Endless Journey of the Rune – Kalevala Reimagined

The organizer is Juminkeko, a cultural center located in Kuhmo and dedicated to preserving and promoting the culture and heritage of the Kalevala. This art competition is part of the official Oulu2026 program.

1. Objective

The purpose of the international visual arts competition is to inspire both professional artists and advanced amateurs to explore the world of the Kalevala and to interpret its stories and themes through various forms of visual art. The competition promotes awareness of the cultural heritage of Finland’s national epic, the Kalevala, and creates new perspectives on the work. Artworks selected for the second phase of the competition will be part of the Oulu2026 exhibition in Kuhmo in summer 2026.

2. Schedule

• Competition period and submission of works as photographs to the competition organizer: 15 September 2025 – 30 April 2026
• Evaluation and delivery of works selected for the second phase to Kuhmo: by 31 May 2026
• Announcement of the competition winner: 12 June 2026

3. Conditions of participation

• The competition is open to all artists and art enthusiasts (no age limit) who are EU citizens or residents of EU countries.
• The following art forms are eligible:
  • painting
  • drawing
  • sculpture
  • graphic art
  • photography
• The work must be new and previously unpublished.
• Each participant may submit one or more works.
• Works selected for the second phase must be delivered physically to Kuhmo to be present in summer 2026 as part of the Oulu2026 exhibition.
• Participation is anonymous. The evaluation of works takes place without the artist’s name so that all participants are given equal conditions.
• During the evaluation, the jury will not be informed of participants’ names, places of residence, or other personal details.
• The prizes are not tax-exempt.

4. Theme

Endless Journey of the Rune – Kalevala Reimagined

5. Prizes

• Grand Prize: €2000 + the opportunity to hold a solo exhibition at Juminkeko in Kuhmo
• Other prizes: 2nd prize €1000, 3rd prize €500

6. Evaluation criteria

• Artistic quality and technical execution
• Originality and interpretation of the Kalevala theme
• Aesthetic and cultural value of the work

7. Jury

The jury will consist of:

• visual artists
• Kalevala experts

8. Protection of Personal Data

The competition organizer processes the personal data of participants in accordance with EU and national data protection legislation, solely for the purposes of implementing the competition and delivering the prizes. Personal data is collected directly from the participants. Personal data will not be disclosed to third parties or used for any other purposes.

9. Rules of participation

• In the first phase, works must be submitted as photographs electronically by the 30^th of  April 2026 to taidekilpailu@juminkeko.fi (maximum 3 photos per work). Images may also be sent via a cloud-based file transfer service. Please also include an explanatory text about the work (max. 1 A4 page).
• When submitting photographs, provide your name, a valid phone number, and your email address.
• Works selected for the second phase must be delivered physically to the organiser at the following address: Juminkeko Foundation, Kontionkatu 25, 88900 Kuhmo, Finland
  (Phone number for delivery notification: +358 44 753 0670). The sender is responsible for all shipping costs.
• A joint exhibition of the best competition works will be organized in Kuhmo as part of the Oulu2026 program. The exhibition will be present during the summer 2026 and possibly until the end of the year, allowing visitors to explore the works and artists selected for the second phase.
• By submitting photographs of your work(s), you accept the above rules.

Organizer: Juminkeko Foundation
taidekilpailu@juminkeko.fi
Supported by: Oulu2026 and Juminkeko