The Book of Oulu

The Book of Oulu

The Book of Oulu is an art project that offers Oulu’s children the voice and the space to share their stories, experiences, and dreams regarding their home city. 

The project has brought together over two hundred children in the Oulu region as well as a multidisciplinary group of artists. The exhibition invites you to consider the different values and meanings that adults and children assign to their surroundings. 

The Book of Oulu is based on The Book of Your Town concept created by British artists Andy Field and Beckie Darlington. The Book of Oulu is part of the European Capital of Culture year (oulu2026.eu) and is unique. It includes a book, an exhibition, and a piece of media art. 

Third and fourth graders from the Salonpää, Metsokangas, Teuvo Pakkala, Rajakylä, Kello, Talvikangas, and Martinniemi Schools, as well as from Svenska Privatskolan participated in the Book of Oulu project.  

Ystävän talo – Friend's House 

The Ystävän talo exhibition turns our gaze towards our shared city and its youngest residents. 

In the exhibition, Joel Karppanen’s interactive media artwork invites children into the layers of Oulu’s generations and builds space for friendliness and empathy. At the exhibition, you can send a “voice gift” to a friend. What kind of friendly messages or sounds do you want to hear in your city? 

The artwork lives and its space and audio environment will re-form to resemble and sound like the citizens during the year 2026. The exhibition also includes a short film that was created together with the Book of Oulu artists and the children participating in the project. The short film does not kid around but playfully challenges power relations between adults and children. It leads the Book of Oulu in children’s own words.  

Kotikulmilla – Johanna Ilander’s illustrations from the Book of Oulu 

Johanna Ilander is the illustration behind the Book of Oulu – her pen gives visual form to the stories. In the book, children’s favorite places, exciting hiding spots, and both real and imaginary streets are illustrated. An exhibition showcasing the illustrations will open in Kotilo, so you can curl up surrounding the original illustrations.