The Association of Finnish Children’s Cultural Centres
The Association of Finnish Children’s Cultural Centres was established in spring 2015 in Espoo, Finland. The founding members consisted of fourteen children’s cultural centres from around Finland. The Association is rooted in the network of children’s cultural centres that began in 2003 when the Ministry of Education and Culture established the Taikalamppu (Magic lamp) network.
Today, the Association of Finnish Children’s Cultural Centres includes 37 children’s cultural centres from across Finland. The Association is bilingual and operates in Finnish and Swedish.
Working together for children’s arts and culture
The Association of Finnish Children’s Cultural Centres promotes the operations of professional cultural centres for children and young people in Finland. The association advocates competence in children’s arts and culture and its visibility nationwide. The cultural centres for children have a long tradition of networking and mutual support. Since the early days of networking, the centre practitioners have met to exchange ideas and develop cooperation in the field of children’s arts and culture nationwide.
Members exchange ideas and cooperate nationally through thematic groups (such as the exhibitions thematic group and cultural heritage thematic group) and through the Association’s working groups (such as the communications working group and membership working group). Further information on the thematic and working groups can be found on the Association’s Finnish language webpages Työ- ja teemaryhmät. Members are also invited to participate in monthly meetings to discuss ideas and current topics.
The Association creates international projects together with its member centres and other agents. Further information on international projects and their operating models can be found here: International cooperation.
Social influence
The Association of Finnish Children’s Cultural Centres carries out research and presents proposals, gives expert opinions and recommendations and provides expert assistance in issues relating to children’s arts and culture. The Association is involved in a variety of projects as an expert, cooperation partner, or principal lead partner. It promotes access to children’s arts and culture and the cultural rights of children and young people.
The Association’s Strategy 2022-24
The Association’s operations are guided by the strategy approved by its members. The Association’s strategic values include quality, equality, a child-centred approach, and art.
Strategic priorities
- Influencing the status and visibility of children’s culture in Finland
- Promote equal cultural education and the practice of arts and culture
- Strengthening children’s inclusion, cultural well-being and sustainable development
- Enabling an effective and nationwide network of experts
VISION: Children’s right to culture and art is realised.
MISSION: We promote quality in children’s arts and culture, safeguard the interests of the sector and coordinate national cooperation.
Values
The Association’s goals for 2025
Children’s arts and culture have a visible and influential role in society. Participation in arts and culture is widely recognised in society as an equal right for children and young people. Arts and cultural experiences are a valued and tangible part of children’s and young people’s lives and are present at every stage of their education from preschool to secondary school. Every child and young person has the opportunity to participate in high-quality artistic and cultural activities of their choice and to generate their own artistic content.
Photo: at the Annual Children’s Culture Forum in autumn 2022, Aleksi Valta, Executive Director of the Finnish Association of Children’s Culture Centres, and board members Päivi Venäläinen (Art Centre for Children and Young People) and Sanna Pajunen-Kyynäräinen (City of Pori, Kruunupää Children’s Culture Centre).
