Tampere Biennale Promises Record-Setting Art Summer
Taidevaltakunta ’26 opens in Tampere on June 13 across Finlayson TR1 and TR2 halls, Haihara Art Centre, and the Tammerkoski riverside, featuring nearly 80 works by Finnish artists, as Tampereen taidemuseo undergoes renovation.
Tamperelainen reports that Taidevaltakunta ’26 will feature nearly 80 artworks across two Tampere venues—the TR1 Finlayson building and Taidekeskus Haihara—with additional works placed in city spaces; 39 works were selected from 215 applications, spanning site-specific installations, media works, paintings, drawings, graphics, sculptures, performances and participatory pieces.
Artists invited to participate come from the Kanta-Hämeen, Pirkanmaan and Päijät Hämeen regions, and the exhibition's theme ties the works together in content, form, artists’ working methods, the visitor experience and collaboration with stakeholders. Tampereen taidemuseo will collaborate with Finlayson Art Area, the Finlayson area administration and Tampere’s city culture unit to present the show across multiple sites.
Aamulehti notes that Tampereen taidemuseo is closed for a major renovation and expansion this summer, so the biennale is staged in temporary spaces and continues a cross-regional model that moves between Tampere, Hämeenlinna and Lahti; Hämeenlinna hosted the first edition in 2024.
Among the works are large-scale site installations, sound and media pieces, paintings, drawings, graphics, sculptures and performances, with some works produced by groups of more than 20 artists. Janne Hokkanen's Ihmisluonto III installation is planned for the Tammerkoski riverside, and Tampere-based artist Ilkka Virtanen presents Lihansyöjäkasviperhe as a summer work at the Tammerkoski shore. The biennale features solo artists, duos and collectives and runs from 13 June to 16 August 2026.
Catch the full story over at Aamulehti
