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With Artists Talking, we hope to build an open, intercultural space where Finnish and non-Finnish artists and audiences have an opportunity to reflect on their work and artistic lives in public. The talks will allow artists and audiences to meet, learn from one another, and deepen mutual contact.  In a more profound sense, the idea is to create fruitful spontaneous encounters through artistic diversity.

- Alexander Komlosi, Artistic Director & Host

In this blog, you’ll find the most recent updates about the Artists Talking project, including:

  • Teasers for each event.
  • Focused bios of our team – artists, host, and staff.
  • Pho­tos and high­lights of past events.
  • Links to pod­cast episodes of each event.
  • Oth­er stim­u­lat­ing information.

For detailed info about the project, including program, participants, schedule, and how to make reservations, please check out the Artists Talking page here.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT HERE

Special thanks to the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland and the Arts Council Finland (Taike), as well as support from Culture Current, its members and supporting members. And thanks to Yö Ry our partner on this project.

ALSO CHECK OUT "HISTORIC" BLOG POSTS FROM OUR OPENINGS PROJECT BELOW

ARTISTS TALKING: CHARLOTTA KERBS

Charlotta Kerbs is a singer, composer and music educator. She is deeply rooted in soul, jazz and folk, but is renowned for her versatility and seamless moving between musical cultures and genres. She is based in the countryside of Ostrobothnia,...

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Artists talking: Meri Helmi Särkkä

Meri Helmi Särkkä (Formerly known as Mariam Haji) is a Bahraini multi-disciplinary fine artist who currently lives and works in Porvoo, Finland. She works with different mediums ranging from drawing and painting to video and performance. In 2021, Mariam represented...

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Artists Talking: Mikhail Durnenkov

Mikhail is a playwright and screenwriter well-known in Russia and abroad and based in Helsinki since March 2022. He began writing for theatre in 2000, and has been working professionally in this field since 2003. He is a member of the “New Drama” movement of...

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Artists talking — MARCH 4th, 2023

Thank you to all who participated in our fruitful premiere event of Artists Talking last Saturday! It was a pleasant evening of engaging conversations - while the microphones were on as well as when they were off. Our exemplary guest artist was Jenni-Elina von...

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Artists talking: Premiere guest — Jenni-Elina von Bagh

Jenni-Elina von Bagh is a choreographer and performer based in Finland. In her work, she is interested in resonating with timely philosophical themes, concepts, vibrations, and tunings of world, and translating these into the context of art and performance. She...

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OPENINGS — MEET THE WORKSHOP WORKING GROUP: Malin KIVELÄ

Malin Kivelä is a writer from Helsinki. She has published several novels, children's books and plays. She has studied journalism and acting and likes to dance, read and watch tv. Interviewer: Diego Ginartes. Interview © 2022 Kulttuuriyhdistys Culture Current...

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OPENINGS — MEET THE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS: CARL ARM

Carl studied at the Theatre Academy of Finland. Since his graduation in 2010 he has worked extensively within the performing arts field both in Finland and internationally. In Openings he is very much enjoying the creative and respectful atmosphere everyone is...

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OPENINGS — MEET THE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS: WILLIAM RIVERA

William is originally from Colombia, but for the last 13 years of his life, he has been living in Finland. His main expertise has been in the area of program/project management which has taken place in the area of development cooperation and humanitarian aid within...

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OPENINGS — MEET THE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS: SARAH PUUKKA

Sarah Puukka is a Danish-Finnish actor and writing enthusiast based in Helsinki. She holds a master's degree in Nordic Literature where her main interest has been in the links between existential philosophy and literature. She has studied...

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Openings Workshop: Final open session

After three months of developing creative relationships and performance situations through dramatic play and (Inter)acting with the Inner Partner, the Openings workshop final open session will be on May 25, 2022 at 7PM at Esitystaiteen keskus in Helsinki, Finland....

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OPENINGS — MEET THE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS: JENINE SIMONS

Jenine is a singing and improvisational theater-enthusiast, as well as a medical doctor.  She studied and completed her medical residency in the UK. After moving to Finland, Jenine embarked on a transformational journey of exploring drama-, art- and...

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OPENINGS — MEET THE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS: HANNA IJÄS

Hanna Ijäs is a visual artist and a performer currently based in Helsinki. She has a degree in Fine Arts from the Royal Academy of Arts, The Hague (NL) where she lived and worked before recently returning to Finland. Ijäs mainly works with text, performance and...

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OPENINGS — MEET THE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS: Maria Ga’tsal

Maria Ga'tsal is a Mexican-Spanish actress, dancer, and movement artist. Maria did her bachelor's degree in acting in California and matured professionally as a dancer and movement artist in Germany and the Netherlands. She has experience on stage and behind the...

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OPENINGS — Meet the workshop Participants: INGRID ANDRÉ

Our second interview is with Ingrid André Ingrid is a Belgian artist based in Helsinki. She works across dance, visual arts, and psycho-somatic practices. After her dance studies, she worked as a contemporary dancer for Skånes Dansteater Malmö, Philipp Egli Zürich,...

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OPENINGS — Meet the workshop Participants: SARA PALMER

As part of the Openings process, we're interviewing all our participants in order to open up who they are, why they've joined the workshop, and what the process is giving them. Our first interview is with Sara Palmer. Sara is an improviser, actor, writer, and...

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OPENINGS — REFLECTIONS

Week 4 Posted March 30, 2022 Week 4 was the last of an intensive introduction to (Inter)acting with the Inner Partner (aka IwIP).   In this blog post, we’ll read reflections from Openings participants about what has changed in their IwIP over those introductory...

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OPENINGS — REFLECTIONS

Week 3 Posted March 25, 2022 We’re one week behind on our blog entries due to illness, but we’re catching up.  Today we have a longer, two-part blog entry. Our blog entry for week 4 will be published next week. Part One includes reflections from working group...

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OPENINGS — REFLECTIONS

Week 2 Posted March 21, 2022 My apologies for the delay in posting week two’s blog entry.  This was caused by my falling ill on Friday of week two.  I’m now back in action. In this blog entry, I’ll reflect on our work during week two. Before I do, a brief...

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OPENINGS — REFLECTIONS

Week 1 Posted March 4, 2022 My first thoughts are how lovely it is that we can finally begin after so much preparation! It's been years, actually, considering all the applications for funding and the delays caused by the big "C" virus. It threw a spanner in the...

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