Becoming Alan Wake: The Finnish face of a world-famous video game
When Ilkka Villi arrives at the office in the morning, he promptly suits up in a full-body spandex outfit and gets to work pretending to be an action hero.
Pop, rap, techno and yoik: Festival in the far north of Finland spotlights Sámi music, culture and languages
The annual festival Ijahis Idja (Nightless Night) in the very northern town of Inari showcases modern and traditional music by Sámi Indigenous people. We talk with several performers about their music and heritage.
Food first: Finnish festival cuisine emphasises sustainability and artisanal touches
The recipe for the perfect bite? Sustainable, local ingredients turned into world-class artisanal dishes, served with a smile in a laid-back festival setting.
Visit a scenic Finnish lake essential to the country’s cultural legacy
The shores of one picturesque lake were home to a community of Finland’s most significant artists in the early 1900s – a cultural powerhouse whose legacy and influence is still vibrantly alive.
Urbane renewal: Returning a beloved Helsinki landmark to its original form
We visit a workshop at an undisclosed location where the venerable sculpture Havis Amanda is undergoing a yearlong conservation project. [Update: It returned to its harbourside perch in June 2024 – with a new plan to protect it during major celebrations.]
Finnish composer Esa-Pekka Salonen to receive 2024 Polar Music Prize
Finnish composer and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen will be awarded the 2024 Polar Music Prize on May 21 in Stockholm, Sweden. The second recipient this year is long-time music-industry mainstay Nile Rodgers.