OVER 105,000 VISITORS ATTENDED EVENTS AT THE ART HOUSE TURKU IN 2025

During 2025, a total of 2,150 events were held at the Art House, attracting a total of 105,220 visitors. The number of events increased by about a third from 2024, and visitor numbers by about 44 percent. This change was particularly influenced by the year-round operation of the galleries and cinema. Most of the events were free of charge.

The number of events and visitors was more evenly distributed throughout the year thanks to the galleries and cinema. However, the summer season remains important, as around 40 percent of visitors came during June, July, and August.

“In less than four years, Art House Turku has grown into a unique center for culture and creativity, where interesting things happen every day. The increase in the number of events, visitors, and services shows that the city’s residents have embraced the place as their own. We at the Art House are working to ensure that this continues and that there will be even more reasons to visit here in the future,” says Jere Pensikkala, CEO of the Art House Turku.

Alongside increased event activity a wide range of new services were opened during the year. In the spring, the Makasiinit restaurant area opened on Luostarin Välikatu, and in the fall, the Pegasus Taiteen talo restaurant opened, bringing a large number of customers to the area, which is not reflected in the visitor statistics. In addition, art workshops open to customers were opened at Art House, including a ceramics workshop (Clayroom Oy) and a darkroom (Valokuvakeskus Peri). A large number of new tenants also joined Art House Turku´s network of operators.

“Art House is becoming a place where people return again and again. It has also been great to see how cooperation within the community is increasing and the audiences of different operators are meeting. I am eagerly awaiting to see what kind of operators 2026 will bring to our community,” says Anna-Maija Vaimala, Production and Communications

Valentina Morales Buschmann

Galleries have a revitalizing effect

The impact of exhibitions on the activities of the Art House is particularly significant. Exhibitions accounted for just under half (47%) of the events held in 2025, totaling 1,008 events and nearly three-quarters (73%) of visitors, totaling 76,358 visitors.

Art House Turku has three permanent galleries (Gallery Aski, Kilta Gallery, and Critical Gallery), which have a major impact on the number of events and visitors at the Art House. All three galleries were opened in 2024, and 2025 was their first full year of operation.

The critical Gallery, located in the Firebrigade building, held a total of nine (9) exhibitions during the year, attracting a total of approximately 23,470 visitors. This represents an increase of approximately 43 percent compared to the opening year 2024 (March-December).

Gallery Aski, maintained by the Rettig Visual Artists Association, is located in the Officce building. A total of 21 exhibitions were held during 2025, attracting a total of approximately 12,290 visitors. Growth compared to 2024 (May–December) was approximately 30 percent. In addition, Rettig Visual Artists held a temporary exhibition at the K41 Gallery in Brussels in 2025 and an exhibition at the 2025 Supermarket Art Fair in Stockholm.

The Kilta Gallery, operated by the Wäinö Aaltonen Museum (WAM), hosted a total of four different exhibitions during the year. Kilta Gallery welcomed a total of approximately 21,790 exhibition visitors in 2025, which is three times more than in its opening year, 2024 (September–December).

Performing arts, films, and music lit up the evenings at the Art House Turku

Performing arts, films, and music also attracted audiences to the area in the evenings. There were a total of 996 events and 24,336 visitors.

During 2025, the Turku Student Theater staged three of its own premiere productions at the Art House: Sylvi from February 1 to March 1, Pilvet karkaa, niin minäkin (The Clouds Run Away, So Do I) from March 15 to April 25, and Syvin kerros (The Deepest Floor) from October 3 to November 15, 2025. In addition, improv nights and guest performances were held at the Student Theater’s premises. A total of 113 performances by the Student Theater attracted 2,955 viewers.

The year 2025 was the first full year of operation for the Kino Kilta cinema, maintained by the Southwest Finland Film Center. A total of 782 film screenings were held, and more than 300 films, including short films, were shown. The cinema attracted a total of over 13,940 viewers during the year. In the fall of 2025, Kino Kilta was accepted into the Europa Cinemas network of European art house cinemas.

The Aurora concert series organized by the Turku Music Festival featured a total of five (5) concerts, which attracted approximately 520 listeners. The concert series will continue in 2026 in the Hall of Words hall, as the main hall is undergoing renovation.

---

More information

Art House Turku: 
Jere Pensikkala 044 907 5876 jere.pensikkala@taiteentalo.fi
Anna-Maija Vaimala 044 353 3920 anna-maija.vaimala@taiteentalo.fi