Tampere to Paint Murals on 20 Substations and 50 Distribution Cabinets

According to Tamperelainen, Tampere will paint 20 electrical substations and 50 distribution cabinets as public street art in 2027 and 2028. The project stems from an agreement between Tampere Energy's electricity network and the city's urban culture unit.

Next Level Street Art Oy will carry out the work and handle scheduling, permits and on-site coordination. The company is training five key staff in electrical safety; they will then teach other artists, ensuring everyone follows safety procedures when working near live equipment. "It's a great opportunity to develop Tampere's cityscape and create work opportunities for artists," Next Level CEO Piritta Suominen said.

Tampere has hundreds of painters and is regarded as Finland's second most active graffiti city. This summer murals appeared in Onkiniemi, Wivi Lönn Park, Iidesranta and Palatsinraitti at Finlayson; an Octo piece in Wivi Lönn Park won the 2026 Finnish graffiti championship. New substation paintings are planned next year for Hallila, Koivistonkylä and Hervanta.

The project follows earlier city artist calls for tram stops seeking artists for tram stops and other neighbourhood-led public art initiatives this autumn neighbourhood-led projects.