EspooCult
Espoo city cultural services and the city’s cultural profile are being studied in a two-year research project launched at the beginning of 2018. The research (acronym EspooCult) is being conducted by the Center for Cultural Policy Research Cupore.
Research objectives:
• Mapping the current state of cultural services in Espoo
• Evaluating the achievement and potential of the CultureEspoo 2030 strategy objectives
• Presenting conclusions and recommendations for future development of the cultural services
The research will result in a large knowledge base on Espoo’s cultural services to support the development and strategy work of the city. The conclusions of the study will include future solutions for how to integrate culture more strongly into planning the city’s future and into its residents’ daily life.
Read a concise versio of the EspooCult research plan (PDF)
Research results will be shared on Cupore’s webpages and on the project website of the city of Espoo, www.espoo.fi/espoocult
Enquiries regarding the research project should primarily be addressed to the project’s Research Coordinator Anna Kanerva from Cupore.
Espoo City media bulletin on EspooCult Factsheet 2 (11th Dec 2018)
Key contacts in Espoo:
Cultural Director Susanna Tommila, City of Espoo, Cultural Unit
tel. +358 43 8255074, susanna.tommila[at]espoo.fi
Specialist Katja Koskela, City of Espoo, Cultural Unit
tel. +358 43 8271080, katja.koskela[at]espoo.fi
Publications
- Fact Sheets 2020 Urban development and cultural policies
- Cupore's publications 2020 City Development and Cultural Policy
- Fact Sheets 2020 The road to an inclusive city
- Fact Sheets 2019 Participation in cultural events and creative leisure activities in Espoo
- Fact Sheets 2018 Culture and cross-sectoral cooperation
- Fact Sheets 2018 Culture and city development
EspooCult search project publishes research results in a comic form (comic by artist Tiina Paju) in a quarterly Espoo magazine. Published comics (in English):
Comic 4, Espoo magazine 4/2018 JPG PDF
Comic 3, Espoo magazine 3/2018 JPG PDF
Comic 2, Espoo magazine 2/2018 JPG PDF
Link to Espoo magazine: www.espoo.fi/en-US/City_of_Espoo/Whats_on/Espoo_magazine(5824)
Other key documents
Espoo City Strategy, the Espoo Story
CultureEspoo 2030 publication online (Espoo City culture programme)
Project researchers
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Sakarias Sokka Deputy Director, Senior Researcher, Docent in Cultural Policy, D.Soc.Sc., MA +358 50 387 2728 sakarias.sokka@cupore.fi Profile -
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Maria Hirvi-Ijäs Senior Researcher, PhD, Associate Professor in Contemporary Art +358 50 463 5575 maria.hirvi-ijas@cupore.fi Profile -
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Minna Ruusuvirta Senior Researcher, D.Soc.Sc., MEcon. +358 50 326 8014 minna.ruusuvirta@cupore.fi Profile -
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Check out these projects
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Ongoing research
Culture as a Resource for Wellbeing: The Impact and Integration of Arts-Based Interventions for Young People
In 2026, Cupore is participating in a research project that uses a mixed-methods approach to examine arts- and culture-based workshop models for young people and their effects on mental health, coping with everyday life and readiness for working life.
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Ongoing research
State of Cultural Policy
The State of Cultural Policy project aims to improve the overall understanding of the current state of cultural policy in Finland and to promote informed public discussion. The project has published the State of Cultural Policy 2025 report and created platforms for knowledge-based discussion through Timeout dialogues organised across Finland, as well as through the State of Cultural Policy event held for the first time in May 2026. The event also piloted the cultural policy governance barometer presented in the report.