Come make Art Things! – Nonstop activities on summer weekdays

Annantalo arranges free-of-charge Art Things every weekday at 10 am–12 noon and 1–3 pm.

In summer 2024, Art Things happen in the Annantalo yards or inside the Art Centre. These guided activities are suited for children under 8 years old under the supervision of an adult, and for older children on their own. You can pop by an Art Thing at any time and even stay longer. These activities combine various forms of art with instruction by Annantalo’s art educators.

The activities are free of charge, and no prior registration is required.

Art Thing themes

3–7 June
A Bug’s Life
Buzzzz... What kind of insect would you be? This is a workshop for making wearable insect parts. You will get to complete your insect character with the treasure troves of Annantalo’s costume collection. When your character is ready, you can go on an adventure on the Annantalo yard (or explore the inside of the Art Centre, in case of rain).

4–5 June
Supernature
Can an insect have robot legs? Or the hands of a machine? This is a workshop for creating future insects! The instructor is artist Christelle Mas whose exhibition is available for viewing in the Art Centre’s 2nd floor glass gallery.

10–14 June & 17–20 June
Summer Oasis for families
What on earth is happening in the Annantalo courtyard? Put on a painter’s coat and grab an easel. The Summer Oasis for families is an invitation to take a breather in the busy city centre. Painting, roleplay and fooling around are what’s on the menu. There’s something surprising every day, and you will get to rest at the oasis as often as you’d like. Children under the age of 7 are welcome to participate under the supervision of an adult.

Please note! The Summer Oasis is closed on Midsummer Eve (21 June).

24–28 June
Experiments on comics
Comics have traditionally been drawn on paper, but this nonstop workshop takes the plunge to test new things. Push the boundaries of creativity by combining comics with other forms of art. This week’s workshop looks into if you could, possibly, eat a comic? What kind of comics can you make with the pebbles and grasses of your yard?

1–5 July & 8–12 July
Growing city
Join us in creating wondrous cityscapes and alternate realities! This workshop is about creating collages of newspaper clippings with old photos of Helsinki. You can add text to your creation if you like. It can be a greeting or reminder to yourself or someone else.

15–19 July
Dazzling characters
Come and create your own dazzling character! Let your imagination loose: paint, become, and play! Create masks or tabletop theatre characters that dazzle under a blacklight through painting and building. You will also get to try out presenting your character in a theatre space.

22–26 July
Rabbit ears and pinecone crowns
This nonstop workshop focuses on creating playful, creative and courageous headpieces, inspired by Kirsi Kunnas’ poetry. The headpieces will be made of natural materials. Whatever is nature's bounty – branches, sprouts, flowers, feathers, leaves and starflowers. You will also get to tour Kirsi Kunnas’ Runo-olohuone exhibition on the Art Centre’s 2nd floor.

29 July – 2 August
Storybook characters
Let’s create tabletop characters together and learn how to build a small marionette. We will be using Kirsi Kunnas’ joyful poems to create these characters.

You can seek inspiration from Kirsi Kunnas’ Runo-olohuone exhibition on the Art Centre’s 2nd floor.

See you at Annantalo this summer!

Language: Finnish, Swedish, English
Age recommendation: All ages, children under 8 with an adult