Visual Designer Jenni Loimulahti, Ahooy Creative Oy
English editing Monetra Tulkkipalvelu
Journal texts
Akiola Media Oy, Ahooy Creative Oy, Arto O. Salonen
Cover Wille Markkanen
Special thanks to:
Reetta Airaksinen, Satu Hilden, Anne Vänttinen, Henna Lindroos, Mirja Kolehmainen, Sanna Pietikäinen, Olga Kärppä and Jatta Salminen
Printed by Grano
Editorial office
City of Kuopio / Strategy and Communications Tulliportinkatu 31, P.O. Box 228, FI-70100 Kuopio editor@kuopio.fi
Give us feedback: www.kuopio.fi/en/kuopio-by-nature/
Kuopio – A Place to Belong and a Place to Reach Out From
After the anniversary year, we step into a new era towards the vision of the Kuopio2035 strategy, a thriving Kuopio. It is more than a goal. It is a promise of sustainable growth that in built on people, community and nature.
Thriving means vitality and success, but also learning, education and growing together. It is visible in the richness of culture, the courage to live authentically, and the way we share everyday life so that everyone can thrive. A thriving community is not born out of competition, but from encounters and cooperation. From a place where people can truly participate and make a difference.
The Kuopio way of life is straightforward and warm. We believe that less rigidity and more tolerance will take us further. That humour helps us face even difficult matters. That understanding grows through listening, and that community is created by doing things together.
Even today, there is good news coming from Kuopio. From a city that dares to be itself and to grow at its own pace – full of vitality. When we look ahead, we see a Kuopio that is a bold reformer yet still anchored in the values that make it a safe place: community, trust and vitality.
www.kuopio.fi www.hellokuopio.fi
History has shaped us into who we are. And these historical roots have given birth to Savonian humour, distinct way of speaking and wisdom about life. We feel that the world now needs diplomacy and other Savonian magic more than ever.
A thriving Kuopio is a place where you can belong and at the same time reach out boldly towards something new.
Maybe it all begins here.
Kirsi Soininen Strategy and Communications Director, City of Kuopio
Live Like Local
Easy to Love, Hard to Put into Words
The city has an easy-going feel and an accepting atmosphere: everyone is free to be themselves and live life in their own way. Here, you can be happy, smile and enjoy a good mood. The locals call this attitude lupsakkuus. Above all, it’s a way of communicating, but it also means caring for others, showing gentle curiosity, and being ready to share a witty remark.
PHOTOS WILLE MARKKANEN AND PETRA KUHA
Thriving Kuopio
Kuopio offers a seamless blend of nature, culture, flavours and a laid-back atmosphere. Here, you can experience Savonian warmth in the city’s lively pulse or in the calm of the forest — or even both in a single day.
POPULATION: 126,000
LOCATION: Eastern Finland, 4 hours by train from Helsinki
KNOWN FOR: lupsakkuus, lively market square, lakes
FOR VISITORS: hellokuopio.fi
@hellokuopio
EVENTS: kuopionseina.fi
@kuopionkaupunki
@kuopiointernational
Photogenic Kuopio – 10 Moments Worth Capturing
Beautiful Kuopio has no shortage of places that look stunning through the lens. Still, we listed ten especially lovely spots where you can treat your Instagram feed — and enjoy some truly delightful moments at the same time.
TEXT PAULIINA AHONEN
PHOTOS PETRA KUHA, WILLE MARKKANEN, VICENTE SERRA AND KUOPIO-TAHKO MARKKINOINTI
1. Kiss Booths, Love Castles, “Lemarit” – the Vänäri Gazebos
Beloved structures go by many names! Lemarit — short for lemmenlinnat, literally “love castles” — is the local nickname for the three gazebos in the Väinölänniemi (Vänäri) recreational area, just a stone’s throw from the city centre. These decorative wooden pavilions are small, freely accessible gazebos perched on the lakeside rocks, with the first one built as early as 1889. Over the years, many kisses has been exchanged on their wooden benches. They’ve also
featured in countless wedding celebrations — especially in wedding photos.
One gazebo stands at Peräniemi Peninsula another near the basketball court by the Rönö Bridge, and the third at Unholanniemi Peninsula on the opposite side of the bridge. With sparkling Lake Kallavesi as their backdrop, the gazebos make an ideal setting for wedding portraits and holiday photos.
2. The Relaxed Nature Trail of Itkonniemi
Itkonniemi is one of Kuopio’s oldest districts. In the late 1800s, the great names of Kuopio’s industry stayed here in their ornate villas, and later the working class in their smaller wooden houses. Even today, the area is home to idyllic wooden quarters and beautiful nature.
A lovely forest trail winds around the rocky peninsula, where you can spot playful stone sculptures and capture some striking photos. At the very tip of the peninsula, at its narrowest point, a breakwater opens onto a view over Lake Kallavesi that is among the most beautiful photo spots in the area.
3. Verdant
Hapelähteenpuisto Park
Hapelähde playground and sports park is an idyllic meeting place. Designed especially with children and active seniors in mind, the park features two playgrounds, outdoor exercise equipment, a small football and basketball court, areas for pétanque and mölkky, as well as spots for en
joying a picnic. A special highlight is the Maljapuro stream, which winds through the park beneath two beautiful wooden bridges, one of them covered. Lush plantings and the duck families that gather by the water complete the photogenic charm of this verdant urban oasis.
4. The Rännikatu Alleyways of the City Centre
In the 1770s, surveyor Pehr Kjellman drafted a neoclassical grid plan for Kuopio, but with one small miscalculation. As a result, the layout, which was meant to follow the main compass directions, ended up slightly askew, something that can still be seen on the city map today. Fortunately, this little tilt did nothing to hinder the emergence of the distinctive rännikatu alleyways that enrich the street network. These charming, carfree narrow lanes breathe history and offer fresh photo opportunities as the light changes throughout the day.
6. Traditional Pikku Pietari Market Alley
Just a hop and a skip west of the market square lies a narrow lane lined with redlog storehouses, where a sweet little café and small boutiques create a beautifully traditional setting. Open in summertime and at Christmas, Pikku Pietari Market Alley feels like a tiny village in the middle of the city — definitely a unique spot for atmospheric photos.
5. The Adorable Christmas Market
Often voted the best market square in Finland, Kuopio Market Square — known locally as Mualiman napa, “the centre of the world” — transforms into Finland’s most beautiful Christmas market in December. Cute market stalls, Christmas restaurants, a twentymetre Christmas tree, a carousel, a sledding hill for children and, crowning it all, a magnificent canopy of lights make the square the heart of the winter season. It’s the perfect place to capture the joyful, glowing spirit of Christmas on camera.
8.
The Peculiar
Tucked away at the top of Tahko, about 300 metres north of Panorama Bar, you’ll find the Mäkiautio Gorge. This unusual geological formation draws visitors into the embrace of its rugged rock walls. A route equipped with stairs and duckboards leads down into the gorge. This natural work of art feels as though it was made for photography.
7. Iconic Puijo
From the Puijo Tower, you can admire an iconic panorama over Lake Kallavesi and the entire city, but there’s plenty to photograph at the foot of the tower as well. The huge handcarved PUIJO letters are made of fallen trees damaged by insects in the Puijo forest, serving as an artistic reminder of nature’s cycle. The majestic oldgrowth forest, the historic Puijon Maja and the charming Konttila farm all invite you to take photos and give you every reason to linger far longer than a single scenic shot.
Mäkiautio Gorge in Tahko
9. The Varied Kolmisoppi–Neulamäki Hiking Area
Right next to the Neulamäki Nature Reserve lies a hiking area that is easy to reach yet still feels wild and diverse. The trails wind up and down the rocky outcrops into forest and between small ponds, rewarding the bit of a climb with beautiful views. With its constantly shifting landscapes, the area offers endless new angles for photography.
10. Korkeakoski – Finland’s
Highest
Waterfall
Located in Maaninka, 60 kilometres northwest of Kuopio’s city centre, Korkeakoski is one of the region’s most beautiful nature destinations. This untouched 36metre rapid is the highest uninterrupted waterfall in Finland.
Korkeakoski was known as a natural attraction as early as the 19th century, when many notable Finnish figures emphasised the uniqueness of the
area. For example, Elias Lönnrot and Zacharias Topelius both mentioned the waterfall in their works. The rapid also attracted influential visitors and nature photographers of the time, such as I. K. Inha and Karl Granit Thanks to its rich flora and fauna, the Korkeakoski area is now an important research site as well as a protected nature reserve.
Design That Feels Good
Design from Kuopio can be seen and felt both in the cityscape and in the comfort of homes. Good design brings a smile to your face — not everything has to be taken so seriously.
TEXT MARJAANA ANTTILA
PHOTOS EMMA JÄMSEN, KARI MATTI ANTERO PUUSTINEN, AKI RASK AND JUNE WITZØE
It’s quite likely that every resident of Kuopio, and a great many visitors too, have rested their feet on furniture designed by the architecture, art and design studio Partanen&Lamusuo.
This observation clearly pleases Jaana Partanen and Heikki Lamusuo.
– The Tuma sofa was indeed designed to offer comfortable spots for people of different sizes – for shorter and longer legs, they explain.
That’s typical of Partanen&Lamusuo, note those familiar with their work. The designers have introduced the concept of an “empathetic footprint”, which is based on listening to the client, the place and nature. At the same time, the importance of social and ecological responsibility comes to the fore.
– Those of us in the creative field are in a service profession. The attitude with which we do our work is reflected in the final result, Partanen says.
– It’s ecologically responsible to do the job well. The more durable and longerlasting a piece of furniture is, the more ecological it is. Since we’re all different, we also feel comfortable in different dimensions, Lamusuo continues.
“Those of us in the creative field are
in a service profession.”
Sure enough, at the Habitare design fair, children made appropriately diverse use of the Tuma sofa, clambering and lounging all over it.
COOPERATION CREATES WELLBEING
Social responsibility also means that the furniture designed in Kuopio is made locally in Savo.
The work of architecture, art and design studio Partanen & Lamusuo can be seen throughout the city.
– It’s important to us that the work stays in the local area. That way, the tax euros remain here as well. It benefits everyone when people are doing well here, and there’s money in the city coffers.
Longterm collaboration with makers also supports the artists’ work.
– We’ve worked with some of the makers for as long as 20 years. Over that time, we’ve found a level of quality we can rely on, Lamusuo adds.
Kuopio is home to many skilled designers across different fields. They are not competitors but rather sources of encouragement and collaboration, each working from their own perspective.
– Perhaps a hundred years from now someone might say there was a certain kind of Kuopio design. For now, what we share is that everyone makes their own product or service as well as possible.
Discover:
Partanen&Lamusuo
• “L.I.N.G” – at the corner of Hotel Puijonsarvi
• “Evolution” – on the front wall of KYS Kaarisairaala hospital
• “You Are a Miracle” baptism tree – in the Cathedral
• “Tuma sofas” at the airport, the Music Centre, and KYS hospital
COMMUNITY FOSTERS CREATIVITY
Essi Sundman, entrepreneur and CEO of Lasilinkki, shares the same view on local cooperation. Her handprint is visible in the Essis by Lasilinkki interior glass products.
– The sense of community we experience here is a key value. We have various experts who share their knowledge and act as partners in
product development. Glass, for example, is a material that comes alive in light, and we can best showcase that by collaborating with lighting specialists.
GLASS DESIGN RUNS IN THE BLOOD
Sundman is a thirdgeneration glass entrepreneur. Founded in the 1980s as a glazing business, Lasilinkki has
gradually moved toward craftsmanship and creative glassbased spatial solutions.
– My grandfather sold the art glass of Riihimäki Glass for twenty years. I think glass design imprinted itself on me already back then, she reflects. Essis products reflect a desire to experiment, courage, and nature.
– I lived in Spain for several years, which brought some bubbly character to my work. In Addition, my Savo
nian roots add a lighthearted twinkle. Not everything has to be taken so seriously!
The entrepreneur admits with a laugh that her instinct is always to say yes, it can be done. Luckily, the company employs master glassmakers who have worked with glass for decades, understand its soul, and turn even the wildest ideas into reality.
Discover: Essis by Lasilinkki artisan glass with your own senses
You can experience Essis artisan glass at the showroom in Neulamäki, Kuopio, during Lasilinkki’s opening hours. At the same time, you’ll have a unique opportunity to see how glass is transformed by master glassmakers into stunning products.
Essi Sundman, CEO of Lasilinkki, is a thirdgeneration glass entrepreneur.
Artisan Sami Hyvärinen
At the Tables of Local Delicacies
What
does the food culture of Northern Savo taste like?
TEXT MARJAANA ANTTILA | PHOTOS MUSTA LAMMAS , RAVINTOLAMESTARIT , PANZA , MUIKKURAVINTOLA SAMPO, HENNA LEHTONEN AND JUUSO HOLSTEIN
Kuopio beckons culinaryminded visitors keen to sample local products.
– In Northern Savo we are far more self-sufficient than many other regions. Restaurants can, in practice, source almost all of its ingredients locally, says Erkka Isotalo from Ravintolamestarit.
These days, customers are highly interested in the origin of ingredients, and both freshness and local production are valued. That is why Isotalo welcomes everyone who cares about where their food comes from — and who recognises the importance of fresh ingredients for the final result — on a culinary journey to Kuopio.
Even though the ingredients are locally sourced, each restaurant offers its own unique take. Kuopio's restaurants offer delicacies for every taste and budget.
Musta Lammas
Musta Lammas is fine dining à la Kuopio, where local seasonal ingredients are elevated into culinary experiences that go well beyond the ordinary. The restaurant space itself is also worth the visit. The more than 100yearold vaulted cellar provides an unforgettable setting for your dining experience. Culinary enthusiasts will know they are in authentic surroundings.
Musta Lammas serves a single set menu, with the option of ordering additional dishes. The menu also includes a drinks package designed to complement the dishes.
Satamakatu 4, Kuopio mustalammas.net/en
Panza
Step inside and enjoy the colourful, laidback atmosphere! Panza brings the warm tones of Latin America straight to your table and your glass. Prepared in the spirit of street food, its Mexican and Central American delicacies are always made from fresh, highquality ingredients with a relaxed yet professional touch.
On weekends, the mood is lifted by the Funkkaa Taikka Kuole DJ collective, spinning vinyl records and creating a unique atmosphere. At Panza, great food, drink and music come together.
Käsityökatu 19, Kuopio www.ravintolapanza.fi
Muikkuravintola Sampo
Would you like to taste traditional food in a place where you could have done so almost a century ago? Muikkuravintola (Vendace Restaurant) Sampo has been serving customers at the same address for over 90 years. Fried vendace in Sampo’s signature style, followed by grandma’s pancakes for dessert, offers a culinary journey into the past and together, they have become the restaurant’s signature pairing. The local experience is completed by an interior that has remained unchanged for decades, along with staff who speak the local Savo dialect with pride.
Kauppakatu 13, Kuopio muikkuravintolasampo.fi
Henna Lehtonen
Havu Kitchen & Bar
At Havu, your palate, soul and eyes are all treated to a feast. Havu Kitchen offers unforgettable culinary experiences from breakfast to dinner, and during the winter season it also serves slopeside lunches. On Havu’s plates, the rhythm of the seasons boldly meets Scandinavian and Asian flavours.
In 2025, Havu was selected among the 50 best restaurants in Finland. Its scenic location at the summit of Tahkovuori, combined with the warmth and ease of a familyrun business, makes the restaurant a dream for those who love to indulge. Tahkomäentie 335, Nilsiä www.panoramahotel.fi/en/ havukitchen/
Juuso Holstein
A City Where Nature Is Your Neighbour
In Kuopio, forests and lakes are just a stone’s throw from the city centre. You can slip into the woods of Puijo to unwind even in the middle of a workday or dip your toes in the lake at Väinölänniemi Park’s shores to balance out a day in the city.
TEXT MINNA AKIOLA PHOTOS WILLE MARKKANEN
In Finland, everyone has the right to enjoy nature: you may roam freely, pick berries, and gather mushrooms. However, when spending time in nature, it is important to act responsibly.
In Kuopio, nature is close and diverse. According to the city’s forest manager, Heikki Soininen, the outdoor and recreation area of Puijo is an excellent example of easy accessibility. It’s located just a few kilometres from the market square, yet you can walk in an old, natural forest surrounded by tranquillity.
– Overall, spending time in nature reduces stress, elevates mood, and improves physical fitness. When done regularly, it strengthens the body and, in turn, supports a person’s overall wellbeing, Soininen explains.
When spending time in nature, it’s good to keep the Right to Roam in mind — something that can be a new and even unique experience, especially for visitors from abroad. These rights are explained on the Metsä
hallitus’ Luontoon service. In Finland, everyone has the right to enjoy nature: you may freely roam in it and pick berries and mushrooms wherever you go.
“Overall, spending time in nature reduces stress, elevates mood, and improves physical fitness.”
The most important thing, however, is to act responsibly in nature. This means taking your rubbish with you, making fires only in designat
ed campfire areas, and respecting the vegetation without damaging it. Wildlife should not be disturbed either.
– The peace of nature belongs to everyone, Soininen points out.
OLD SPRUCE FORESTS AS CARBON STORES
The City of Kuopio aims to be carbon neutral by 2030. Achieving this requires carbon sinks and carbon stores, and forests play a key role in this effort. In managing Kuopio’s urban forests, particular attention has been paid to biodiversity, meaning that deciduous trees such as rowan, goat willow, and aspen are preserved. Logging volumes are kept clearly below the rate of forest growth, allow
ing the forests to act as strong carbon sinks.
The City of Kuopio also has a new LUMO Programme, an action plan for safeguarding biodiversity. One of its goals is to protect ten percent of the cityowned forest and wetland areas.
– The forests of Puijo don’t have forestryrelated economic goals, but they are also managed. The 130–140yearold spruce forests in the area serve as good carbon stores: they continue to sequester carbon even as some of the trees die, Soininen notes.
In recent years, valuable natural sites have been surveyed in Kuopio, some of which may be designated as nature conservation areas. In such areas, forest management may involve measures like removing shading to allow grove vegetation to regenerate.
LOCAL NATURE MATTERS
As part of the Priodiversity LIFE project of the North Savo ELY Centre, biodiversity hotspots in the North Savo region have been mapped. Five of these areas are located partly or entirely in Kuopio. They are ecologically valuable areas rich in natural features, including rare or endangered species and diverse habitat types.
– The central urban area of Kuopio is one of these biodiversity hotspots. It belongs to the North Savo grove forest zone, which contains valuable deciduous forests. These include the nearby forests around residential areas, such as Puijo, the Rauhalahti area, Jynkänvuori–Jynkänmäki, and Pirttiniemi, explains Anniina Le
Tortorec, Environmental Protection Planner for the City of Kuopio.
Resident surveys have shown that people consider nearby nature very important to them. Local forests and green spaces are places where residents go to exercise and spend time. According to Le Tortorec, it’s important that people don’t have to make a special effort to reach nature, but that it’s right next to their homes.
– And since we’re in Kuopio, we shouldn’t forget the lake right alongside the forests. It is also easily accessible from the city centre. For example, a walk along the shores of Väinölänniemi Park offers an easy way to enjoy the closeness of the lake, Le Tortorec reminds us.
www.luontoon.fi/en/ articles/everymans-rights
Nature & Travel
In Kuopio people get to live as they like – at their own pace, in the middle of nature and city, while always surrounded by human compassion.
THE SAFEST
6,340 SPAS 5
59
TAHKO STEPS, 800M LONG 1,054 LAKES SURROUNDED BY 100 SHORELINE KM
500,000
OVERNIGHT STAYS IN THE KUOPIO–TAHKO AREA ANNUALLY OVER BEACHES
600 KM OF SKI TRACKS M 500 M
100
DIFFERENT FIRE PITS, GOAHTIS (FIN: KOTA) FISHING LODGES AND LEAN-TO SHELTERS (FIN: LAAVU)
224 THE DISTANCE FROM YOUR DOORSTEP TO NATURE IS NEVER MORE THAN OF FINLAND’S LARGEST CITIES
THE VIEWING PLATFORM OF PUIJO TOWER ABOVE LAKE KALLAVESI
28
NATURE CONSERVATION AREAS
THE LARGEST NATIONAL CITY PARK WITH A SURFACE AREA OF
7,300 HECTARES
Kuopio Feels Like a Warm Hug
What kind of city is Kuopio, really?
What about its people – are they sly or easy-going? Let’s hear from two fans of Kuopio who explain why home is wherever the Puijo Tower can be seen.
TEXT MARJAANA ANTTILA PHOTOS TATU AHONEN AND WILLE MARKKANEN
At Kuopio Market Square, beside the Market Hall, two women stand chatting animatedly. An outsider would never guess that pensioner Eila Kaartinen and student Sini Suvikunnas have just met for the first time for a joint interview. Both are fans of Kuopio, and they agreed to meet at the Market Hall, a favorite spot for both women.
Inside the hall, there’s the familiar buzz. At the café tables, people catch up with one another, and amid the hum of conversation, the clinking of coffee spoons can be heard. At the service counters, vendors hand over fragrant parcels of local delicacies.
It feels as if time stops here and there’s no rush to be anywhere, Sini says.
SLY OR EASY-GOING?
Sini moved from Joensuu to Kuopio after upper secondary school to study health sciences. She believes it’s the people who make Kuopio the city it is.
– I’d heard two things beforehand — that Savonians are sly, and that they’re easygoing. I was curious
to see which one was true. Luckily, easy-going’ fits them better!
Sini feels that Kuopio has everything you could hope for in a city. She values the proximity of nature and the sense of safety, and not even the shockingly steep hills have discouraged this keen cyclist.
She found her inner Savonian during her very first autumn as a student. – My heart turned yellow and black at my first KalPa hockey game. I was surprised by how that moment sparked such pride for the city, she recalls.
After a couple of years, Sini is convinced that this is where she wants to stay, as long as she can find work.
THE SPIRIT OF KUOPIO HAS ENDURED
When Eila was born in 1952, Kuopio looked quite different. Horses were a common sight on the streets, many homes still lacked indoor toilets, and traffic moved at a much calmer pace.
Her family lived at the old fire station, now the courthouse, because of her father’s job. The building was
full of children, and playmates were easy to find. The children’s great delight was to gather at the Linnanlahti skating rink, while teenagers met one another at the market square. People and encounters were at the heart of life.
– That spirit has survived in Kuopio. People are open, they help one an
other, and you can strike up a conversation even with strangers, Eila says. Sini recognises the spirit Eila describes.
– If I’ve ever got lost while cycling here, I’ve never needed to check a map on my phone. I’ve just asked someone for help, and I’ve always been given directions. To me, it’s in
valuable that the old values and sense of community have been preserved here, Sini emphasises.
DESIGNED WITH PEOPLE IN MIND
For Eila, staying in Kuopio was an obvious choice. She has followed Kuo
KUOPIO
pio’s development from a frontrow seat while working for the City in watersupply–related tasks.
– This is a warm, safe and beautiful city, designed with people in mind. For example, the parks are truly beautiful and well maintained, Eila says.
There are also homes for every lifestyle, for those who enjoy city life, prefer suburban living, or long for the peace of the countryside. And there’s no shortage of events for both culture lovers and sports fans.
KALLAVESI IN THEIR SIGHT AND HEARTS
No matter where you are in the city centre, the lakefront is never far away. Both Eila and Sini have lost their hearts to the beautiful Lake Kallavesi and its calming presence.
In Eila’s childhood, her family’s summer cottage stood on an island in northern Kallavesi, and it remains a cherished memory. Luckily, you can easily capture the lakeside atmosphere of Kallavesi just by sitting on
the harbour breakwater.
– And when you travel along Saaristokatu Street by bus after dark, the view of the lights is so stunning it feels like a free mindfulness session, Eila laughs.
PUIJO TOWER IN SIGHT!
Do you know how to tell when a Kuopio local is approaching their hometown?
Both
Eila and Sini have lost their hearts to the beautiful Lake Kallavesi and its calming
presence.
It’s when they want to spot the Puijo Tower as early as possible and feel a bit disappointed if the fog hides it from view.
By that definition, Sini is a true Kuopio native, even if she sometimes must twist around in the bus seat to
catch sight of the tower as soon as possible.
Eila, in turn, has taught her grandchildren the same habit of watching for Puijo Tower. As a true fan, she has an annual pass for the tower, and it’s in frequent use.
EVERYTHING ENDS WITH A HUG
The interview wraps up with a photo session in the Market Hall corridors. As they pose, some of Eila’s old acquaintances happen to pass by, and there’s time for a few quick words of greeting.
When it’s time to go their separate ways after the interview, the women exchange phone numbers. Eila reminds Sini that she’s happy to help with anything, should the need arise.
– Can I give you a hug? Sini asks, and Eila agrees.
And so, this meeting too ends with a warm embrace.
KUOPIO AFTER ITS ANNIVERSARY YEAR:
Shifting Into a New Gear in Event Development
Kuopio is known for its breathtaking natural beauty, but high-quality events that bring people together from near and far are equally close to the city’s heart. Internationally recognised gatherings such as the Kuopio Dance Festival, Finland Ice Marathon and the 2025 World Orienteering Championships gave the anniversary year a special kind of energy. That good momentum continues into the 2026 event season, as the ANTI Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary.
TEXT PAULIINA AHONEN
PHOTOS AKSELI MURAJA AND WILLE MARKKANEN
KariPekka Seppänen, Kuopio’s Event Production Manager, knows why the city has attracted such a wide variety of events, including international ones. According to him, Kuopio has long been an active event city, hosting experiences across the spectrum from large festivals to small village celebrations.
In recent years, the event sector has been developed more deliberately, with a longterm perspective and a focus on collaboration. The Kuopio250 anniversary year marked a kind of turning point in this: it brought organisers closer together and sparked a new sense of collective spirit.
– If there’s one thing I hope will live on from the anniversary year, it’s pre
cisely that spirit of cooperation, Seppänen sums up.
He believes it will continue to be worthwhile to consider together how small events can grow into large ones, or how they can, collectively, form an attractive whole.
– Collaboration produces more — and more impressive — results. We saw that, for example, in the case of Kuopio Grande and the Meidän Kuopio Festival.
THE CITY AS A FORCE BEHIND EVENTS
Kuopio’s events are created through the cooperation of organisations, companies and private operators. The city acts as a quiet force behind
the scenes, responsible for permits, providing event grants, assisting with marketing and bringing various actors together.
– It’s important to recognise what makes Kuopio in particular an interesting event city, both locally and internationally. Good transport connections, sufficient accommodation capacity and a versatile range of event venues create a strong foundation. Add to that the nearby nature and the scenery of Lake Kallavesi, and you get a setting that few event locations can offer, Seppänen says.
According to him, staying active also requires Kuopio to make its voice heard and show what it is capable of.
The impact of events can be seen in many ways across the city.
Events in Kuopio are the result of collaboration between organizations, companies, and private organizers. Their impact on the local sense of community and cultural life is especially significant.
– They provide extensive employment, particularly in tourism and food service sectors. They also increase pride and community spirit. The people of Kuopio are deeply engaged — whether it's KalPa or KuPS winning championships or festivals that create meaning and bring colour to life.
ANTI – 25 YEARS OF SEEING DIFFERENTLY
This year, Kuopio celebrates yet another milestone as the ANTI Contemporary Art Festival turns 25. The festival has grown from a local experiment into an internationally re
spected contemporary art event that brings presentday live art into everyday life — often in places where you would never expect to encounter it.
– A unique artistic concept, bold creators and a committed audience are the secret behind its longstanding success, says Managing Director and Lead Curator Elisa Itkonen
– ANTI is an interactive experience and the only festival in Finland that focuses on site-specific contemporary art and the use of public spaces as venues.
According to Itkonen, Kuopio is the perfect home for the ANTI Festival.
The scale of the city is just right for experiencing artworks on foot in different parts of town. The city’s support and the openminded attitude of Kuopio residents towards new art experiences have also been crucial to the festival’s continuity.
What began as a project has grown into an international, awardwinning art event. In 2014, ANTI established the world’s only live art award, the ANTI Festival International Prize for Live Art, which is presented annually to an artist who has made an exceptionally significant contribution to the field of live art. The prize has brought the festival substantial inter
SJ Norman: Bone Library (AU)
Tea Andreoletti (IT) & Konepaja ommunity Members: A Piece of Space: 106 Hours Assembly
More to Experience in Kuopio!
29 Jan. – 1 Feb. 2026
Tahkofest
4 Feb. 2026
Sessions Talents
20–21 Feb. 2026
Finland Ice Marathon
27–28 Mar. 2026
NHL Hockey Day in Finland 2026
19 Mar. 2026
Minna Canth Seminar
22 Apr. 2026
Sessions
national visibility and placed it among the leading live art events.
ANTI Festival wants people to look at familiar things with fresh eyes — both art and their own home city. In its anniversary year, the theme is “seeing differently”, exploring how art can change the way we perceive the world around us. The programme also looks back on the festival’s history through discussions and an exhibition.
At its best, Kuopio’s event landscape is much like the ANTI Festival itself: diverse, curious and full of life. That’s exactly why even more will be happening here than ever before.
8–14 June 2026
Kuopio Dance Festival
2 June 2026
Wellbeing Seminar
4–6 June 2026
Kuopion Komedy Festival
18–20 June 2026
Tahko Midsummer Festival
26–27 June 2026
Tahko MTB
26 June – 4 July 2026
Kuopio Wine Festival
15–19 July 2026
BarokkiKuopio
23–25 July 2026
Kuopiorock
31 July – 2 Aug. 2026
Kuopio Cup
1 Aug. 2026
Väinö Festival
7–8 Aug. 2026
Hoodfest
14–30 Aug. 2026
Our Kuopio Festival and Night of the Arts
29 Aug. 2026
Rauhalahti Kuopio Marathon
12 Sep. 2026
Tahko Trail Run
15–20 Sep. 2026
ANTI – Contemporary Art Festival
December 2026
Kuopio Christmas Market
Have a look at all events: kuopionseina.fi and www.hellokuopio.fi/en
The Capital of Ball Sports
– CHAMPIONSHIPS DON’T HAPPEN BY CHANCE
The success of its teams has put Kuopio firmly on Finland’s ball sports map. In recent years, KalPa, KuPS and Puijo Wolley have all brought championships to the city in their respective sports. Success has been built through long-term work, a strong sense of community, and a love for sports.
TEXT MINNA AKIOLA
PHOTOS ATTE RISSANEN PHOTOGRAPHY, KUPS, MINNA AKIOLA AND OLLI KOKANDER
Kuopio’s brand as a sports city has grown stronger as three teams from different sports have won Finnish championships in recent years: KalPa in ice hockey, KuPS in football, and Puijo Wolley in volleyball. KuPS also claimed the Finnish Cup title in 2024. For KalPa and Puijo Wolley, these were the first Finnish championships in the clubs’ histories, while for KuPS, it was the seventh.
Jari Koistinen, executive director of KuPS juniors, reminds us that the city is also home to many other highquality sports clubs. The biggest unifying factor for the various clubs is that they get children and young people and their families moving and involved in the community. As juniors grow up, they are better prepared to take on the challenges of different professions.
– I’ve often said that every one of our players becomes a professional, we just don’t yet know in what field. The same community principles apply whether you become a bank manager, a cleaner or a professional athlete, Koistinen reminds us.
SUCCESS IS THE RESULT OF LONG-TERM WORK
Toni Saksman, CEO of KalPa, considers that one of the key factors behind Kuopio’s success in ball sports is a longterm approach, with junior development as one of its core elements. In various sports, local boys and girls play an important role. Teams have done the basics well, which has allowed players to develop. It is also important to
Jari Koistinen of KuPS and Toni Saksman of KalPa both emphasise the importance of junior development for their clubs’ success.
have as wide a base of juniors as possible.
– Many dream of turning their hobby into a profession, but there are many individual factors that determine whether that’s possible. Still, we try to give everyone the best possible tools to make it happen, says Saksman.
KalPa has seen both good and lean financial years. Saksman believes that the investments made before the COVID19 pandemic in business operations and the arena environment are now bearing fruit. The club also invested in physical training and player testing during the pandemic.
– I see success as the result of a long building process. We had to succeed on so many fronts. I also noticed that, although every player fought hard to win, it was important that the team included KalPa’s own homegrown players and those who had
been with the club for many years. Their example was significant in winning the championship, Saksman reflects.
According to Koistinen, one major strength in club activities is a strong sense of community.
Many fans have wondered whether they would live long enough to see KalPa win a championship. That’s why, for many fans, the first word to the players wasn’t “congratulations” but “thank you.” The huge crowds at the championship celebration in the town square underlined what the victory meant to the hockey community. One of KalPa’s core values is Savonian identity. Saksman believes that,
through its activities, KalPa helps strengthen the identity of the entire region.
KUOPIO BREATHES FOOTBALL
Jari Koistinen also believes that the city’s success in ball sports stems from longterm work. In addition, Ari Lahti’s financial commitment to the men’s Veikkausliiga and women’s Kansallinen Liiga teams has paved the way for success. However, credit must also be given to the club’s own player development.
– At best, we’ve had as many as eight home-grown players on the field in a single match, Koistinen points out.
According to Koistinen, one major strength in club activities is a strong sense of community. In the junior department alone, around 2,000 fam
ilies are involved, and when you include the grandparents, the community numbers roughly 10,000 people.
– We’ve had professional coaches come to the club from other parts of Finland, and they’ve all said that it doesn’t take long to realise that this city truly breathes football, Koistinen says.
In addition to families, partners and sponsors play an important role in making the operations possible. Many companies want to support several different sports in Kuopio. The clubs also maintain an excellent dialogue with one another. Staff members can call any club for advice or just to catch up.
Koistinen also praises Kuopio’s fan culture. KuPS supporters have managed to root out individuals who might cause disturbances at matches.
– The fans stand firmly behind the teams. I think that’s something really admirable, Koistinen adds.
A LONG WAIT WAS REWARDED WITH CHAMPIONSHIPS
Olli Kokander, a business advisor at the City of Kuopio’s business services, is a lifelong ball sports fan. When he moved back to his hometown of Kuopio from Helsinki 17 years ago, the first thing he did was buy season
tickets for both KuPS and KalPa. According to Kokander, fans of different sports have warmly welcomed the title Capital of Ball Sports. After both KuPS and KalPa secured their championships, he too headed to the town square at night to join the celebrations.
– Having seen hundreds, if not thousands, of games, I’ve witnessed both ups and downs. I’ve sat in the stands also through the rough patches. That makes the success feel all the better, since we haven’t been among the top teams all the time. The championships crystallised the joy I’d been waiting for over the years as a season ticket holder, Kokander sums up.
Olli Kokander, together with his son and KuPS’s Petteri Pennanen.
Thriving Kuopio!
In the past, people wanted to succeed. It became the measure of progress. But thriving gives you more — it allows a person to grow to their full stature.
TEXT ARTO O. SALONEN | PHOTO SAKARI RÖYSKÖ
Kuopio wants to thrive. But what could this noble goal – one that touches all the city’s residents –really mean?
Perhaps we need to ask what a human being is at their core. What uplifts, sustains, and motivates us? And why do we do the things we do?
According to Nietzsche, people strive for power. Freud, on the other hand, thought that human behaviour is driven by the desire to avoid anxiety. Aristotle saw happiness as humanity’s ultimate goal.
Perhaps all these perspectives are true. They simply represent different sides of being human. Whatever the case, we know that human beings are both selfish and unselfish – at the same time.
In recent decades, selfishness has increased alongside the pursuit of profit and competitiveness. The human being has come to be seen as one who seeks personal advantage. The selfish side of a person is after their rights. It wants to know in what ways the city exists for me and serves me.
A flourishing city dweller connects their own life to the chain of generations. Flourishing springs from knowing in whose footsteps we walk through the city’s streets. That’s why it is meaningful to notice the traces Minna Canth left behind in Kuopio – they remind us of the courage to stand firmly on the side of good.
The statue of J. V. Snellman in the park also sustains this kind of collective memory. It can remind us that solving the greatest challenges of each era is at the very heart of civilisation. Taking on the role of a problemsolver nourishes the unselfish sides of human nature.
”Whatever the case, we know that human beings are both selfish and unselfish – at the same time”
Flourishing also requires experiences of belonging – a sense of being part of a city that is meaningful to me. This can be supported by decisively strengthening residents’ opportunities to participate. In practice, this may be, for example, through participatory budgeting, where citizens can help decide how the city’s funds are used. Resident participation also reinforces democracy, which sustains the vitality of life.
But without unselfishness, we would not be where we are. The unselfish side of us asks how we could live for the city and for one another. How our knowledge, skills, and abilities could serve the common good of the city’s residents.
A life stemming from unselfishness strengthens our sense of meaning. Life gains depth and meaning, for example, when an elderly person shares their experiences with children in day care. It may mean telling stories about what life was like before. The common good is realised when the children gain a new adult in their world –especially valuable for those without grandparents. Bringing out the unselfish sides of people makes the city flourish.
Flourishing Kuopio represents the shared humanity of all people. We shouldn’t close our eyes to the aspects of life that enhance our own happiness and may even carry traces of selfishness. But it’s even more essential to see the city’s residents as meaningseeking beings who want to exist for others. When a person lives for others, life becomes welcoming. Then there are good reasons to wake up and live a new day.
Arto O. Salonen Professor, Social Pedagogy University of Eastern Finland
Kuopio Punches Above Its Weight
– THIS PLACE HAS DISCOVERED SOMETHING ESSENTIAL ABOUT LIFE
The City of Kuopio has improved its appeal more than any of Finland’s ten largest cities. Kirsi Soininen, Kuopio’s Director of Strategy and Communications and Timo Aro, Regional and Population Development Specialist at MDI, share their insights into what lies behind Kuopio’s appeal and its strong sense of safety.
TEXT MINNA AKIOLA
PHOTOS SUVI ELO, PETRA KUHA AND ANNIKA PARKKONEN
For Kirsi Soininen, the sense of community is central to Kuopio’s appeal.
In its annual Attraction & Retention study, TMedia examined perceptions of cities. Kuopio residents considered their city as both safe and pleasant to live in. It was the only one of the cities studied to receive excellent ratings in these areas.
Kuopio’s Director of Strategy and Communications, Kirsi Soininen, agrees with the findings – the feeling of safety, comfort, and community is a key part of Kuopio’s appeal.
Timo Aro, a Regional and Population Development Specialist at the consultancy MDI, admits that Kuopio has performed consistently well in both population growth and attractiveness but encourages the city to raise its level of ambition and expand its visibility even more broadly, also internationally.
What makes Kuopio attractive right now?
KIRSI: Kuopio has been dynamic in many ways for quite some time. At the same time, it remains a community on a human scale where a sense of humanity and a strong identity have been preserved. The factors that contribute to quality of life stand out!
TIMO: Large and mediumsized university cities have been quite attractive over the past three years. As part of this trend, Kuopio has become the central city of a wide area and, in fact, of all Eastern Finland. It draws many new residents from its area of influence, its own region, and even further afield.
What sets Kuopio apart from other major cities?
KIRSI: Alongside its quality of life and closeness to nature, the city is full of diverse opportunities – for example, services that support tourism are also services for residents. One distinguishing factor is the people’s openness and genuine sense of community.
TIMO: Kuopio has succeeded in establishing itself as a city of good living and highquality residential and living environments, offering a wide range of housing options for people of different ages and at different stages of life.
How is the sense of safety built in everyday life? What characteristics can be found in Kuopio?
KIRSI: The sense of safety is made up of many factors, such as people’s own experiences, ability to cope, and adaptability. It’s also about trust in others and in life itself. In addition to these factors, sense of safety is shaped by concrete things like the structure of the city. Even the way we communicate can help strengthen that sense of safety.
TIMO: Kuopio has invested heavily in comprehensive security and made both strategic choices and practical measures specifically related to safety. The importance and feeling of safety have been emphasised in
many different contexts in Kuopio. This is also reflected in research results in the current global situation.
What should Kuopio still do to strengthen its attraction and retention – and remain at the top in studies measuring them?
KIRSI: We need more opportunities like the anniversary year as well as new focus areas to strengthen our visibility beyond the region. The anniversary year has been a shared source of pride that has reinforced both cooperation and identity – and invited others to discover Kuopio as well. We’ll continue to need bold actions and new initiatives in the future to remain a city at the top.
According to Timo Aro, Kuopio has succeeded in establishing itself a a city of good living and highquality residential environments.
TIMO: Kuopio should focus much more strongly on improving its international attraction and retention. By this, I mean educational and workbased immigration, as well as, more broadly, a multilingual population and growing linguistic diversity. That said, Kuopio has already done quite well in its efforts to attract and retain people.
How would you sum up Kuopio’s attraction in one sentence?
KIRSI: Kuopio has sustainable growth and vitality – this place has an insight into life.
TIMO: It’s welcoming and easy to settle in, Kuopio is known as a relaxed, easygoing environment.
Aro concludes by saying that Kuopio is a city greater than its size. It has performed well in various surveys measuring residents’ views of their own city, its services, and its surroundings. Kuopio appears in a positive light in many different studies. The city has succeeded in communicating its message, and when the residents start repeating that same message, it becomes a powerful tool for marketing.
– Kuopio communicates in a way that is warm and inviting, calm when needed, and written with a twinkle in the eye, Soininen adds.
Everyday Life & Studies
Kuopio is a genuinely international city and provides unique opportunities for living, studies and business alike.
100 OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SATISFIED WITH THEIR LIVES 76%
DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES LIVING IN KUOPIO AROUND
APPROXIMATELY 6,000
FOREIGN NATIONALS LIVING IN KUOPIO
94
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN IN KUOPIO
THE 8TH LARGEST CITY IN FINLAND
25,000
10,800 OF THE POPULATION LIVES IN THE URBAN AREAS 80% IN THE COUNTRYSIDE 20% HAVE A DEGREE FROM A HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTE 32% FROM SECONDARY EDUCATION 76% STUDENTS
2,200
FOREIGN STUDENTS
THE MUNICIPALITY WITH THE MOST SUMMER HOUSES IN FINLAND
WALK FROM ONE’S FRONT DOOR TO THE NEAREST OUTDOOR SPORTS FACILITY A 10-MINUTE
Kuopio Thrives on Expertise
– SECURITY AND RESEARCH AS KEY STRENGTHS
Kuopio has many strengths to be proud of. It is a university city, a regional centre, a hub of research and business, and in the future, it will also be home to the Centre of Excellence for Comprehensive Security.
TEXT MINNA AKIOLA
PHOTOS MINNA AKIOLA, KUOPIO HEALTH AND RAIMO PESONEN
In Kuopio, business, innovation, research and security are intertwined in an exceptional way. The connections between them are well utilised, and they support one another. One of the city’s main themes, comprehensive security, serves as a broad umbrella for many sectors. Through it, different stakeholders can be brought together and ideas can crosspollinate.
The open innovation ecosystem Kuopio Health is doing strong work in promoting health technology, while projects preparing the national Centre of Excellence for Comprehensive Security and the North Savo comprehensive security business cluster operate on a broader front.
Kuopio Health, estimates that there is no comparable environment elsewhere in the world.
– The highlevel research cluster traces its origins to research work that began decades ago at the university. The pioneer was Professor Seppo YläHerttuala and his research group, Gröhn says.
”We aim to create an environment that supports incoming companies in settling here.”
– All of these bring actors together, highlight their expertise and help companies and organisations in their development work, says Irma Savolainen, Development Specialist at the Centre of Excellence for Comprehensive Security project.
UNIQUE RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT
Specialisation in drug development, particularly in gene, cell and nanotherapies, makes Kuopio’s research environment unique. Aki Gröhn, CEO of
YläHerttuala successfully began developing gene therapy methods. His success earned him funding that made it possible to further develop the research environment. The university has also attracted talented researchers and students, many of whom have become top researchers.
– Many success stories have sprung from Kuopio’s research environment. One of them, FinVector, which manufactures gene therapy drugs, is becoming a world-leading pioneer in its field, Gröhn says.
FINVECTOR HAS GROWTH POTENTIAL
FinVector plays its part in bringing highskilled jobs to the Kuopio region and strengthening the area’s vitality. It is the ninthlargest employer in
Aki Gröhn, CEO of Kuopio Health.
Kuopio and has enormous growth potential. Gröhn estimates that FinVector’s investments in the area will attract also other actors to Savilahti in Kuopio.
– Within 5–10 years, FinVector is expected to become the largest company of its kind in Kuopio, Gröhn predicts.
According to Gröhn, much will happen around the pharmaceutical and health technology sectors in the coming years. Another strongly growing company operating in Kuopio is Charles River, which provides research services for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
– Building an ecosystem around the field is extremely important. We aim to create an environment that supports incoming companies in settling here. Excellent living conditions also help, such as the incredible nature, highquality basic services and safety, Gröhn says.
Pia Viklund, Irma Savolainen, Arto Yletyinen and Asko Muhonen from the Centre of Excellence for Comprehensive Security project.
COMPREHENSIVE SECURITY CREATES VITALITY
In the field of security, several projects are under way in Kuopio, the most significant of which is the development of the Centre of Excellence for Comprehensive Security. What began as a local and regional project has grown into a nationally and even internationally recognized initiative.
– Finland’s comprehensive security model offers a solution for strengthening crisis resilience, something Europe is particularly interested in, says Pia Viklund, Director of the Centre of Excellence for Comprehensive Security project.
Comprehensive security is not the work of just one organisation but cooperation and the use of expertise across organisational boundaries. The preparatory work for the centre has revealed that comprehen
sive security expertise exists widely throughout Finland, and all of it should be recognised and highlighted. The centre of excellence being built in Kuopio will act as a national link and facilitator of cooperation. There is also international interest in Finnish expertise, so business opportunities should not be overlooked, says Asko Muhonen, the City of Kuopio’s Special Adviser for Comprehensive Security and a retired colonel.
– Comprehensive security creates vitality for the Kuopio region when it’s packaged into the right kinds of products and services, Muhonen says.
COOPERATION BETWEEN COMPANIES
One focal point of interest is Luola (Cave) in Savilahti, which is the most modern dualuse civil defence shelter in Northern Europe. It serves as a shelter for about 7,000 people but
In Kuopio, business, innovation, research and security are intertwined in an exceptional way. The connections between them are well utilised, and they support one another.
also as a sports and events centre.
– The aim is to develop it into a digital and virtual training and exercise environment that will be used as part of civil defence training, Muhonen adds.
Muhonen estimates that once the comprehensive security concept takes shape in Kuopio, it can be exported abroad as courses of varying levels or as course modules. The areas could include municipal and citylevel preparedness, civil defence, rescue operations, or even medical services in crisis situations.
In addition, Kuopio is building cooperation between companies to generate new products, services and innovations that could in their own way support comprehensive security. The key focus areas identified in
clude health technology, the pharmaceutical industry, and food and defencerelated technologies.
– Companies in the region are currently investing to meet the growing demand for defence materials both domestically and on export markets, says Arto Yletyinen, Business Specialist for the Centre of Excellence for Comprehensive Security project.
By promoting joint offerings, the aim is also to help as many companies as possible gain access to new business opportunities.
CONCRETE SOLUTIONS
Savolainen reminds us that since Finland’s cooperative model of comprehensive security attracts international interest, other countries will
likely start looking for practical solutions, particularly for the public sector.
– Then we’ll be in a great position if the centre of excellence and regional clusters have already brought together the companies Finland has to offer. We’ll have the best concrete solutions available for those interested.
Having Kuopio as the home of the national Centre of Excellence for Comprehensive Security will add value to the region’s international image from a business perspective.
Muhonen concludes that the overall concept may not be complete tomorrow or even next year, but it’s certainly worth pursuing for major opportunities.
Together Towards an Attractive Future
Collaboration is the foundation of everything when it comes to regional development, growth, vitality, and competitiveness.
By working together, we can strengthen the region's attraction and retention power and improve its ability to attract new talent and stakeholders.
TEXT MINNA AKIOLA, REETTA AIRAKSINEN
PHOTOS WILLE MARKKANEN, TIINA KUHA, EZEKIEL KUHOGA AND ILONA WAKONEN/WORK IN FINLAND
The availability of skilled labor has been identified as a critical factor for the growth of both North Savo and its businesses. In the future, attracting international talent to the workforce will be essential for keeping the region vibrant and competitive.
One example of successful collaboration is events. Why do it alone when it can be done better and more effectively together?
Event Collaboration Creates Impact
Talent First has taken the regional talent story of North Savo to the world in collaboration with its partners, bringing various stakeholders together to pursue a common goal.
The Talent First — talent attraction project — organizes events in cooperation with various organizations, trusting that the most impactful results come from working together. Event collaboration has brought North Savo’s talent appeal to the forefront both domestically and internationally: in seminars, trade fairs, and com
In the future, international talent will be increasingly needed in the workforce to keep the region vibrant and competitive.
munitybased projects. These shared events have increased the region's visibility, created new connections, and demonstrated that collaboration is the most effective way to strengthen the region’s attractiveness and competitiveness.
THE COMPETITION FOR TALENT IS FIERCE
In joint events, Talent First and other organizations play their distinct, natural roles. According to Samuli Miettinen, business expert at the North Savo ELY Centre (Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment), everyone speaks about the same theme, but with slightly different approaches.
– One goal is to attract top talent to the region and ensure that the talent already here stays, Miettinen says.
The North Savo ELY Centre and the Talent First project collaborated on the popular seminar "International talent and competitiveness in North Savo," held in October 2025 in Kuopio. Other partners in the event included Talent Hub Eastern Finland, Business Finland, Work In Finland, and the Future labour markets ESR+ coordination project.
– Talent First has worked actively to ensure visibility for the region’s businesses at international
At the HVG Job Fair in Hungary, the international team collectively raised awareness of Finland and its opportunities.
events. This is extremely important because the competition for talent is tough, and it will only get fiercer in the future, Miettinen adds.
Another significant seminar was held the previous year, in 2024, in collaboration with the North Savo Regional Council’s "Integration of foresight information in North Savo" project. The "Region's attractiveness — Talent and the makers of the future" seminar received praise for its diverse program and interesting new research findings.
BETTER RESULTS THROUGH COLLABORATION
Finnish organizations have strengthened their cooperation at international recruitment fairs as well. The Talent First project has been a key partner in, for example, the EURES network, through which the fair collaboration was initiated.
– The first joint fair was the Emigration Expo in the Netherlands in the spring of 2024. Later, similar fairs have been held in Hungary and Portugal, says Ilona Wakonen, Development Expert at Work in Finland’s KEHA Centre.
According to Wakonen, the core of the collaboration is to highlight the employment opportunities for international talent and the sectors in Finland that need workers. The key target group for the fairs is job seekers who are ready to relocate to Finland.
– The collaboration with Talent First was excellent. They helped with mar
keting, communication, and provided regional expertise, adding value to the fair. This allowed us to present Finland in a more comprehensive way. Additionally, Talent First provided us with great development ideas for future fairs.
Collaboration has been seen as mutually successful and rewarding — together, it’s possible to achieve more and in a more diverse way than alone. The evolving collaboration aims to make it possible for employers to participate in the fairs in an even more direct way, possibly presenting concrete job opportunities as well.
THE PILOT PROJECT
SANASKABA COMBINED LANGUAGE SKILLS AND COMMUNITY
One example of a communitybased project is the Finnish language speaking competition, SanaSkaba, which
was held in Kuopio in the fall of 2025. In this event, international talent had the opportunity to practice public speaking in Finnish in an authentic setting. The competition was originally conceived by Vimbiso Kombora and executed by Ezekiel Kuhoga and Maira Asif in cooperation with the Talent First project. Talent First was the main partner of the project and participated in organizing and judging the competition.
SanaSkaba showed that international talent can take on the role of event planners and leaders when given the opportunity. Feedback from the competition was overwhelmingly positive — many hoped the competition would continue annually and expand to a national level.
– When talents from different backgrounds are given space and support, new ideas and lasting impact emerge, says Kuhoga.
Collaboration that Attracts Talent and Creates Sustainable Growth
When it comes to genuine collaboration, it involves the merging of interests and goals from different stakeholders. It is longterm, strategic work where businesses and organizations combine their resources and expertise to achieve shared objectives. A functional collaboration network creates attractiveness for the region — not only for businesses but also for talent.
Collaboration with clear goals and a shared vision provides a strong foundation for sustainable growth in the region.
– It’s important to remember that attraction and retention go hand in hand, and work must be done on both fronts, says Reetta Airaksinen, Project Manager of the Talent First project.
VISION: A TALENT-DRIVEN NORTH SAVO
The goal of the Talent First project is to create a collaboration model that is open to all businesses and organizations in the region wishing to be involved in enhancing the region’s at
SanaSkaba winner Thuy Nguyen captivated with a positive attitude and encouraged international talent to speak Finnish without worrying about grammar mistakes.
traction and retention power, as well as finding solutions for attracting and integrating international talent. The project carries out activities in cooperation with partners and other regional collaborators.
The upcoming collaboration model, the socalled multiactor network, will delve deeper into the development of regional cooperation. The focus will be on knowledge sharing, developing the region’s retention power, as well as influence and attractiveness.
– This will involve necessary situational assessments, training, creating career and integration paths, as well as communication efforts and events, says Airaksinen.
A strong community spirit attracts not only tourists but also businesses and industry experts – all while building a vibrant growth story for the entire region.
How does collaboration with a vision of a Talentdriven North Savo sound?
This article is produced by Talent First (Talent Attraction Model of North SavoImpact through Collaboration).
The project is co-financed by the European Union, with funding from the South Savo ELY Centre (ESR+) and 12 North Savo project partners (1.9.2023–30.6.2026).
For more information: www.talentfirst.fi/en/
Spearhead Projects Build a Strong Future
Kuopio’s strategic spearhead projects are large, multifaceted transformation initiatives aimed at strengthening the city’s vitality and attractiveness.
TEXT MINNA AKIOLA
PHOTOS VINCENTE SERRA AND PETRA KUHA
Kuopio is known for its longterm and systematic approach to developing the entire city. Spearhead projects have been one of the key tools in this work. Through a projectbased approach, Kuopio has been able to invest purposefully in areas where combining different themes can multiply their impact on the city’s overall vitality.
– Strategic spearhead projects are broad, multifaceted entities that are essential to the city’s success. They are advanced in a coordinated fashion and in cooperation with various actors, says Antti Niskanen, Project Director for the City of Kuopio.
When different development efforts are combined into a larger whole, the impact grows. And when the effects become visible, it attracts more actors and investments — creating a positive cycle. New opportunities open up for the subsequent major leaps toward the future.
– We are not just building streets and walls — we’re trying to boost what people and companies can do within those environments, Niskanen explains.
TOWARD A THRIVING KUOPIO
Through the spearhead projects, the city’s strategy is put into practice — the vision of Thriving Kuopio – sustainable growth and vitality. The projects advance the city’s success and wellbeing, aiming in their part to respond to future challenges and opportunities. At the same time, they bring together the necessary stakeholders around shared goals.
– Urban development is crossadministrative work. We aim to align the city’s own actions with the contributions of external actors in pursuit of synergies. Kuopio enables, inspires and connects, but most of the actual work and investment comes from others, Niskanen explains.
Kuopio’s spearhead projects include, among others, Saaristokaupunki, the Savilahti growth and innovation hub, and the redevelopment of the Asemanseutu (Station District) into a travel centre. In Savilahti, investments have exceeded
one billion euros. The area has over 16,000 employees, nearly 20,000 students and more than 1,000 residents.
– In Savilahti, the collaboration of a wide group of partners is constantly generating new initiatives. In addition, it is a wonderful and growing residential area with a wealth of opportunities, Antti Niskanen reflects.
A NEW SPEARHEAD PROJECT IN PLANNING
The city is already planning its next major step in development. Since 2023, preparations have been underway for a comprehensive development package for the core urban area (Kuopio Plus), extending to 2040. This development programme also encompasses Savilahti and Asemanseutu.
The Kuopio region has also highlighted Savilahti, Asemanseutu and the new Kuopio Plus project as key priorities in its agreement with the state on land use, housing and transport (the MAL agreement). These projects play an important role in the development of the entire North Savo region.
Since 2023, preparations have been underway for a comprehensive development package for the coreurban area
Kuopio’s future is being built piece by piece, but with a long horizon. The spearhead projects are not only tools for development; they also reflect the way the city operates: with anticipation, collaboration and a longterm perspective.
– It’s important to remember that while major, highimpact projects are underway in the city, a wide range of development and construction work is also being carried out continuously across different parts of Kuopio, Niskanen reminds us.
Asemanseutu –Gateway to Kuopio
As a result of more than ten years of development, Kuopio’s Asemanseutu district has emerged as a modern travel centre and a gateway to the city. This spearhead project, now nearing completion, brings together housing, jobs, services and public transport — strengthening the appeal of the entire city centre.
TEXT MINNA AKIOLA | PHOTO WILLE MARKKANEN
Kuopio’s Asemanseutu has come a long way from a gravel field to a modern travel centre. The development work that began in 2012 is now nearing completion. According to Antti Niskanen, Project Director for the City of Kuopio, the city’s spearhead projects typically rely on codevelopment — meaning that the progress and completion of the project depend heavily on actors beyond the city itself.
– There have been various ideas for developing the travel centre since the 1990s. At one point, the plans also included an area dedicated to workplaces, but in the end we arrived at a
broader concept: a meeting place for transport, people and services, Niskanen explains.
Among others, the Regional Council of North Savo and the ELY Centre encouraged the development of such a regional transport hub and passenger services.
PART OF THE CITY CENTRE’S SERVICES
The development of the Asemanseutu district required agile course corrections and market dialogue over the years, but the City of Kuopio held firmly to its vision of expanding the
core city centre: Asemanseutu is not a separate entity, but an extension of services in the centre.
– In the end, the concept crystallised into hybrid construction — in addition to the travel centre, the area gained housing and office space, services and commercial premises. One guiding idea concerned the city’s image, that is, the entry into Kuopio. Kuopion Portti will provide homes and services to the city centre far into the future. Today, Asemanseutu shows up clearly in measurements of citycentre vitality thanks to the 30 companies that have located there as an extension of Puijonkatu. The renewal work helps present a dynamic image of Kuopio as the engine of Eastern Finland, Niskanen notes.
The total investment in the project amounts to around 175 million euros, the majority of which has come from the private sector. Various subsidies and state funding account for roughly one third. The City’s own investments total about 7.5 million euros, which will return as revenue in approximately eight years. Although the City’s financial role in constructing the travel centre was small, it was strategically decisive in terms of enabling the project. The built area covers more than 50,000 square metres, and Asemanseutu now provides homes for around 450 residents as well as workplaces for 450 people. The whole comprises multiple property owners and operating organisations, realised through the funding, actions and cooperation of several different parties.
– Many different parties and individuals have done a great deal of good work for this over the years — my sincere thanks to all of them, Niskanen concludes.
More Than One Way to Get There
There’s a Savonian saying that “sujjausta pitkin ei mäne kuin yks hujjaus” — meaning, roughly, that travelling along the sujjaus takes you there in a whoosh. And there’s truth in this quip. Surrounded by lakes, Kuopio is easy to reach by car, train, plane or boat, but it’s that very sujjaus — Highway 5 running right through the city — that makes travel here especially effortless.
Kuopio is a city surrounded by waterways, and its core area looks like an island on the map. In a city with 4,760 kilometres of lacelike shoreline, you might expect moving from one neighbourhood to another to be slow, but in reality, whooshing between districts in Kuopio is surprisingly quick. Helping with this is Highway 5 — known locally as the viitostie or sujjaus — which runs right alongside the city centre and cuts straight through the whole city.
In addition to locals, Highway 5 naturally serves those arriving in the city. This 900kilometre highway runs all the way from Heinola to Sodan
kylä and allows smooth travel to Kuopio from both the south and the north. And right at Kuopio, Highway 5 shares its alignment with both the E63 and Highway 9, which makes travelling here from east and west just as effortless.
ts will find plenty of beautiful rural and lakeside routes around summertime Kuopio. The city is also on the Trans Euro Trail, or the TET route, favoured by adventure riders. And if, instead of tyres, it’s sails or a rudder that steer the traveller, Kuopio can also be reached by water all the way from the Gulf of Finland.
TEXT PAULIINA AHONEN | PHOTOS WILLE MARKKANEN AND ITÄRATA OY
RELAXED ON THE RAILS SINCE 1889
The first steam locomotive chugged its way to Kuopio on a test run in July 1888, and the official opening of the Savo railway was celebrated on 1 October 1889. The festivities took over the entire city: streets and parks were cleaned, public buildings were illuminated, flags fluttered on flagpoles, a triumphal arch was built at the station, and townspeople joined a torchlit procession heading to the evening celebration in Snellman Park.
and a range of amenities are all under one roof. The travel centre is only 500 metres from the market square, so you can slip into the city’s atmosphere the moment you arrive at the station.
STRAIGHT TO THE HEART OF SAVO BY AIR
Today, Kuopio is a major railway hub
Today, Kuopio is a major railway hub with direct train connections from Helsinki, Lahti, Kouvola and Pieksämäki. The journey from Helsinki takes as little as four and a half hours. Travel is made even smoother by Kuopio’s new travel centre, where train and coach services, a hotel, a parking hall
Kuopio’s own airport puts the city just an hour away from Helsinki. Kuopio Airport is located 14 kilometres from the city centre, so the trip between town and terminal is quick. The airport’s compact size makes travelling smooth, with security checks and transfers handled effortlessly. Via Helsinki, it’s simple to fly from Kuopio to destinations around the world, and from time to time there are also direct flights to popular holiday destinations abroad.
Getting Around by Wheels and Waves
Once a visitor arrives at the summery Mualiman napa — meaning the “centre of the world,” as the locals have dubbed their market square — it’s perfectly understandable to want to spend the whole holiday just orbiting around it. But it’s well worth looking a little further afield in Kuopio, especially since getting around has been made so wonderfully easy. In Kuopio, you won’t get stuck in traffic jams — not only because there really aren’t any — but because you can reach the sights in so many different ways!
TEXT PAULIINA AHONEN PHOTOS SANNA PIETIKÄINEN AND WILLE MARKKANEN
VILKKU CITY BIKES
It’s easy to feel like waving at passersby when the sun is shining, the birds are singing and you can glide from one neighbourhood to another on an electric city bike without breaking a sweat. Kuopio was the first city in the Nordic countries to introduce a fully electric, stationfree city bike system. For users, this means effortless kilometres. The bikes recognise their own location, and at the end of your ride they are dropped off within an area designated by the app. The app also makes it easy to check how many bikes are available at each spot. The southernmost point of the service area is the Matkus Shopping Centre, and the northernmost is the beautiful lakeside scenery by the Kallansillat Bridges. Vilkku bikes are without doubt one of the most convenient ways to explore every corner of the central urban area.
BIKE TAXIS
Mentioning rickshaws might make your mind jump straight to Asia, but
Savonians know how to handle them too. In Kuopio’s city centre and nearby areas, you can hop into an actual rickshaw, the BikeTaxi, and enjoy a sightseeing tour or zip quickly from one place to another. This ecofriendly mode of transport is not only convenient but also a guaranteed smileraiser as you move around summertime Kuopio.
CITY CENTRE STREET TRAIN
“No need to fuss about — hop on the street train,” said perhaps no one ever, but they could have. If the pace of your holiday starts to feel a bit hectic, simply climb into one of the colourful carriages, lean back and enjoy a leisurely hour touring Kuopio’s summery city centre. Pretty nice, if you ask us.
If you come across an interesting place, you can hop off and get back on the next round, as the same ticket lets you chug between the stops all day long. The street train runs from the market square to the harbour, to Väinölänniemi Park and back to the
square via the rännikatu alleyways, so if you keep your eyes open, there’s plenty of delightful sights to enjoy.
INLAND WATER CRUISES
Nothing is as Savonian as an inland water cruise! That is why Kuopio offers this traditional pleasure through no fewer than three different cruise companies. Roll Risteilyt, Saimaan Laivamatkat and KoskiLaiva Oy operate local cruises, charter cruises, themed cruises, cruises with or without food, and trips to various destinations such as the Alahovi Winery.
The oldest ship sailing in Kuopio was originally built in 1898 and the newest in the 2000s. The quickest way to sway across Lake Kallavesi takes about an hour and a half, but if you really want to indulge, you can opt for a 12hour cruise to Savonlinna. From there, passengers are transported back to Kuopio by bus either later the same evening or after a relaxing night in a hotel.
Smart Mobility Also by Bus
Local bus information is available at vilkku.kuopio.fi/en
Business & Culture
Success stories emerge from places where they have room to grow. The attitude of Kuopio’s residents is built on courage, persistence and, above all, collaboration.
71%
126,000 A POPULATION OF EMPLOYMENT RATE
55,000 ANNUAL VISITORS IN MUSEUMS
INVESTMENT OUTLOOK FOR COMPANIES IN NORTH SAVO:
129,000
200,000 JOBS
€14.2 BILLION
KUOPIO IS KNOWN FOR THE MARKET SQUARE, PUIJO AND TAHKO
OVER 2 MILLION LOANS FROM LIBRARIES VIBRANT CITY CENTRE MOST ATTRACTIVE CITY IN FINLAND THE 2ND
RESIDENTS
RESIDENTS LIVING IN ITS COMMUTING AREA
Here, the heart beats for life, community, and nature.
Kuopio grows boldly, yet responsibly, building well-being, knowledge, and vitality.
