The City of Helsinki’s Cultural Act Award 2021 has been presented. The winner of the award and recipients of honourable mentions are annually decided by the Culture and Library Sub-committee of the City of Helsinki’s Culture and Leisure Committee. This year, one honourable mention was awarded in addition to the actual award.
The Helsinki Cultural Act Award, worth €5,000, was granted to Maunula-Seura’s Entäs nyt Maunula workgroup. The workgroup created an impressive, influential community theatre performance about the history and present of the district of Maunula and the lives of its inhabitants at various times.
“The project was prepared and implemented by a diverse workgroup of mainly local people working in theatre, music and culture together with residents and enthusiasts. It was presented to approximately 500 residents at Maunula House. This was a great achievement in the midst of difficult restrictions,” says Sirpa Asko-Seljavaara, Chair of the Culture and Library Sub-committee.
The Cultural Act 2021 honourable mention was awarded to Kino Gas, a series of film events produced by the Popup Kino Helsinki workgroup in Suvilahti. During the dark evenings and nights of autumn 2021, the steel gas holder in Suvilahti turned into a multifaceted venue and a full-service outdoor cinema. The Kino Gas cinema attracted a total of more than 2,000 viewers to its 14 screenings.
The award and honourable mention were presented to the winners at the Culture and Leisure Division’s virtual award ceremony on 27 January 2021.
What is the Cultural Act
Award?
The Culture and Library Sub-committee of the City of Helsinki’s Culture and Leisure Committee annually grants the Cultural Act Award to a significant and novel cultural act or project that has an impact on Helsinki or its residents. The cultural act changes or challenges an existing urban space or way of working, or makes you see things in a new way. Whether great or small, the cultural act demonstrates the courage to create something new and different.
The city has been granting the Cultural Act Award annually since 2009. The previous winners are listed here.
For more information, please contact:
Veikko Kunnas, Head of Service, Cultural Services and Support, veikko.kunnas@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program), tel. +358 40 3341 204.