Marko Anttila, Technology Cabinet in Kuusisaari, Oulu, 2017 Part of a larger series of 26 works The Hydropower Cultural Heritage (VekuVaku) project and the Northern Opera Company are collaborating to produce the Jokijuhla art project in July 2021 in five locations along the Oulujoki river basin: At Muhos from 1 to 5 July 2021 from 12 to 18 (Pyhäkoski) in Vaala from 7 to 11 July 2021 from 12 to 18 (Jylhämä) in Utajärvi from 12 to 16 July 2021 from 12 to 18 (Utanen) in Kajaani from 17 to 21 July 2021 (Ämmäkoski) in Oulu from 23 to 27 July 2021 (Merikoski) Jokijuhla offers young people over the age of 15 free workshops in sound and visual arts and guidance for overall artistic work. The works of the workshops together form a whole that can be seen by the public after the workshop in the vicinity of the power plants. The works are based on the stories collected by the VekuVaku project - VekuVaku > Stories. The final stages of the work will be streamed. In addition, the Jokijuhla festival will produce independent audiovisual works documenting the progress of work and themes. The video works will be published later in the autumn on the VekuVaku project's website. The artists of the Jokijuhla are street artist Marko Anttila, sound designer-musician Joona Hiltunen , video artist Tuomo Kangasmaa and dramaturgi-producer Jenni Kinnunen. The workshops include both guided and independent work, mainly outdoors. There's still room! Registrations and more information from Jenni Kinnunen, Whatsapp/Tel. 040 7567865. The VekuVaku project is part of the EU's Interreg North programme and its workshops are also part of the European Cultural Environment Days. #vekuvaku #Northern Ostrobothnia #kainuu #interregnord #nocpok #europeanheritagedays

The new www.vekuvaku.eu website tells about the hydropower architecture of the Oulujoki river basin and the Luleå river, records memories of the times when rivers were harnessed and power plant villages flourished, and describes the traditional brook mills in Kainuu. The site draws an overall picture of the extensive power plant complex in the Oulujoki river basin and its construction in the middle of the wilderness. The site contains basic information about the 16 power plants and their residential areas in the Oulujoki river basin. Numerous images open up new perspectives on modern industrial architecture and modified landscapes. On the site you can read the stories of the inhabitants of the river banks, power plant builders and those who grew up in power plant villages. The site also has room for new stories. Tell us your story via the story form on the website. You can send us your story even if you don't want it published on the website. All stories are welcome and published in cooperation with the consent of the narrator. The site is part of the Hydropower Cultural Heritage (VekuVaku) project, which highlights hydropower plants and their communities as cultural heritage and a diverse resource. The aim is that through cross-border cooperation, the cultural heritage of power plant construction in northern rivers will be clarified, promoted and the identity of local communities strengthened. The project is funded by the Interreg North programme.