Art Mobs showcased in public places in Espoo
During August, the days of Espoo residents are brightened by surprising art experiences brought by professional artists to public places. The programme includes a participatory performing arts event that showcases the will for peace, puppet theatre and a pole dance performance.
The Future Stories concept, which is built around sustainable development themes, is now being held for the fourth time. As in the previous year, the concept includes Art Mobs across the city. This year’s theme is building peace and hope.
The selected works will enrich the urban environment, while highlighting topical issues and providing artists with greater visibility. Professional artists were selected through an open call in the spring. The Art Mobs are organised by the City of Espoo’s Cultural Venues and Services in cooperation with selected artists.
Rauhanliikekannallepano, inspired by “the Baltic Chain”
Rauhanliikekannallepano (Peace Mobilisation) is a new participatory performing arts project implemented by the Toisissa tiloissa collective in 2026, which aims to inspire a desire for peace among citizens and strengthen the sense of solidarity in a time of global political instability. The performance will be seen on Espoo Day on Saturday 29 August.
According to Hanna Romo, producer of the Toisissa tiloissa collective, “mobilisation” usually refers to a set of measures that prepare a nation for battle, but the mobilisation of the Toisissa tiloissa collective does the opposite: it prepares for peace together. In the event, a large number of participants will create collective “peace movements” together with the artists of the group.
"This time, the theme of Future Stories was a perfect fit for us. We also feel it is important to be able to show our performances to Espoo residents – this is a special performance event. We think that peace is not created just by being calm or doing nothing. We must keep inventing the state of peace, both alone and together", Romo says.
According to Romo, the current world situation has been a background inspiration for the founding member of the collective, performance artist and philosopher Esa Kirkkopelto, together with past peace movements.
"An example of a past peace movement is “the Baltic Chain”, a demonstration in 1989 for the restoration of the independence of the Baltic countries. It involved approximately two million people holding hands, forming a 600 km human chain from Tallinn to Vilnius through Riga."
According to Romo, the performance in Espoo is a communal and playful event in which the audience can also participate if they wish. It combines features of military manoeuvres, mass demonstrations and the happening tradition of the last century.
Toisissa tiloissa is a Helsinki-based performing arts collective that has been active since 2004. Read more about the Toisissa tiloissa collective(external link, opens in a new window).
Several Art Mobs around the city
The Future Stories’ Art Mobs will feature a total of 13 Art Mob implementers on different days around Espoo. In addition to the Rauhanliikekannallepano (Peace Mobilisation), the days of late summer in the city are brightened by, for example, the participatory performance Vieraslaji (Alien Species), in which the artist plays an alien species that has appeared in Finland as a result of climate change. The puppet-theatre performance Penkki (The Bench), on the other hand, takes the audience to a public bench. Spa Lounge is a small waiting room for the whole family, where you can stop and feel good. Madame T. welcomes guests into her surprising yet safe gaming den, and Radicalis 1.0 is a site-specific pole dance performance in which a greenhouse-like tent has been built around the pole.
More detailed information will be updated on the Future Stories website at: espoo.fi/en/future-stories
Implementers of the 2026 Art Mobs:
Vieraslaji (Alien Species) – Other Nature art series(external link, opens in a new window)
Penkki (The Bench) – TeatteriQo(external link, opens in a new window)
Teetä ja biisejä (Tea and Tunes) – Katri O(external link, opens in a new window)
Toivo asuu täällä (Hope Lives Here) – Sananhaltija(external link, opens in a new window)
Spa Lounge – Nuppuensemble(external link, opens in a new window)
Lähettiläs – Viestejä toivosta ja rauhasta (The Messenger – Messages of Hope and Peace) – Mammu Rauhala(external link, opens in a new window)
Madame T: Pelissä elämä (Let´s spin the Fortune Wheel with Madame T!) – Taina Mäki-Iso(external link, opens in a new window)
Radicalis 1.0 – Noora Juppi(external link, opens in a new window)
Vastavoima (Counterforce) – Kollektiivi Säie(external link, opens in a new window)
Seuraava pysäkki: Tulevaisuus (Next Stop: The Future) – Saara Malmström(external link, opens in a new window)
Rauhanliikekannallepano (Peace Mobilisation) – Toisissa tiloissa collective(external link, opens in a new window)
Just Stop – React Public Performances(external link, opens in a new window)
Fillaripianisti (The Cycling Pianist) – Fillaripiano(external link, opens in a new window)