Combining water, light and physical comedy, Pipes & Hoses is an exceptional stage work, bringing 2,000 litres of water to Stoa’s stage in a shallow water basin. On average, a Finn uses almost 4,000 litres of water per day, including hidden water. The work underlines the importance of people’s everyday actions in relation to water as a dwindling natural resource.
The work is well suited as the highlight of Stoa’s anniversary week, as climate and environmental issues play a central role in Stoa, and major effort has been put into environmental education, for example, in recent years. Art education groups spread out to the local nature, and the environmental theme is an integral part of the contents of the cultural centre, such as the One Ball Visions exhibition, which ended in September.
In addition to Pipes & Hoses, Stoa’s anniversary week will feature, among other things, coffee with cake open to everyone, the release of a communal light artwork and a free show at the popular Itäkuskus stand up club. A nostalgic phone booth has also been erected at the Cultural Centre, where you can listen to stories about Stoa over the past decades in the form of an audio piece made by young people.
The oldest of Helsinki’s cultural centres
Stoa, which now turns forty, is the oldest of Helsinki’s regional cultural centres. The foundation stone of the building, which was designed by Björn Krogius and Veli-Pekka Tuominen, was laid on Shrove Tuesday in 1983, and the building was completed in October 1984 under the name Itäkeskus community centre. Subsequently, the name was changed to Stoa according to the cobalt blue Stoa sculpture by Hannu Sirén, which was set beside the cultural centre in 1984.
Cultural Centre Stoa is home to cultural services, Itäkeskus Library, Kipinä Youth Activity House, Finnish Adult Education Centre and Swedish Adult Education Centre Arbis.
“Stoa’s activities have changed and developed over the years together with the surrounding community, but its core, the accessibility of art and culture for everyone, has remained unchanged,” says Stoa's Director Antti Sarpo.
Stoa the most attractive place to spend time in Eastern Helsinki
Eastern Helsinki is an interesting area on a Finnish scale, with a rapidly diversifying population. More than 40% of the residents of Itäkeskus already speak something other than Finnish, Swedish or Sami as their mother tongue. The number of inhabitants will also increase significantly in the coming years, and new apartments are planned for 12,000 Helsinki residents right next to Stoa.
The festival year offers an opportunity to reflect on the importance of Stoa as the new centre of Eastern Helsinki. A major renovation and expansion project will begin in Stoa in 2028, which will multiply Stoa’s premises by 1.5 times. At the same time, the cultural centre’s services will be redesigned. City residents have been involved in the brainstorming and planning of the renewing Stoa. It is hoped that the Stoa of the future will be the most attractive place to spend time in Eastern Helsinki, where you can meet others with diverse cultures and a neighbour-friendly team spirit, enjoy a diverse cultural offering, engage in hobbies, hang out and learn new things.
“I would like more of our content to be created by the different communities in the area. In the future, Stoa will increasingly be a cultural centre that looks like its area and a common living room for the residents,” Sarpo envisions.
Picks from the Stoa 40! anniversary week:
Birthday party, programme: coffee with cake, opening of the What’s up Stoa? audio work and the Mythical Landscape light artwork and performance of Stoa’s international choir.
Thu 24 October 4 pm – 6 pm. Admission is free.
Itäkuskus stand-up club
Friday 25 October at 7 pm Admission is free.
MimoArt Company: Pipes & Hoses
Premiere Sat 26 October at 7 pm. Other showtimes: Sun 27 October at 3 pm, Tue 29 October at 7 pm and Wed 30 October at 7 pm. Tickets: €28/18/11.
Brunch under Stoa's roof
Sat 26 October 12 noon – 3 pm. Free entry, pre-registration required.
Kauhua kakaroille kids’ Halloween event
Saturday 2 November 4 pm – 7 pm. Admission is free.
