In these challenging times for arts and culture in Finland, we are honoured to receive support from Finnish Cultural Foundation – Suomen Kulttuurirahasto for the first time, as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Kolibrí Festivaali. For a decade, we have worked to create a space where children and their families can experience, learn, and grow—a space that fosters a sense of community through art and creativity.
This year, we are restructuring our traditional Open Call, which invites artists from all backgrounds to participate in Kolibrí Festivaali. With the support of the Finnish Cultural Foundation, we have launched a Special Open Call specifically aimed at Sámi and Roma creatives. This initiative seeks to ensure that the cultures and languages of these communities’ have a strong and visible presence in the festival program.
The Special Open Call is now active. We are looking for artistic proposals that reflect this year’s theme: wishes—wishes for today’s children and a celebration of Sámi and Roma cultures. The submission deadline is March 31, and the selected artists will be announced on April 10.
If you know someone who might be interested, please share this opportunity with them and encourage them to apply!
An initiative to support Sámi and Roma communities, languages and cultures
For the first time, we are expanding beyond our usual languages used for social media publications — Finnish, Swedish, English, Portuguese, and Spanish—, and we published this special open call in Northern Sámi and Finnish Roma language, with plans to include more Sámi languages as the festival approaches.
It would be truly meaningful for Kulttuurikeskus Ninho ry to see Sámi languages and Finnish Roma languages represented and actively used throughout the festival. This initiative is about creating space for growth—a place where diverse heritage minority languages can be celebrated and recognized within the community.
Our aim is for these linguistic communities to recognize Kolibrí Festivaali as a platform to showcase their art and culture, ensuring their languages remain visible, celebrated, and passed on, while also offering an opportunity for all attendees to engage and learn.
Kolibrí Festivaali was born from the Ibero-American community, but over the years, it has grown organically into a multilingual and multicultural space. Last year, we offered activities and performances in 17 different languages, and throughout the festival, 33 languages were represented by our audience, artists, volunteers, and collaborators. We are proud of this diversity and committed to making the festival even more inclusive.
But this initiative is not just about the artists—it’s about the families too. We want to see more Sámi and Roma families joining us, celebrating together, and feeling that this space belongs to them as much as anyone else. Kolibrí Festivaali is meant to be a true reflection of today’s society, where everyone, regardless of their background, can come together to share, learn, and enjoy.
This year, Kolibrí Festivaali will take place in Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo, and for the first time, Tampere. From September 13 to 27, 2025, we will come together to celebrate art, language, and community. We hope to see you there!