27.10.2025
Cultural Bank opens in Northern Ostrobothnia
The new free-of-charge and nationwide operating Cultural Bank will open in Northern Ostrobothnia and Oulu. Culture Bank is an online platform that brings together art and culture professionals and their services in one place and where they can be easily found and ordered for customers in need of cultural services.
The aim of the Cultural Bank is to increase the earning opportunities of professional artists and cultural creators. For subscribers, it offers an easy way to find and acquire cultural services for their own purposes – for example, performances, workshops and various professional services. On the other hand, physical works, such as paintings, cannot be offered through the Cultural Bank.
In Northern Ostrobothnia, the Cultural Bank together pays for and enables the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia and the City of Oulu's cultural and cultural services. The Cultural Bank is an investment in the Oulu2026 Capital of Culture year and its core objective, cultural climate change. All parties are invited to visit the Cultural Bank and order art and services for their own purposes. Oulu 2026 Capital of Culture is a great time to do so. The Cultural Bank is a concrete act for cultural climate change.
Artists applied to the Cultural Bank
The Cultural Bank, which is in the opening phase, is currently looking for authors and commissioned content from the entire region of Northern Ostrobothnia. The authors can be professional artists, cultural and art associations and communities, as well as art institutions and companies. Registration takes place at Kulttuuripankki.fi. Authors and their services are approved on the basis of commonly agreed criteria to ensure quality and reliability.
Any person or entity in need of cultural or artistic services can register as a subscriber. The information of the subscribers will not be publicly visible in the Cultural Bank.
Information session on the Cultural Bank
An information session on the activities of the Cultural Bank of Northern Ostrobothnia will be held on 19 November 2025 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The event introduces the service, its use and registration. You can easily join Teams remotely, where the participation link can be found the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region.
The event is aimed at all potential customers of the Cultural Bank, media representatives and other interested parties. You can also order your own presentation for your organisation or customers at a time to be agreed upon.
Additional information
Northern Ostrobothnia region:
Auli Suorsa, Specialist in Culture, Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, auli.suorsa(at)pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi, tel. +358 50 386 8443
Leena Pälli, Senior Specialist, City of Oulu, leena.palli(at)ouka.fi.
Nationally:
Karoliina Leisti, Project Manager, City of Tampere Educational Services and Culture, karoliina.leisti(at) tampere.fi, tel. +358 40 723 5189
The Cultural Bank is a free online service jointly maintained by 15 counties. It brings together professional artists and cultural creators, as well as the on-demand services they offer, on a single online platform. Currently, it is possible to register for the service from the following counties: Pirkanmaa, Åland, South Karelia, South Ostrobothnia, South Savo, Kanta-Häme, Kymenlaakso, Ostrobothnia, North Karelia, North Ostrobothnia, Päijät-Häme, Satakunta and Southwest Finland. Registration in Uusimaa will gradually open in different municipalities during the autumn. The opening of the Culture Bank in North Savo will be announced separately later.
