Oulu2026 Boosts Tourism as Björk, Art and Technology Lead the European Capital of Culture Year’s Finale

The Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture programme has attracted visitors to northern Finland and contributed to strong tourism growth. According to Visit Oulu statistics, Oulu recorded nearly 475,000 registered overnight stays between January and August 2026, an increase of 12 per cent year on year. International overnight stays rose by 21 per cent to more than 96,600, while domestic overnight stays increased by 9 per cent. The trend continued in August, when international overnight stays grew by almost 29 per cent year on year.

Hundreds of events combining art, technology, science, music, theatre and sport continue throughout the final months of 2026.

“The programme’s diversity is clearest in the final months. There is something for culture enthusiasts and families alike, with experiences that cannot be found anywhere else. If ever there was a time to visit Oulu, it is now,” says Samu Forsblom, Programme Director of Oulu2026.

A major highlight is the Lumo Art & Tech Festival, taking place across Oulu from 13 to 22 November. Icelandic artist Björk will present three audiovisual installations: Ancestress and Sorrowful Soil, first exhibited in Reykjavík earlier this year, and Björk Orkestral. She will also perform a DJ set on 15 November.

Across 16 venues and outdoor locations, the festival presents immersive exhibitions, light, sound and media art, performances and talks. It builds on Oulu’s history as a technology centre and its status as a UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts.

Opening on 9 October, the new Tiima museum and science centre features VISIO, an interactive experience space taking visitors from outer space and the Northern Lights to digital art.

Other highlights include Beyond the Sky, a world-premiere production combining cosmic imagery by Oulu-based astrophotographer Jukka-Pekka Metsävainio with music by Finnish composer Lauri Porra, the great-grandson of Jean Sibelius. Oulu Sinfonia, soloists and a project choir will perform under conductor Dalia Stasevska.

The year culminates in December with the world premiere of the Christmas musical Snowball and Winter Classic 2026, an open-air ice hockey game between Oulu-based Kärpät and Helsinki-based HIFK.

Oulu is the European Capital of Culture in 2026 with 39 partner municipalities in northern Finland.

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