What is my relationship in cooperation with nature? What does home mean to me? How can emotions be handled and expressed through art? How can art increase the participation of local residents?  Could art be part of our daily lives? What is art? Can anyone make art?  Could art be used as a means of development? For example, these questions were considered and the answers to them were sought in the recently completed Culture Cell project and its art pilots. In 2023, six art pilots were carried out in Northern Ostrobothnia to meet the development needs of municipalities. They had a total of 97 workshops and produced 29 artworks and events. The pilots were carried out by 17 artists and nearly 3,000 local residents participated. Videos were also made for each pilot. All the results of this extensive work have now been compiled into a development story using a story map. You can find it here: Take a comfortable position, click on the map and get to know Northern Ostrobothnia in a new way! In the development story, you can read a great speech by Katja Koskela at the artwork's publicity event in Pyhänä, of which here is a small sample: For a small town, art is very important. It is open to all ages. There was no age limit for this mosaic work either, everyone was welcome to do it. I immediately noticed how such a joint project united us citizens." The other results of the Cultural Foundation project and the final report can be found on the website of the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region: The Culture Cell project - Regional Assembly of Oulu Region We would like to thank all the municipal cultural managers, artists, other partners and local residents who participated in the pilots.   The sum of its parts in the art pilot was used in art workshops to create wall mosaic works on topics selected by local residents. Here's a blueberry piece for Vihanni's youth space in Raahe. Artists Jenny Grönholm and Jass Kaselaan were responsible for the art pilot. Photo by Auli Suorsa.   During 2022- 2/2024, the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region implemented a regional development task under the Act on Cultural Activities in Municipalities through the project Cultural Cell, Cooperation and Impact in ​ Cultural Services. The project was funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture. More information about the project: Culture Cell project's social media channels Facebook and Instagram Auli Suorsa, Cultural Affairs Specialist and Project Manager, tel. +358 50 3868443 e-mail: firstname.lastname@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi  

During the autumn of 2023, artists Sinikka Eirola and Tiina Vehkaperä, together in cooperation with local residents, put together works of art in five municipalities. The material was metal recyclables, i.e. crooks, which got a new life as everyday treasures in the works. The works and their preparation process can be viewed in a published video on the Youtube channel of the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region: All around: Communal art on yards and paths (youtube.com) The works located in Hailuoto, Alavieska, Pyhäjoki, Sievi and Kalajoki are now peeking out of the snow in winter, waiting for the arrival of spring and further work. “These works of art are nice because they are never quite finished. You can continue to work on them alone or together by adding new nozzles according to your own mind. The works are transformed over time, both by the weather and by the art activity of the local residents," says Sinikka Eirola. Works made from blankets were assembled in community art workshops. in cooperation with the same theme, we want to continue and return to the works over and over again, together and separately. ‘The work in the church park in Pyhäjoki attracted a great deal of interest already at the time of its creation. The idea is to continue to accentuate it, for example, on local days. I already have a bag full of old keys, which I'm sure will find their place among the other bad guys. At the same time, keys and other objects can inspire local stories about places, events and memories that are important to Pyhäjoki residents," says Heikki Lahnaoja, Director of Library and Culture at Pyhäjoki.  Works are encouraged to take initiative, as long as the nozzles are firmly fixed in place. The locations of the works are: - in Alavieska, a park area near the parish building (Papinpolku 1), - in Sievi, Villenjärvi beach (Rantatie 2), - in Kalajoki, Jokipuisto park next to the town hall (Kalajoentie 5), - in Pyhäjoki, a church park (Vanhatie 27), - in Hailuoto, a path leading to the yard of an old school (Luovontie 61 A). Around the world – Art for yards and paths, the art pilot was part of the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region’s Culture Cell – Collaboration and impact on cultural services project. It implements the regional development of culture in Northern Ostrobothnia. The project is funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture. Additional information: Artist Sinikka Eirola, Cultural Regional Regional Assembly Vimma tel. 0442823833, sinikka.eirola@gmail.com Project Manager Auli Suorsa, Regional Assembly of Oulu Region tel. +358 50 386 8443, auli.suorsa@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi Presentation of art pilots Art Pilots - (pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi) Presentation of the Cultural Cell project Cultural Cell - project - (pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi Facebook, Instagram - Alavieska's community artwork got its shape on an old tree trunk (photo by Sinikka Eirola). - Artists Sinikka Eirola and Tiina Vehkaperä in their work in Alavieska (photo by Auli Suorsa). - In Hailuoto, a community art work works…

During the past summer and autumn in Raahe, Siikajoki, Ylivieska, Reisjärvi, Pyhänä and Pyhäjärvi, the local residents have worked hard in workshops, barning mosaic pieces for the work of art. Now these spectacular nature-themed wall mosaics are ready and hung in place in each municipality for everyone to admire. Together, the works form a magnificent whole of six works, the sum of their parts. The wall mosaic artworks were designed and executed by visual artist Jenny Grönholm and sculptor Jass Kaselaan. They brainstormed the contents of the art workshops and the themes of the works, from which the residents were allowed to vote the most pleasing of themselves. In the workshops, the works were laid under the guidance of the artists. One of the goals of the workshops and the whole art pilot was to get people to join the art scene. “The barn shops had nice encounters and people were enthusiastically involved in the work. People are clearly interested in art and doing it” says Jenny Grönholm. “We are very pleased that the pilot brought such magnificent works of art to the municipalities. Selected by local residents themselves and made together in cooperation with artists’, says Tuula Kuoppamäki, Director of Library and Culture at Siikajoki. The whitefish work was hung a week ago in the lobby of the new multipurpose building in Paavola. The work has been admired a little longer in Ylivieska, where the colorful lady butterfly greets in the swimming hall. “The feedback on the work and the art pilot as a whole has been very positive. There is a clear demand for high-quality community art", says Janne Raudaskoski, Director of Culture at Ylivieska. The themes and locations of all six works are as follows: Neitoperhonen Ylivieska swimming hall lobby (Närhitie 2 Ylivieska) Siika Paavola multi-family house Siikajoki (Koulutie 2 B Siikajoki) Ulpukka Pyhäjärvi swimming hall (Tunturitie 2 Pyhäsalmi) Hilla Pyhänä library (Manuntien 4 Pyhätä) Suopursu Reisjärvi social and health centre (Savikontie 3 Reisjärvi) The works and their production process are described in a video published on the Youtube channel of the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region. The art pilot was part of the Cultural Cells project coordinated by the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region and funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The project implements a regional cultural development task in Northern Ostrobothnia. Additional information: Regional Assembly of Oulu Region: Auli Suorsa, Senior Specialist, Project Manager, +358 50 386 8443 Artists Jenny Grönholm and Jass Kaselaan: jenny@gmail.com and jass.kaselaan@gmail.com Cultural Cell project Cultural Cell project - (pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi) All art pilots from the website of the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region. Facebook and Instagram #Cultural cell  

The events in November were carried out in the municipalities of the lake as follows: 4.11. At the Tyrnävä Leather Factory. 15.11. In Kempele on the Vihiluoto nature trail. 18.11. In Liminka, in the Arboretum of Alakestilä. 25.11. In the Shadow of the Snow River. You can now give feedback on events and also share ideas for planning future events. Marrastulet will also be organised in 2024 as an activity of the municipalities themselves! Please leave your feedback by 31 December 2023 via this link: https://link.webropolsurveys.com/S/29E5B6BCA9D6782D Book prizes will be drawn between participants and those who have left their contact details. Marrastulet was implemented by the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region's Cultural Cell - Collaboration and impact on the cultural services of municipalities as an art pilot for the project. Further information: Project Manager Auli Suorsa (auli.suorsa@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi).