Before I met with Tampere Intercultural Art, no accurate information or support system existed to navigate around as an artist or creative professional, so I was lost. Tampere Intercultural Art is a collective of professionals and art enthusiasts that wanted to initiate intercultural dialogue through art and culture. Somehow, Tampere Intercultural Art gave me the strength to keep an open mind in my first year here as I started working at the local industry in Tampere through temporary positions and freelance gigs.
Regardless of backgrounds and interests, with those I worked together, we had a minute to speak over the obstacles one faces while working in the Finnish creative industry. Obviously, there was an issue of unequal treatment, and somehow, art was not considered a real work to be properly paid for. There were some issues that we will elaborate on here today; personally, there was no way to accept them. However, the problem becomes deeper and deeper if one dares to look at issues of more vulnerable groups, including foreign-born professionals:
The first step to do this was listening to professionals who participated in the local industry, so together with Globe Art Point, we ran focus groups for a full week. We collected data that determined the subject matter of this panel discussion today. Through this event and live discussion session, we wanted to step up our game and start building constructive relationships to make the creative industry an ecosystem that is inclusive for all. In this endeavour, Globe Art Point has been a right stakeholder, as their participation in studies as such at the national scale so I have been following up with their work personally to navigate the Finnish industry. As a partner in organizing this event today, they advocate equality and accessibility within the Finnish art and cultural sector in the form of an association.
We collected data from active participants of the focus groups with a sense of discipline and dedication, which later, we divided the data into sub-categories to make a multi-faceted analysis. The data demonstrates that there are issues of higher education, general working culture in the Finnish art and culture sector, unequal resource and information distribution, and lack of social-cultural support for one to navigate the Finnish creative industry. At least, to start alleviating some of those issues, together with G.A.P. we offer a small handbook free of charge to pick up from TiCA staff today after the discussion session. Using that handbook, you will find some basic information to kick-start your career here in Finland. Furthermore, there will be a free form of networking time for those who may want to develop professional networks, ask questions or simply hang out after the live session.
Through G.A.P., we had a chance to be involved with Publics, a curatorial agency that parahosted this event today. Before the discussion starts, I would like to thank the ARS108 team for their invitation, guest speakers for accepting our invitation to connect, G.A.P. and Publics for their contribution and the TiCA team to bring all of us together, connected here today. I would like to leave the stage for the moderator & chairperson of Globe Art Point, Ruby Gupte, to introduce the data analysis, guest speakers and questions to start the live session for today. After the live-discussion session, we will hold an official q&a session, so please stick around to participate in the live session through your questions. Thank you for joining us at Nokia!
With the help of Tampere Intercultural Art and live-panel discussion that will take place on the 6th of August, Nokia, we aim to start building professional networks to develop a peer-to-peer support group that will eventually connect international and native professionals working in the Pirkanmaa.
Send inquiries to tampereinterculturalart@gmail.com for collecting information about the report
Press release in Finnish/English below
Tampere Intercultural Art haluaa kutsua teidät paneelikeskusteluun otsikolla Ulkomaalaistaustaisten taiteen ja kulttuurin ammattilaisten työelämäkokemuksia Pirkanmaalla. Paneeli järjestetään osana ARS108 -festivaalia Nokialla yhteistyössä Globe Art Pointin ja PUBLICSin kanssa.
Paneelikeskustelu kokoaa yhteen ääniä taiteen ja kulttuurin kentältä luodakseen rakentavaa vuoropuhelua, jonka tavoitteena on edesauttaa ulkomaalaistaustaisten taiteen ja kulttuurin ammattilaisten näkyvyyttä ja osallisuutta pirkanmaalaisella kulttuurikentällä. Panelisteina ovat Tampereen kaupungin kulttuurijohtaja Juha Ahonen; moninaisuusagentti ja näyttämötaiteilija Ilaria Tucci; kuvataiteililija, tuotanto- ja lavastussuunnittelija, Tampere University Student Ambassador Luiza Preda; sekä Taiteen edistämiskeskuksen kulttuurisen moninaisuuden läänintaiteilija Maikki Kantola. Paneelikeskustelua moderoi Globe Art Point ry:n hallituksen puheenjohtaja Ruby Gupte.
Paikka: Tehdas 108, Souranderintie 2, Tehdassaari, Nokia.
Aika: perjantai 6.8. Klo 14.00 – 15.30.
Paneelikeskustelun jälkeen on aikaa rennolle verkostoitumiselle klo 15.30 – 17.00.
Ystävällisin terveisin,
Tampere Intercultural Art
Tapahtuman Facebook-sivu: https://www.facebook.com/events/2077084635772460
Tampere Intercultural Art is happy to invite you to the panel discussion «Experiences of foreign-born professionals in the field of art and culture in Pirkanmaa», organised by Tampere Intercultural Art together with Globe Art Point and Publics. The event is part of ARS108-festival.
The panel discussion will take place on the 6th of August between 14.00-15.30 in Tehdas 108, Souranderintie 2, Tehdassaari, Nokia. The panel will be followed by casual networking between 15.30-17.00. The event is free of charge.
The event aims to address pressing matters and launch a constructive dialogue among a wide range of stakeholders. Panelists are Juha Ahonen, the Director of Culture of the City of Tampere; Ilaria Tucci, certified diversity agent, professional in the theatre, acting, and performative arts; Luiza Preda, independent artists, production and stage designer, Tampere University Student Ambassador; Maikki Kantola, regional artist of cultural diversity for Arts Promotion Centre (TAIKE). The panel discussion will be moderated by Ruby Gupte, Chairperson for Globe Art Point ry.
If you cannot join us in person, consider watching live streaming of the event on Zoom. The registration link, together with more info about the panel talk, can be found on the event’s Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2077084635772460
Looking forward to meeting you at the panel!
Kind regards,
Tampere Intercultural Art