Q
What structures and processes in art institutions do you find necessary to create a mutual, equitable partnership between institutions, curators and artists?
A
The non-profit art organisations in Finland are really small and there’s usually two people working part-time or full-time. This makes the organisation very vulnerable. In order to function properly, the funding for these organisations must be adequate and the workload must be reasonable. This is why lots of organisations are producing less exhibitions than few years ago. Social sustainability has just now become an important part of art work. In addition to the fair organisation staff working conditions, the artists should also be supported and paid for their work. This has now only become a thing in Finland and for example, Photo North has been able to pay exhibition fees from 2021 onwards.
Time is a necessity: time to think, time to discuss, time to process and plan. Openness and transparency are important but also clear division of labour.
Q
When working across cultures and borders, how to best understand and navigate communication processes of art with external artists, curators and collaborators?
Clear plans and clear division of labour are important. Also, the possibility to plan together, have multiple regular online meetings (and keeping notes!) and preferably on-site meetings in person. It is also important that someone from the collaboration takes a clear leading role, otherwise the collaboration will not happen.
Q
What role does solidarity play in the communication of art by oppressed or marginalized artists, and how is it possible to contribute to a more just and inclusive art landscape?
A
In Photo North’s case, Photo North is paying attention in minority and indigenous knowledges of the north. Especially in exhibition concerning northern topics, Photo North has invited sámi artists and is interested in working together with artist from Torneådalen and Kven areas. These prespectives are not included just for the sake of curiosity but come naturally when reflecting topics affecting people and communities in the north.
Q
How can institutions develop their exhibition spaces into places for genuine dialogue?
A
This is something that Photo North is really interested in but don’t have an answer, yet.
The photowalk project is a community based and also community driven project. It’s not aimed only at professional photographers to join but is open to everyone who is interested in observing suburbs of Oulu. Also, the curatorial process has been open to anyone who is interested. It would be great to host projects similarly for our gallery exhibitions, but they usually take twice as time and our organisation’s resources are limited.
Q
How can curators navigate their own positions of power to ensure that artists have a fair voice in the exhibition process?
A
Photo North’s open call exhibitions have been artist-driven and Photo North has worked more like a supportive production partner in these cases. Curated exhibitions are well discussed in advance with the artist and can take several years. Exhibition planning requires several meetings with the artists, and the planning has to start early. The decisions are made and discussed together with the artist: Photo North staff is above all there for the artists!
Q
In what ways can art institutions restructure their curatorial work to create diverse voices?
By inviting visiting curators, by co-curating with art experts from different backgrounds and countries, national collaboration with other similar organisations.
Q
In what ways can curatorial practice and art exhibitions function as spaces for social and political change, leading to dialogue, reflection and change?
A
In Photo North’s case, this is something we have an opportunity the reflect on from 2027 onwards due to the renovation of Cultural Centre Valve. Photo North has decided not the have a permanent exhibition space during the renovating years and will become a nomadic organisation producing and curating few exhibitions per year with centre’s northern partners. What is a photographic centre without its gallery spaces? Photo North will concentrate more on member activites, small pop-up exhibitions, international collaborations and “being present the north”.
Q
To what extent can artists and curators work together to create alternative models of financial support for art, without undermining the independence and creativity of art?
I don’t really have an answer. In Finland, we have been reducing the number of exhibitions and events in order to get by financially but also sustainably from an ecological and social perspectives. It is important to have a financial ability to pay everyone for their work. Our current mentality has been “less is more” however our funders are still measuring the impacts via number of exhibitions, not their quality. Private sponsors (outside foundations giving out grants) are rare in Finland and it’s hard to justify their involvement in exhibition making when all Photo North’s activities are free. We haven’t found a solution for this, however the private patrons will become more important due to funding cuts made by Finnish right-wing government.
Q
How can institutions, curators, artists and exhibition designers contribute to a more social and environmentally sustainable art world through the exhibition production? And how can art institutions use their resources responsibly to minimize environmental impact without compromising the integrity of art?
A
Photo North is located in Oulu, Northern part of Finland where the distances are long. Shipping artworks is expensive and due to our funding, we cannot always choose the most ecological way of shipping artworks, not to mention covering for artist travels in the most ecological manner. However, we encourage slow travel, shared car rides and public transport. Artist fees and paying salaries according to the union recommendations are important. When organizing an open call, we try to think from the artist’s perspective the open call schedules (e.g. if they are linked to national grant funding periods) and ask for basic information and a short project proposal (so the artist does not have to work too much for the application). Most of all, some of the exhibition themes are linked to current topics of the north suggesting a possible environmentally and sustainable world.
Q
How can exhibition design be used to promote critical reflection and different voices?
A
For example, our Oulu2026 project Adaptation https://ouluntaidemuseo.fi/en/exhibition/adaptation/ the exhibition narrative is built in the way that the viewer steps from a more general and vast examples to more individual perspectives, also including indigenous perspectives. The exhibition offers agency and possibilities for change.
About Photo North – Northern Photographic Centre
Photo North – Northern Photographic Centre is a non-profit association specializing in
photographic and lens-based art. The organisation has two exhibition spaces in Cultural Centre Valve, Oulu, Finland. In addition to the association board, the organisation has a full-time executive director and a full-time producer. Lately, through EU funded and similar projects, Photo North has been able to hire a project leader, communication and production assistant and an exhibition technician. In collaboration with the city of Oulu, Photo North also hires an artist for a community-based project.
Similarly to other photographic centres in Finland, Photo North runs an open call but also curates exhibitions. Open call exhibitions are chosen by the exhibition working group comprising of the Photo North board members (mostly photographic artists), Photo North director, and one invited advisory expert from Northern Finland. Photo North has a strong emphasis on the North – either the artists are based in the Northern part of Finland, or their artistic practices are somehow linked to current local or northern topics.
In 2026, Oulu 2026 European Capital of Culture year all the exhibitions are curated by the Photo North staff or invited curators. From 2027 onwards Photo North’s exhibitions are co-curated with other art organisations since Photo North will become a nomadic organisation due to the renovation of Cultural Centre Valve.
Photo North (Pohjoinen valokuvakeskus, Northern Photographic Centre) was established in 1987 as part of the national photographic centre network in Finland. Photo North is the biggest and northernmost photographic centre Finland, originally established by active photographers in the Oulu region with the support of the city of Oulu and the Northern Ostrobothnia region.
The institution is funded by the Arts Promotion Centre in Finland (since 2026 The Finnish Arts and Culture Agency) together with the city of Oulu. This is the core of the basic funding and Photo North has three-year funding agreements with both parties. The exhibition fees are supported by the Finnish Museum Heritage Agency.
In addition, in 2022–2026 organisation has been funded by the private owned Kone Foundation. In 2022–2025 Photo North was part of an EU funded (Creative Europe) international project More-than-Planet. In 2024–2027 Photo North is realizing its Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture Project Adaptation with the support of Oulu Culture Foundations.
Finland has lots of private owned foundations and has been receiving money from foundations such as the Finnish Cultural Foundation and Kone Foundation. Photo North can also apply funding from Nordic funders depending on the project.
Photo North’s exhibitions are accessible: they are free for the audience and open to the public every day from 10-20. Photo North engages with the local audience via open gallery tours, artist discussions, yearly photobook events and similar events. In addition, Photo North runs a participatory, community-based photowalk project that lasts for a year and concludes in a participatory zine and an outdoor exhibition. The connection to the local community is important to the organisation.
Photo North is a part of a national photographic organisation network run by the Finnish Association of Photographic Artists. The networks meets every month to discuss the current topics of Finnish photographic and cultural scene. Photo North is also one of the funding members of the Nordic Photographic Network that plans and organizes international projects together. Photo North is actively initiating international collaboration especially with Northern European partners in Sweden and Norway. The projects are usually residency exchanges, film screenings and touring exhibitions.
Photo North emphasizes “the north” in its artist choices or the project topics. However, the north can be seen as mentality, a project related to the north and northern regions, universal themes linked to the northerness. Sometimes, the projects can reflect on the current and urgent situations in the north but can also have e.g. historical perspectives as well as humorous aspects.
