-based artist couple. The exhibition presents colourful abstract paintings, along with one video piece. Inka Hannula (originally from Ylivieska) and Teemu Raudaskoski (originally from Nivala) have been creating collaborative paintings since 2020. They create the pieces without any planning, painting the same canvas simultaneously and by continuing each others paintwork. The creation of the painting is influenced by the music playing in the background, unspoken dialogue between the two artists and coincidence. Playing its own part in the collaboration, is the North Ostrobothnian mentality that also connects the couple.
The name of the exhibition Kaikki Lutviutuu (eng. Everything will work out) refers to Hannula and Raudaskoski’s improvisation based artistic process and dialogue, where primarily they say yes to one another’s suggestions while trusting the process. The painting is finished once all its pieces have fallen in place. On a larger scale, the name also refers to thinking and lifestyle: “Everything will work out” is not a promise that everything always will work out, but more of a choice to think so. It is a thought that brings hope and trust in the midst of the world’s turmoils.
Outfacing windows of Valve
Tiina Vehkaperä: Liiku
Light art installation piece “Liiku” (eng. Move) is placed on the outfacing windows of Valve. The basis of the installation by Tiina Vehkaperä is the movement that creating culture brings, that touches you when experiencing it, and that flows through the vains of the heart of Valve. Sleep, stay awake and move!
Friday the 16th of January 2026
at 4–7 pm
Lobby of Valvesali Hall
Multidisciplinary cultural cooperative ILME: From Here to Art Travel Agency’s introduction stand
Find out what a community art travel agency has to offer. Perhaps you’d like to sign up for a trip to a person from Oulu or become a travel guide?
at 4.30–5 pm
Valvenäyttämö Stage
The Student Theatre of Oulu: Story Time
Who said that stories are for children only? No matter your age, everyone’s welcome to come and hear members of the Student Theatre of Oulu read stories and fairytales in a relaxing atmosphere on Valvenäyttämö Stage. The Student Theatre of Oulu’s Story Times are a part of the University of Oulu’s European Capital of Culture year’s Campus as a Stage event series.
at 5–5.35 pm
Valvesali Hall
Flow Circus presents: FASE
Six performances in total during the opening festival. 60 people first to arrive get in for each performance.
A warm-hearted performance by three dancer-acrobats, inviting the audience to watch the performance up close. The enchanting acrobatic duo Marta & Kim will also be part of the 2026 co-production Faravid’s Land by Flow Productions and Oulu Theatre. In FASE they will be joined by Vincent Kollar.
People struggle to understand the world. From whatever perspective we look at life, we must recognise that it is a constant process of change. To be part of this process, we need only breathe. Our body is a wonderful ecosystem that lives in society and is itself part of the world. How do we exist together? What is inclusion? The artists of FASE gently include all spectators in a shared performance experience.
at 6–6.30 pm
Valveen Paljetti Stage
A peek into the festival year of Valve: Circus Festival OU
In June 2026 Circus Festival OU brings international contemporary circus, vibrancy and suprises into the centre of the city! Come meet the artists and find out what’s this extravaganza about.
at 7–9 pm
Valvegallery
Inka Hannula and Teemu Raudaskoski’s Kaikki lutviutuu -exhibition opening
at 8.15–8.50 pm
Valvesali Hall
Flow Circus presents: FASE
Six performances in total during the opening festival. 60 people first to arrive get in for each performance.
A warm-hearted performance by three dancer-acrobats, inviting the audience to watch the performance up close. The enchanting acrobatic duo Marta & Kim will also be part of the 2026 co-production Faravid’s Land by Flow Productions and Oulu Theatre. In FASE they will be joined by Vincent Kollar.
People struggle to understand the world. From whatever perspective we look at life, we must recognise that it is a constant process of change. To be part of this process, we need only breathe. Our body is a wonderful ecosystem that lives in society and is itself part of the world. How do we exist together? What is inclusion? The artists of FASE gently include all spectators in a shared performance experience.
at 8.30–9.30 pm
Studio Cinema
Oulu Music Video Festival: 2025 winning videos
Come and experience the 2025 winning videos of the world’s oldest music video festival! The screening presents the four videos which received honorable mentions in the Finnish music video contest, as well as the video awarded with best cinematography and post production, best newcomer video and the grand prize winning video. In addition, the screening shows the winner and honorable mention videos of OMVF’s first international contest Nordic Music Video Competition which first launched in 2025. In 2026 the international contest will expand into a European Music Video Competition.
Saturday the 17th of January 2026
at 12–6 pm
Lobby of Valvesali Hall
Multidisciplinary cultural cooperative ILME: From Here to Art Travel Agency’s introduction stand
Find out what a community art travel agency has to offer. Perhaps you’d like to sign up for a trip to a person from Oulu or become a travel guide?
at 12–1 pm
Valveen Paljetti Stage
A peek into the festival year of Valve: Children’s Music Festival Oulu – Winter 2026
Music for the whole family! A sample of Oulu Children’s Music Association’s (Oulun Lastenmusiikki ry) January festival programme.
at 1.30–2 pm
Valvenäyttämö Stage
Akseli Klonk: Oi, ihana Panama (eng. The Trip to Panama)
Tickets: 10 € / group ticket for 4 people: 30 €
This perfomance is in Finnish.
Oi, ihana Panama (eng. The trip to Panama) by Janosch is a story about Little Tiger and Little Bear’s journey to their dream country where everything smells like bananas. The puppet show by Theatre Akseli Klonk is a fun, touching and visually impressive adventure where dance steps are guaranteed and music is pleasant to hear. Is the grass always greener on the other side of the fence, and what is the mail carriers job?
at 2–2.40 pm
Valvegallery
Movement improvisation workshop at Kaikki lutviutuu -exhibition by Inka Hannula and Teemu Raudaskoski
Explore the exhibition through the movements of your own body and guided exercises, without words. The exercises explore the colours, shapes and rhythms of the paintings through movement. The exercises suit everyone, and you are welcome to participate whichever way you see fit. You won’t need any prior experience of dancing or movement improvisation.
at 2.30–3.05 pm
Valvesali Hall
Flow Circus presents: FASE
Six performances in total during the opening festival. 60 people first to arrive get in for each performance.
A warm-hearted performance by three dancer-acrobats, inviting the audience to watch the performance up close. The enchanting acrobatic duo Marta & Kim will also be part of the 2026 co-production Faravid’s Land by Flow Productions and Oulu Theatre. In FASE they will be joined by Vincent Kollar.
People struggle to understand the world. From whatever perspective we look at life, we must recognise that it is a constant process of change. To be part of this process, we need only breathe. Our body is a wonderful ecosystem that lives in society and is itself part of the world. How do we exist together? What is inclusion? The artists of FASE gently include all spectators in a shared performance experience.
at 3–3.45 pm
Valvegallery
Electronic folk music at Kaikki lutviutuu -exhibition by Inka Hannula and Teemu Raudaskoski
QOSQI plays Electro Folk with a hint of cumbia and other rhythms from around the world. In addition to synthesizers, Andean stringed instrument Charango brings a breeze from the mountains.
at 3.30–4 pm
Valvenäyttämö Stage
Akseli Klonk: Tehtävä Saapasjalkakissa (eng. Mission Puss in Boots)
Tickets: 10 € / group ticket for 4 people: 30 €
This perfomance is in Finnish.
An eventful and choreographic object theater play by A. Klonk’s Siivotaan & Siivotaan where three cleaners tell a story of a miller’s youngest son, inspired by a hoover – using cleaning equipment of course.
at 4.30–4.50 pm
Valvesali Hall
TaikaBox: Ascend
The perfomance is for a limited audience, and no seating.
Ascend is a dance piece where the dialogue between the dancer and light creates a living digital painting. The performance flows forward along with the electronic music composed for this piece.
Ascend offers a sample of the Festival of Augmented Dance event organised in November 2026. The four day festival aiming for the future, presents a variety of fresh local and international performances where dance and technology combines.
at 5–5.30
Valvenäyttämö Stage
The Student Theatre of Oulu: Story Time
Who said that stories are for children only? No matter your age, everyone’s welcome to come and hear members of the Student Theatre of Oulu read stories and fairytales in a relaxing atmosphere on Valvenäyttämö Stage. The Student Theatre of Oulu’s Story Times are a part of the University of Oulu’s European Capital of Culture year’s Campus as a Stage event series.
at 6–6.35 pm
Valvesali Hall
Flow Circus presents: FASE
Six performances in total during the opening festival. 60 people first to arrive get in for each performance.
A warm-hearted performance by three dancer-acrobats, inviting the audience to watch the performance up close. The enchanting acrobatic duo Marta & Kim will also be part of the 2026 co-production Faravid’s Land by Flow Productions and Oulu Theatre. In FASE they will be joined by Vincent Kollar.
People struggle to understand the world. From whatever perspective we look at life, we must recognise that it is a constant process of change. To be part of this process, we need only breathe. Our body is a wonderful ecosystem that lives in society and is itself part of the world. How do we exist together? What is inclusion? The artists of FASE gently include all spectators in a shared performance experience.
at 7–8 pm
Valveen Paljetti Stage
A peek into the festival year of Valve: Marakni – Romani Culture Market
Hilja Grönfors Trio – Hilja Grönfors (vocals), Valtteri Bruun (guitar) and Kiureli Sammallahti (accordion) – performs traditional Romani songs. Hilja Grönfors is a pivotal character in Finnish Romani musicm scene, who has recored and nurtured the Romani singing tradition by collecting hundreds of songs. This has led to her receiving an honorary degree for her work. Marakni – Romani Culture Market is organised at Valve in August.
at 9–9.30
Valveen Paljetti Stage
A peek into the festival year of Valve: Lumo Company’s Anniversary Weekend
A peek into the contemporary circus group Lumo Company’s 10 year anniversary celebrated in April at Valve. The three day springlike celebration ceremony will host a premiere of a new performance, as well as a Sunday Circus Brunch for the whole family. – A celebration that bubbles and boils!
Sunday the 18th of January 2026
at 11 am to 1 pm
Valvenäyttämö Stage
Akseli Klonk: Avain hukassa (eng. Lost key) Nonstop Workshop
This workshop is guided in Finnish.
Open-to-all theatre workshop where you get to explore the world of an upcoming performance. Avain hukassa (eng. Lost key) is a performance about different people and homes, which premieres at the start of February. Have you ever lost something important? What makes a home? Investigate, seek, find and make your own missing report!
at 12–3 pm
Lobby of Valvesali Hall
Multidisciplinary cultural cooperative ILME: From Here to Art Travel Agency’s introduction stand
Find out what a community art travel agency has to offer. Perhaps you’d like to sign up for a trip to a person from Oulu or become a travel guide?
at 1–1.35
Valvesali Hall
Flow Circus presents: FASE
Six performances in total during the opening festival. 60 people first to arrive get in for each performance.
A warm-hearted performance by three dancer-acrobats, inviting the audience to watch the performance up close. The enchanting acrobatic duo Marta & Kim will also be part of the 2026 co-production Faravid’s Land by Flow Productions and Oulu Theatre. In FASE they will be joined by Vincent Kollar.
People struggle to understand the world. From whatever perspective we look at life, we must recognise that it is a constant process of change. To be part of this process, we need only breathe. Our body is a wonderful ecosystem that lives in society and is itself part of the world. How do we exist together? What is inclusion? The artists of FASE gently include all spectators in a shared performance experience.
at 2–2.15 pm
Valveen Paljetti Stage
A peek into the festival year of Valve: Oulu International Children’s and Youth Film Festival
The November festival’s introduction along with short film screenings for the whole family.
at 3–3.20
Valvesali Hall
TaikaBox: Ascend
The perfomance is for a limited audience, and no seating.
Ascend is a dance piece where the dialogue between the dancer and light creates a living digital painting. The performance flows forward along with the electronic music composed for this piece.
Ascend offers a sample of the Festival of Augmented Dance event organised in November 2026. The four day festival aiming for the future, presents a variety of fresh local and international performances where dance and technology combines.
at 4.30–5.05 pm
Valvesali Hall
Flow Circus presents: FASE
Six performances in total during the opening festival. 60 people first to arrive get in for each performance.
A warm-hearted performance by three dancer-acrobats, inviting the audience to watch the performance up close. The enchanting acrobatic duo Marta & Kim will also be part of the 2026 co-production Faravid’s Land by Flow Productions and Oulu Theatre. In FASE they will be joined by Vincent Kollar.
People struggle to understand the world. From whatever perspective we look at life, we must recognise that it is a constant process of change. To be part of this process, we need only breathe. Our body is a wonderful ecosystem that lives in society and is itself part of the world. How do we exist together? What is inclusion? The artists of FASE gently include all spectators in a shared performance experience.
at 5–7 pm
Valveen Paljetti Stage
A peek into the festival year of Valve: SEOUL-U STAGE & FEST
Kpop theme event celebrating its 5th anniversary in 2026 offers samples from the upcoming festivals vibe! Be in for Kpop themed activities, some of which are familiar from previous years’ events.