Over 100 Artists Get Studios as Nekalab Opens in Tampere

Nekalab opened its doors on Tuesday in Tampere's Nekala, providing studio spaces to more than 100 artists, YLE reports. The renovated former school building now houses a multidisciplinary hub for photographers, musicians and other culture professionals.

Annamaija Saarela, CEO of Nekalab's operator Live laboratorio Tampere Oy, says the artist community is large, multidisciplinary and inspiring, and emphasizes that the project exists to support them. YLE notes that the majority of applicants came from music and visual arts, with spaces allocated to reflect different art forms and a priority for artists who might otherwise lose their current studios. Among the tenants is visual artist Aino Louhi, whose studio offers sweeping views over Tampere; she applied in the summer, learned of the decision in October, and has been working there since the turn of the year while developing a comic novel due next year and continuing painting, illustrating and writing. The building also houses a tattoo studio run by Kaija Papu, who trained as a visual artist and tattoos only her own designs; she says economic pressures have left people less able to afford tattoos and that she also does art modeling and cleaning work to make ends meet.

Looking ahead, Nekalab plans to survey artists about what they would like the center to offer and what kinds of support could help their work. The opening celebrations were held on Tuesday, and Saarela says the team remains focused on the launch while quietly developing new ideas to support the community.