A major contemporary art biennial in Tampere this summer – artists for Art Realm ’26 announced
Art Realm is a joint initiative of three regional art museums that organizes a contemporary art biennial rotating between different cities. The next biennial, organized by Tampere Art Museum, will open on 13 June 2026. Through an open call, 39 works by nearly 80 artists were selected. The theme of the biennial, TOGETHER, extends from the content and visual language of the artworks to working methods and collaboration with partners.
This summer, Tampere will host a major overview of contemporary art featuring works by nearly 80 artists in the Art Realm biennial. In spring 2025, Tampere Art Museum invited artists who live, work, or otherwise have connections to the regions of Kanta-Häme, Pirkanmaa and Päijät-Häme to apply for participation in Art Realm ’26. The museum received 215 applications from individual artists, artist pairs, and artist groups. Based on these applications, 39 works were selected for the biennial.
The exhibition includes site-specific works, media art, paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, as well as performances and participatory works. The selected works have been created by individual artists, artist pairs, and groups of up to more than 20 artists.
Art Realm challenges and expands the traditional power structures of art museums and curatorial practices. The works were selected by a multidisciplinary jury of 14 members. In addition to representatives from museums and the art field, the jury included six lay members selected through an open call.
Above all, the summer 2026 biennial in Tampere offers a shared opportunity to plan and imagine futures — boldly, freely, and together. The biennial theme TOGETHER extends to the content and forms of the selected works, the artists’ working methods, the visitor experience, and collaboration with partners.
Art realm ’26 will take place in two exhibition venues — the TR1 building in the Finlayson area and Haihara Art Centre — as well as in public urban spaces. In the upcoming biennial, Tampere Art Museum will collaborate with partners including Finlayson Art Area, the Finlayson district, and the City of Tampere’s Cultural Services.
Artists of the Art Realm ’26 biennial by exhibition venue
Finlayson area
Raisa FosterKyllikki HaavistoEeva HonkanenJuhani KoivumäkiMarko LampisuoLaura LappiEeva PeuraInari SandellHanna OinonenPauliina ParjanenPilvi TakalaJirko ViljanenJenny VesiväkiCamilla VuorenmaaArtist pairs
masamiracles: Matti Haaponiemi and Sanna Saastamoinen
Panu Ruotsalo and Helmi RemesArtist groups
MOKA: Senni Aleksandra, Timo Höyssä, Ilai Elias Lehto, Paananen & Ulvila, Sanna Saarreharju and Liisa Tarleena Öhman
Edwina Goldstone and Omapolku community: artists Lasse Rinne, Linnea Meuronen, Sam Laurila, Joonas Mäkinen, Ville Penttilä, Vesa Rimpilä, Eveliina Korlee, Artturi Puskala, Henri Hakala, Joni Jaaskelainen and Daniel Lehtinen. Art instructors Leena Lehti and Tiia Viiltola.
Anna Hyrkkänen, Katri Mononen and Mia Saharla
Hyäryllistä: Jouko Korkeasaari, Sari Koski-Vähälä and Heli Kurunsaari
Haihara Art Centre
Piia RossiJanne LaineJanne RahunenSiina LevonojaRosaliina PaavilainenVilma PimenoffSanni SeppäJari SilomäkiMaria StereoAnni Kristiina TakalaTiina-Liisa/Tisainia
Artist pairs
Helinä Hukkataival ja Ida Sofia FlemingJesse Kitinoja ja Macu MakkonenSirkku Rosi ja Juho KanervoEero Yrjölä ja Aleksi Kolmonen
Artist group
Jan Anderzén and work group (Pauliina Haasjoki, Henriikka Tavi and Sini Silveri)
City space
Janne HokkanenJussi LahtinenIlkka Virtanen
Art Realm
Hämeenlinna Art Museum and Tampere Art Museum have joined forces with the Lahti Museum of Visual Arts Malva to launch Art Realm, a series of biennial exhibitions, which will rotate between venues in Kanta-Häme, Pirkanmaa and Päijät-Häme. The Art Realm forms part of the regional activities undertaken by Hämeenlinna Art Museum (Kanta-Häme), Lahti Museum of Visual Arts Malva (Päijät-Häme) and Tampere Art Museum (Pirkanmaa).
Virpi Nikkari
Chief Curator, Exhibitions
virpi.nikkari@tampere.fi
