My Oulu: Cultural Guide Program brings art closer to Oulu’s multicultural communities
Olena from Ukraine (left), Adriana from Peru and Ruishu from China will work as cultural guides of Oulu Art Museum. Photos: Noora Dahmane
Jaa sosiaalisessa mediassa:
Oulu Art Museum and Vuolle Setlementti have launched a new Cultural Guide Program pilot. Its goal is to bring the art exhibitions of the museum closer to all citizens of Oulu, regardless of language or cultural background.
The Art Museum’s new Cultural Guide Program offers people with immigrant background training with which they can act as cultural guides and present art exhibitions in their native language.
The goal is to make art and museum visits accessible to everyone and reinforce communality and cross-cultural communication.
”Cultural guides enrich museum visits by offering opportunities to experience art in different languages which reinforces communality and increases understanding between cultures. We believe that with the help of the program, museum visits will become inspiring and meaningful experiences for all citizens of Oulu and tourists in Oulu – regardless of language and cultural background”, Oulu Art Museum’s Museum Lecturer Satu Larivaara-Heikkala explains.
The Cultural Guide Program is implemented in cooperation with Vuolle Setlementti ry. Vuolle Setlementti is a non-profit organization in Oulu which has produced and developed multicultural services and trainings in the Oulu region already for 20 years.
The first multilanguage exhibition tours will be implemented for the Imagine Abstract exhibition in May.
Oulu Art Museum wishes to bring art closer to people and inspire citizens of Oulu to experience and participate in art. Vuolle Setlementti sees this cooperation as natural continuation of its mission to promote multicultural communality.
”Both Vuolle and the Art Museum share values on community, participation and cultural encounters, which makes this cooperation natural. We want to reinforce intercultural dialogue and expand the accessibility of art and culture to everyone”, Vuolle Setlementti’s Communications and Marketing Manager Noora Dahmane states.
The Cultural Guide Program also supports Oulu2026’s Cultural Climate Change which aims to enrich Oulu’s cultural life permanently. The goal is to create connections, bring joy and expand perspectives as well as create tools to understand and listen to each other.
The first multilanguage exhibition tours are implemented for the Imagine Abstract exhibition on Saturdays May 10 and 17 at 12.00–16.00. The Art Museum’s exhibition tours can be heard in the following languages: Chinese, Ukrainian, Japanese and Persian (May 10) as well as Filipino, French, Spanish and Sri Lankan languages (May 17).
Exhibition tours can also be organized in Hindi, Turkish, Korean, Nepalese and Kazakh. Cultural Guides trained in these languages can be booked for private tours via the Art Museum service desk.