The Association of Finnish Children’s Cultural Centres has changed its name to the Association of Children’s Culture in Finland. The name change is motivated by the desire to strengthen the visibility of the children’s culture sector, increase its impact, and promote children’s cultural rights. The new name reflects the aim of the association to bring together the actors in children’s culture more closely and to create a strong common voice for the sector.
Strengthening the Role of Finnish Children’s Arts and Culture
The Association of Finnish Children’s Cultural Centres has changed its name to the Association of Children’s Culture in Finland. Established ten years ago, the association originally grew out of the Taikalamppu (Magic Lamp) network. Over the past 20 years, this collaborative network of practitioners of children’s arts and culture has grown into a nationwide association safeguarding the status and visibility of children’s arts and culture. Its mission is to promote children’s well-being, secure their cultural rights, and develop accessible children’s arts and culture—a mission that is increasingly significant.
However, during the association’s ten-year history, both the world and the field of children’s arts and culture have undergone significant change. Influencing policies related to children’s arts and culture has become increasingly important. Promoting accessible, high-quality children’s arts and culture requires ensuring the sector’s operating conditions, which calls for greater collaboration and determination.
“Now that winds of change are blowing across the cultural and artistic sectors, ensuring access to cultural and artistic experiences for all children and young people has become even more critical. The association’s new name reflects our strengthened role in advancing children’s arts and culture. We want Finland to take pride in its cultural heritage,” says Aleksi Valta, Executive Director of the association.
“This name change bolsters our capacity for influencing change,” adds Kaisa Kettunen, Vice Chair of the association’s board and Cultural Manager for Children and Youth in Vantaa.
Children and Their Culture Are at the Core of Our Work
The new name, The Association of Children’s Culture in Finland, demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that children and their culture remain at the core of our work. Ensuring children’s cultural rights and opportunities is our foremost goal. Artistic and cultural experiences must be an integral part of children’s lives, whether through hobbies, early childhood education, or school.
Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child guarantees children the right to freely participate in cultural and artistic life. The Association of Children’s Culture in Finland works to safeguard this right and to create the conditions necessary for its realisation.
We Influence Nationwide as an Expert Network
The name change is expected to increase the association’s membership base, strengthening its ability to influence the field of children’s arts and culture. A growing membership will bring more expertise and visibility, creating new opportunities to enhance the resources and skills available across the sector.
The criteria for membership remain the same: members are required to follow the principles outlined in the Children’s Culture Quality Handbook. This ensures that the quality and professionalism of activities are upheld across the network.
Members of the expert network will continue to offer diverse, multilingual, and multi-artistic cultural services for children throughout Finland. Being part of the network also strengthens members’ capacity to influence and act effectively within the children’s culture field.
