European Heritage Days invites to explore arts and entertainment from the Baltic Sea to the Arctic Circle
Let yourself be exposed – stop – feel – appreciate
What kind of art makes you stop? What kind of entertainment makes you think? What makes you smile, laugh and feel? What brings a story to life and creates emotions? During 2019, emotional experiences will inspire us and lift us above the mundane, as Finland will celebrate the European Heritage Days with the theme ‘Exploring Arts and Entertainment’. By this theme we will also highlight the doing and experiencing of art, different forms of entertainment, and user perspectives. The spaces where experiences and emotions are created are also important.
The main events of the European Heritage Days are on 2–8 September 2019, but various kinds of events can be organised at any time. Throughout the year you can attend an event, organise one, celebrate on your own, and encourage children and the young to join the Heritage Makers experience in the spring.
Arts and entertainment unite Europe and its heritage
European Heritage Days are celebrated every autumn in 50 countries across Europe, with more than 30 million people participating in the around 80,000 events!
The theme, in 2019 Arts and Entertainment, is the same for all European countries. Arts and entertainment unite Europe in many ways. During the year the people of Europe will experience circus art, theatre, literature, cinema and visual arts. Music will play and dance will carry you away as citizens all over Europe enjoy arts and entertainment at cinemas, museums, parks, concert halls and various kinds of festivals.
In Finland you may celebrate privately or together with lots of people
Every year 300 to 500 European Heritage Days events are held in Finland, including open house events, guided tours, workshops, village and block parties and excursions. Museums, theatres, libraries, art and culture societies, youth and recreation organisations and other associations – all those who are interested are invited to hold events to celebrate the European Heritage Days.
Suitable venues for such events - spaces to explore arts and entertainment - vary from art museums to theatres, culture houses to clubs, concert halls to centres of entertainment and recreation. An interesting venue may be found close to your home. Among spaces to explore arts and entertainment are also club and youth houses, schools, streets and parks.
Besides Finland’s calendar at www.kulttuuriymparistopaivat.fi, the events attract European-wide attention on the international website www.europeanheritagedays.com.
Children and young people in focus – become a European Heritage Maker!
Finland has been delighted to see how popular the Heritage Makers concept has become in different parts of Europe. We are particularly happy that next year the model, designed and launched together with education professionals, will again spread to new countries and become an established part of the European Heritage Days.
The Heritage Makers is a storytelling experience designed in Finland to inspire children and young people to explore their immediate surroundings and cultural heritage. In 2018, the project was extended to the whole of Europe by inviting all under 18-year-olds to participate by sharing a photo and a story from close to their home. The concept encourages children and the young to observe, explore and analyse their immediate surroundings and, through this, to get involved and influence its development and cultural renewal.
In Finland the European Heritage Days and Heritage Makers are coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment, Finnish Local Heritage Federation, Finnish Heritage Agency, Finnish National Agency for Education and Association of Cultural Heritage Education in Finland.
Inquiries:
The Finnish Local Heritage Federation: Liisa Lohtander, Organization Manager, [email protected], +358 45 1509 109
The Finnish Local Heritage Federation: Jonina Vaahtolammi, Coordinator, [email protected], +358 9 612 63229
Ministry of the Environment: Hanna Hamalainen, Planning Officer, [email protected], +358 295 250 095