"Finland has the creative talent and the infrastructure. What we’ve lacked is the movement. So, we did what any journey demands; we started walking."
—Ronny Eriksson Founder, ODDfest
While creativity is fast becoming one of the world’s most important economic and cultural forces, our country is being left behind. The creative sector in Finland contributes just 3.1% to GDP—less than half the share achieved by leading nations. Cultural funding is being cut. Iconic festivals are being sold abroad. The connection between businesses, institutions, and grassroot creativity is weaker than ever.
That’s where ODDfest comes in.
Six months before the first edition, there wasn’t much just a group of young people with an idea and a mutual understanding that something was missing. Finland needed a new kind of platform. One that doesn’t just entertain, but connects art, business, and society, and truly brings them together. A stage for new thinking, collaboration, and cultural relevance.
From brand launch to execution, we moved fast—maybe faster than was wise. But we believed in the urgency. And we were tired of waiting for permission.
The result: ODDfest 2025 reached over one million people and brought 2,600 people together in person—from students to ministers and underground artists to creative industry leaders. We built the first multistage cultural festival at Lasipalatsikortteli, laying the foundation for what we hope will become the largest continuous downtown festival in Helsinki.
Not because we wanted to be big, but because something big is needed.
Finland has had its moments—Nokia gave us growth, Slush gave us agility. But now, in a world shaped by war, instability, and burnout, it’s creativity that can give us meaning and help us move forward. ODDfest aims to create a crossindustry platform where Nordic creative talent and genius can be showcased. This event is for anyone aiming to make lasting impact in their market whether in art, marketing, or technology because boldness and creativity are essential to remain relevant in any industry.
Finland has the creative talent and the infrastructure. What we’ ve lacked is the movement. So, we did what any journey demands; we started walking.
Through stress, doubt, long nights, and countless unknowns—we walked our way here. And we didn’t do it alone. Over 100 people contributed their time, energy, and vision, and more than 70 partners joined the mission—foundations, businesses, artists, creatives, producers, curators, institutions, and friends.
This isn’t the end goal. It’s the first step. A prototype. A beginning.
Thank you to every single person, partner, funder, and believer who helped make this happen—whether through ideas, resources, encouragement, or simply your presence. You helped us build a home for the ODD.
And now, we keep going, together.
On behalf of the ODDteam,
Ronny Eriksson Founder, ODDfest
ODDfest 2025 marked the beginning of a new platform for creative growth and cultural relevance in Finland and beyond.
In just half a year, what started as an ambitious idea became a full-scale cultural initiative, bridging the gaps between art, business, and society right in the heart of Helsinki.
This report provides an overview of ODDfest’s first edition and the ripple effects it set in motion in the following months, capturing its social, economic, media, and environmental impact.
To start it off, here are a few key highlights:
In two days, the festival’s debut drew 2,600 attendees with over 1,900 signups, representing a wide range of creative professionals, emerging talents, businesses, cultural leaders, and curious audiences.
All in all, ODDfest’s message reached a total audience of one million, both on-site and online, sparking interest among creative industry stakeholders in more than 20 countries, including the UK, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and the US.
With eight stages and 83 sessions spanning more than seven cultural sectors, ODDfest brought together a diverse set of over 150 speakers and artists from more than 20 nationalities.
To make all this possible, a collective effort of more than 350 contributors from partners, speakers, and artists to staff and volunteers dedicated their time and efforts toward ODDfest.
ODDfest generated a direct economic impact of €400,000, with €320,000 invested into the creative sector directly through artist fees, production, and related services.
Within just two months, the festival additionally catalyzed more than 20 collaborative projects, underscoring its role not only as a cultural event but as an accelerator for innovation and new initiatives.
As showcased in the highlights, ODDfest’s first edition crossed many milestones and on multiple fronts succeeded in its mission to inspire, teach, showcase, accelerate, and unite the Finnish creative economy.
It laid the groundwork for a new cultural anchor in Helsinki and an international platform for Nordic talent.
Although an impressive feat already, the debut festival is only the beginning, as the steps taken in 2025 set the stage for the years to come.
Photo credit: ODDfest attendees enjoying Chaos Stage programming on the Lasipalatsi Square domes. Photo by Remu Shemeikka
ODDfest is a fresh, next-generation creative festival that debuted in Helsinki, Finland, in June 2025. Blending the energy of a festival with the insights of a conference, it is designed to inspire, teach, showcase, accelerate, and unite.
Dubbed the festival of cultural relevance and creative growth, ODDfest is more than just a line of stages, it is a platform for creative exchange that positions the creative economy as the next big engine of growth. It is a space where art, business, and society stop pulling apart and start making progress together to spark collaboration, dialogue, and change.
Somewhere between a festival and a conference, ODDfest redefines what an industry event can be. It delivers impactful programming in new formats with a special eye for concepts that bring disciplines, communities, and cultures together.
In other words, expect the unexpected surprising collaborations, daring performances, and wonderfully odd encounters.
By creating vibrant, playful, and thoughtprovoking experiences, ODDfest opens space for new kinds of thinking, interaction, and innovation.
Photo credit: Lasipalatsikortteli, right before the venue opened for ODDfest 2025.
Photo by Remu Shemeikka
While ODDfest carries the weight of a professional industry platform, it is above all a celebration of the doers and thinkers who shape the creative economy. From grassroots creators to institutional leaders and policymakers, ODDfest pays tribute to the full spectrum of the creative sector.
At its heart, the festival champions Finnish and Nordic talent most of all, putting them on the map and spotlighting the trends and voices defining what’s next.
A meeting place for the entire creative ecosystem, ODDfest gathers pro artists, entrepreneurs, brands, institutions, students, global cultural leaders, and the culture-curious public eager to experience something new all together under the same roof.
In other words, if you wish to celebrate oddity and shape the future of culture and creativity, ODDfest is for you.
For us, ODD is the unexpected, unconventional, and out-there. It is where bravery thrives in boundary-pushing expression, fearless experimentation drives creativity, and difference becomes the spark for innovation. ODD is creativity in its purest form—boundless and alive.
At ODDfest, ODD is not an outlier, it is the foundation.
While officially founded in 2025, ODDfest’s roots trace back to New Nordic Way, a creative enterprise formed in 2023.
What began as a grassroots movement to highlight the untapped potential of Finland’s creative industries soon grew into a community of artists, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders, ultimately evolving into ODDfest, a bold new festival designed to put creativity at the center of society and economy.
ODDfest did not appear overnight. Its debut in 2025 is the result of years of groundwork laid by the creative initiative New Nordic Way, founded in 2023 by entrepreneur and ODDfest Founder, Ronny Eriksson.
New Nordic Way emerged to harness the overlooked strengths of Finland’s creative sector, aiming to spark a movement for art, culture, and creative entrepreneurship similar to the one Slush another Finnish success story provided for the startup community.
Through podcasts, workshops, and fresh event concepts, New Nordic Way brought together artists, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders to explore creativity ’s role in society and business.
Highlights included the “New Nordic Way Levels Up” gathering in spring 2024 and playful experiments like the “Artful Putt” mini-golf showcase.
These activities built a grassroots community and proved there was appetite for something bigger.
By late 2024, the vision evolved into ODDfest—a two-day festival designed as a hybrid between a showcase festival and an industry conference.
Organized by the New Nordic Way association, ODDfest was conceived as a bold platform to break down silos between art, business, and society, while celebrating all things odd and creative.
SepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
Sep 19
Sep 1 Official Announcement Jan
Brand Reveal
Development Begins ODDfest Jun 6-7
Feb 11 Teaser Launch Event Mar 28 ODDwappu Apr 30 First Concept & Pitch
Bio Rex, HelsinkiCellar, Helsinki
La Torrefazione, Helsinki
Lasipalatsikortteli , Helsinki
Operatively, the more concrete journey to the first-ever ODDfest unfolded over the course of nine months with five months of actual handson production marked by key milestones that built momentum and anticipation.
Development officially began in September 2024, with the first concept and pitch prepared later that same month.
By January 2025, ODDfest was formally announced to the public, quickly followed by a brand reveal event at Bio Rex Lasipalatsi in February. This was where the visual direction and spirit of ODDfest were shared for the first time.
In March, a teaser launch event at Cellar introduced the first program details and gave the community a taste of what was to come through performances that were set to take the stage at the first ODDfest.
April’s ODDwappu celebration at La Torrefazione Lasipalatsi brought the community together once more around Finland’s traditional May Day festivities and built up the anticipation for the upcoming main event.
Active community engagement through regular get-togethers like these helped build excitement and kept ODDfest visible in the cultural calendar throughout 2025.
Finally, on June 6–7, 2025, the vision became reality as ODDfest debuted in central Helsinki in Lasipalatsikortteli a celebration of creativity that lasted two days in-person, but which marked the start of a much further-reaching cultural movement.
View the first concept of ODDfest drafted in September 2024
Photo credits for the previous page:
Upper left: Angel Emmanuel amid her performance at the ODDfest Teaser Launch event.
Photo by Sebastian Hiemann
Upper right: ODDfest stakeholders pitching in on the conversation at the brand reveal event.
Photo by Daniel Torsell, Majakka
Lower left: Justjulius mid-performance at the Teaser Launch event.
Photo by Sebastian Hiemann
Middle: Ronny Eriksson giving a speech at the brand reveal event.
Photo by Daniel Torsell, Majakka
Lower right: Laura Fuentes embracing the first ODDfest poster at the Teaser Launch event.
Photo by Sebastian Hiemann
Ronny Eriksson
Mirka Parenteau Thomas McGinley
Founder & CEO COOHead of Marketing
Meeri Koutaniemi Jonas Verwijnen
Laura Fuentes Pete Lipponen Kirsi Shemeikka
Head of PRCreative Director Head of Production
Bener Senel
Producer
Kimmo Timonen Melina Korvenkontio
Creativity & Business Music & Performances
Arto Sivonen Dominik Prosser
Laura Ylinen Content Producer
Majakka Video Production
Creativity & Business Global Artists
Liwlig
Creativity & Business
In its inaugural year, ODDfest was driven by a core team of eight passionate professionals who came together to turn the vision into reality. This effort was strengthened by the creative expertise of marketing agency Majakka, whose knack for video production brought the festival’s story to life.
Strategic guidance was provided by an Advisory Board of four seasoned experts: Kimmo Timonen (brand), Melina Korvenkontio (community), Hans Karlsson (event management), and Hasse Eranka (PR).
For ODDfest 2025, the program was carefully curated by a group of cultural and creative minds, including photographer and filmmaker Meeri Koutaniemi, music producer Jonas Verwijnen, cultural strategist Arto Sivonen, curator and festival producer Dominik Prosser, and the team at Liwlig event and brand experience agency.
Hans Karlsson Hasse Eranka
Management
Photo credits for the next page:
Upper left: ODDfest contributors and team members during opening words.
Photo by Remu Shemeikka
Upper right: Jonas Verwijnen and Lotta Savolainen during their music industry -focused session at ODDfest.
Photo by Vilikasper Kanth
Middle left: Mirka Parenteau leading her creative flow yoga with Eriksson at the festival.
Photo by Ida Henriksson
Lower left: Thomas McGinley and Laura Ylinen enjoying the festival day.
Photo by Ida Henriksson
Lower right: Ronny Eriksson right before giving his welcoming speech.
Photo by Sebastian Hiemann
In June 2025, ODDfest made its debut with the theme Chaos & Acceleration, transforming the heart of Helsinki into a cultural innovation playground.
Over two days, the festival welcomed 2,600 attendees to experience more than 80 program numbers across eight stages, powered by the contributions of 350 partners, artists, speakers, staff, and volunteers.
The energy of this first edition resonated far beyond the Lasipalatsikortteli venue, with ODDfest’s messaging reaching an audience of over one million in total.
This inaugural event not only showcased the strength of Finland’s creative community but also set the tone for ODDfest as a new force in the global cultural and creative landscape.
Truly a gem in the heart of Helsinki, Lasipalatsikortteli, or the Glass Palace Quarter, is a charming creative block that combines film, art, design, and flavors in one cozy urban hub.
It brings together the historic Kulttuurikasarmi, the classic Lasipalatsi, and the vibrant Lasipalatsi Square with the iconic roof domes of Amos Rex art museum.
Together, these spaces feature two cinemas, Gilda and Bio Rex, eateries like Ravintola Lasipalatsi, Café Lasipalatsi, La Torrefazione, and Henry ’s Music Bar, local shops, and a lively public space that pulses with culture and community.
ODDfest, which embraces the celebrated landscape every June, is the first multi-stage cultural event to take over the prominent Helsinki attraction recurringly.
Photo credits:
Upper right & left: ODDfest’s iconic venue Lasipalatsikortteli and Lasipalatsi Square. Photos by Tuomas Uusheimo
Bottom: Skateboarder riding along the roof domes of Amos Rex on Lasipalatsi Square. Photos by Mika Huisman
In total, ODDfest 2025 featured eight stages built within the Lasipalatsikortteli area—two outdoors and six indoors.
Chaos Stage
Located outdoors on the Lasipalatsi Square
Focus: big sounds and vibrant performances
Focus Stage
Built in the movie hall of Bio Rex
Focus: radical thought, ideas, and learning
Love Stage Powered by Holvi Tent on the terrace of Lasipalatsi
Focus: community, presence, and connection
Genelec Immersive Sound Stage
360° sound stage inside Lasipalatsi
Focus: spatial sound and immersive experiences
Helsinki Film Lab Stage Powered by Gilda
Built in a movie hall of Gilda
Focus: film IP adaptation beyond the screens
AI Stage Powered by Gilda
Built in a movie hall of Gilda
Focus: generative AI
Transmedia Stage Powered by Gilda
Built in a movie hall of Gilda
Focus: cross-industry world-building
La Torrefazione
Café and a terrace located in the north wing of Lasipalatsi.
Focus: intimate talks and workshops
Photo credits from top to bottom:
Pink Siifu performing on the Chaos Stage.
Photo by Vilikasper Kanth
Reidar Wasenius hosting Pecha Kucha battles powered by Liwligon the Focus stage.
Photo by Sebastian HIemann
Simo Vassinen leading his Bodytalk workshop on the Love Stage.
Photo by Sebastian HIemann
Attendees listening to Music for Roads by Tuomo & Markus on Genelec Immersive Sound Stage.
Photo by Ida Henriksson
Jussi Raita giving a presentation in Adventure Club’s partner event on the AI Stage.
Photo by Majakka
Minna Parikka and Jenni Rotonen amid their fashion-themed discussion session in La Torrefazione.
Photo by Vilikasper Kanth
Narrative Designer Kurt McClung leading his Transmedia Strategy Masterclass on the Helsinki Film Lab Stage in Gilda.
Panel discussion on audio’s integral role in narrative design on the Transmedia Stage.
Workshop on how AI is reshaping filmmaking led by film director Max Fernandez on the AI Stage.
Overall, ODDfest’s diverse programming featured 83 distinct sessions across the creative industries, including 44 showcases, 22 keynotes and dialogues, 11 workshops, and six activations.
Together, these spanned more than seven sectors such as music, gaming, film, fashion, visual art, design, and performing arts .
The ODDfest 2025 highlights included:
Make x Media Hack-AI-thon
Four hours, four teams, one creative challenge reboot the artist Stig with AI. This unique format allowed the festival audience to witness AIassisted creative process live and on the spot.
Debate in the Dark Powered by Liwlig
A dark room and five chairs in front of the audience. ODDfest brought two anonymous debate sessions on stage to discuss topical creative industry dilemmas.
Session 1: Creative Work is Work
Session 2: Finland a Creative Colony?
Pecha Kucha Battle Powered by Liwlig
Pecha Kucha is a fast-paced presentation format —20 images, 20 seconds each. At ODDfest, however, the structure was transformed into a battle where two pairs participated in a keynote duel that showcased how wildly perspectives can diverge.
Session 1: Values vs Visibility
Session 2: Price of Original Thinking
Harvard Happiness Professor, Dr. Arthur Brooks
Finland has been consistently ranked as the happiest country in the world for eight consecutive years. At last, ODDfest brought the world’s leading happiness expert, Dr. Arthur Brooks, to the country to discuss the secrets to long-term wellbeing.
Brooks’ program at ODDfest was twofold, including a keynote and an intimate discussion session; Happiness in Our Times, Arthur Brooks & Humak Talk.
Avant Garde Rapper, Pink Siifu
American experimental rapper and singersongwriter, Pink Siifu, has been quickly making a name for himself globally. After a long wait, ODDfest finally brought the artist on stage in Helsinki.
Genre-Defying Speakers Corner Quartet
Speakers Corner Quartet, which has shaped South London’s vibrant musical landscape for the past two decades, landed in Finland for the first time when performing their powerful jazzhip hop hybrid set on ODDfest’s Chaos Stage.
Emerging Talents
In addition to the several international acts making their Finnish debuts, ODDfest’s program featured over 10 creative showcases from local emerging talents, bringing their art in front of a larger industry audience for the very first time.
Genelec Plays Immersive
Built for deep listening and next-level audio, this immersive 360° stage and curated experience blended conversation, experimentation, and fullbody spatial sound.
Game Demo Corner by Espoo Game Lab
Hosted by EGL, this game corner allowed attendees to test-drive the latest builds of the new generation of game developers and get a glimpse of the ideas shaping the future of Finland’s game industry.
Uneton48 Showcase
Finland’s legendary 48-hour short film competition, Uneton48, showcased a special curation of the oddest films ever created through the competition uniquely for ODDfest.
Industry Networking brought 200 creatives to connect at the local Henry ’s Music Bar.
Photo by Hera Choi
ODDfest attendee enjoying Creative Matchmaking on the terrace of La Torrefazione.
Photo by Vilikasper Kanth
Upper right: Screen capture from the MxM HackAI-thon recap video showcasing team Goat Lab’s work. Photo
Lower right: Dr. Arthur Brooks during his more intimate discussion session at ODDfest.
Photo by Laura Fuentes
Photo credits for the next page:
Upper left: Teams in mid-competition during the Hack-AI-thon at the AI Stage.
Photo by Laura Fuentes
Upper right: Short film screening during the UNETON48 Showcase at the Transmedia Stage.
Photo by Tamara Aalto
Middle left: Festival-goer enjoying audio at the Genelec Immersive Sound Stage.
Photo by Sebastian Hiemann
Lower left: ODDfest attendee testing out a game at the Game Demo Corner.
Photo by Remu Shemeikka
Lower right: Festival crowd enjoying Speakers Corner Quartet’s show at the Chaos Stage.
Photo by Vilikasper Kanth
FunDesign is a vibrant marketplace showcasing Finland’s most unique handmade goods. For ODDfest, the popular market featured 16 local talents, presenting creations ranging all the way from illustrations and ceramics to textiles and jewelry.
BajaMyArt Powered by Humak Creve
Humak Creve, Lassila & Tikanoja, and ODDfest joined forces to turn the festival area’s portapotties into works of art with the creative input of 11 artists and collectives.
Virtual Dawn: The Virtual Reality Pride Parade
Virtual Dawn, in collaboration with the University of Helsinki, offered a unique VR Pride simulation for ODDfest attendees to experience.
Love Stage Powered by Holvi
Together with Holvi, ODDfest curated a special stage program dedicated to building connection, community, and presence through sessions such as intimate talks, dance workouts, body-moving music, and creative flow yoga.
Focus Stage
At Focus Stage, built into Bio Rex’s vintage-style movie hall, ODDfest goers got to sit down, shut off the outside world, and truly listen to raw and daring material from art history talks and epic music to film screenings and industry debates.
Creative Matchmaking Powered by KLOV & Henga App
ODDfest partnered with KLOV and social networking app, Henga, to make finding likeminded industry professionals with similar goals smooth and easy.
Attendees could start mix and matching online even before the event and then meet each other at the Creative Matchmaking Lounge on La Torrefazione’s terrace during the festival.
Film x Game x Comics Industry Networking
Side-event brought together by ODDfest, Helsinki Film Lab, Sunklo, and Espoo Game Lab brought 200 professionals from the worlds of film, games, comics, and beyond under the same roof to spark creative connections.
Inspiring Workshops
ODDfest’s diverse programming included 11 workshops, making it possible for attendees to collaborate, brainstorm, experience, and interact with each other, all in the name of curiosity, creativity, and connection.
Originally, ODDfest was built without external equity financing; the founders self‑financed the development with an investment of €50,000 .
Once the concept gained traction, the team successfully obtained grants totalling €112,000, all of which supported creative labour, artist fees and production costs. The grants came from:
Suomen Kulttuurirahasto – €50,000
Yksityisyrittäjäin Säätiö – €40,000
Svenska Kulturfonden – €15,000
Tre Smeder – €5,000
Allan & Bo Hjelt Art Foundation – €2,000
Konstsamfundet also supported the event by providing the Lasipalatsikortteli space for the purposes of the event.
These grants were awarded due to the festival’s dedicated mission to push for progress and growth, the paid opportunities it provided for artists, and the promising avenues it fostered for creative entrepreneurship.
The remainder of the budget came from B2B and B2C revenue streams such as partnerships, inkind contributions, and ticket sales.
Photo credit: Melina Korvenkontio smiling amid festival excitement.
Photo by Vilikasper Kanth
Self-financed by founders through an investment of 50K
Supported by grants totaling to 112K
Additional financing from B2B & B2C revenue streams such as partnerships, in-kind contributions, and ticket sales totaling to 289K
ODDfest 2025 was made possible by a diverse network of partners and allies. In its debut year, the festival gathered a family of 75 partners, including five founding partners, six sponsors, and nine media partners. Seventeen additional organizations amplified the festival’s voice as communication allies, helping ODDfest reach a million-strong audience.
Commercial partnerships were structured into three tiers Founding Partners, ODDpartners, and Supporting Partners allowing organizations of different scales to contribute and benefit from the platform.
Together, this coalition of businesses, institutions, and media not only brought ODDfest to life and made realizing its mission possible, but also ensured its message resonated far beyond Helsinki.
Full list of partners and stakeholders on page 46
Photo credit:
ODDones enjoying summer sun.
by
Ida Henriksson
Adventure Club
Holvi
Liwlig
Dottir
Genelec
ODDPartners
Oddlygood
RFSU
KLOV
EIT
Business Helsinki
Supporting Partners
EMU
Netvisor
Suomen Yrittäjät
Tiketti
Humak Creve
Tanssin talo
Gilda
Cooperation Network
+43 cooperation partners
Suomen Kulttuurirahasto
Yksityisyrittäjän Säätiö
Svenska Kulturfonden
Tre Smeder
Hjelt Art Foundation
Konstsamfundet
Media Partners
Radio Helsinki
Outshine
Republic
Bonnier News
Pop Media
Avecmedia
Scene Agency
Feedi
San Francisco
Communication
Allies
+17 communication allies
Harvard Professor, Dr.
Brooks welcoming the audience to his happiness keynote first of its kind in Finland.
and
during their Creative Failups -panel discussion at the Focus Stage.
Oddacity collective’s Samondatrack performing at the official ODDfest Afterparty.
ODDfest was born to respond to the obstacles holding back Finland’s creative economy but more importantly, turn them into opportunities for economic growth and cultural impact.
These six challenges highlight where untapped potential lies and where ODDfest steps in to push for change.
Each represents not just a problem, but a possibility waiting to be realized.
Finland’s creative sector contributes only around 3% of GDP and faces €17 million in state funding cuts, lagging behind neighboring countries and having its ability to catch up and become a strong economic force hindered.
With the right platforms, structure, and investment, the Finnish creative economy can start evening up the scores.
Culture and commerce are often viewed as opposites, with both sides looking down upon one another.
This results in a gap where cultural players lack commercial skills and opportunities, and companies miss out on cultural relevance by not utilizing creatives’ know-how that drives audiences, i.e., emotionally resonating storytelling, striking visuals, and memorable performances.
By breaking out of this stand-off and working in union, both sides can flourish.
Photo credit:
ODDfest attendees intently listening to programming on the Focus Stage.
Photo
by
Sebastian Hiemann
Creative industries operate in isolated niches, limiting cross-sector learning, joint innovation, and expansion beyond familiar viewpoints and practices.
By rallying together, the industries can emerge as a progressive and unified cultural force.
Finnish modesty often leads to underselling talent, leaving potential unrecognized at home and invisible internationally. Without bold platforms, local brilliance remains hidden.
Finland is seen as an engineering nation, where creative careers often lack recognition and value. Moreover, the creative industries have not traditionally been recognized as drivers of economic growth.
This cultural mindset diminishes opportunities for the creative sector to become a respected and vital growth driver. A shift in mindset is in order.
The heart of Helsinki has fallen behind in terms of being a creative hub, with cultural energy shifting to outer districts of the city and central spaces remaining underused despite their high-quality infrastructure.
This passivation not only weakens Helsinki’s local cultural life but also prevents the city from positioning itself as a globally recognized creative capital.
As there is no doubt Helsinki’s heart holds the frameworks and potential to be a thriving cultural focal point, through compelling event concepts and showcases, it can reclaim that position.
To truly turn challenges into opportunities, ODDfest is built on five core objectives that guide everything we do. Through inspiration, hands-on learning, bold showcases, accelerated growth, and unifying encounters, ODDfest empowers creatives, businesses, and communities to develop stronger together.
To make real change, ODDfest follows its Inspire, Teach, Showcase, Accelerate, and Unite -model.
Highlight bold creative journeys and trial-anderror successes to show what’s possible, shift attitudes, spark ambition, and build confidence.
Nurture practical skills that enable creatives to succeed financially, and show businesses how to embrace creative know-how to further innovation and cultural relevance.
Offer gripping immersive experiences and crossdisciplinary encounters, and showcase both Finnish talent globally and international voices locally to break silos, bring fresh inspiration and influences, and spark ideas.
By uniting and showcasing Finland’s cultural richness in the heart of Helsinki, ODDfest also hopes to re-establish the city as a vibrant Nordic creative capital with international pull.
More on the revitalization of Helsinki on the next page.
Create programs and opportunities for creative talent and organizations to speed up growth. Enable access to assistance, mentorship, and proper growth services.
Bring together fragmented creative communities, businesses, cultural institutions, and curious minds into one shared space to foster encounters across disciplines, cultures, and country lines, and build a stronger, more connected ecosystem capable of global impact.
Photo credit: ODDfest crowd on the sunny Lasipalatsi Square. Photo by Remu Shemeikka
Helsinki and Finland stand at a turning point in respect to their creative economy. While worldclass talent exists, its potential remains underutilized, and the capital’s city center lacks the cultural vitality needed to position Helsinki as a true global creative hub.
ODDfest was born to overturn this status quo: to energize the heart of Helsinki, empower creatives with real opportunities, and amplify Finnish expertise onto the international stage.
Helsinki’s center has grown passive as cultural energy shifts to the outer districts of the city. Despite high-quality infrastructure, central spaces remain underused, leaving a gap in vibrant cultural life and weakening Helsinki’s global pull as a creative hub.
ODDfest fills this gap with an accessible, citycentre festival that reclaims Helsinki’s core as a dynamic and international meeting point for creativity, commerce, and culture.
Finland is home to world-class talent, yet creatives often lack the visibility and opportunities to showcase their work in front of local and international audiences.
ODDfest provides a stage that spotlights what is unique and current in Finland’s creative scene, while forging both local and international connections that drive growth.
By doing so, it not only nurtures the creative economy but also positions Helsinki as a natural capital of Nordic creativity.
Creative industries make up only 3.1% of Finland’s GDP well below the EU average of 4.4%. The City of Helsinki’s 2025 “Growth in the Creative Sector ” report identified the urgent need for stronger support, new growth pathways, and international recognition.
Read the full Growth in the Creative Sector Report
As one of the round table discussion participants contributing to this work, ODDfest’s Founder, Ronny Eriksson, helped shape the report. Now, ODDfest delivers on it in practice: scaling creative business potential, breaking silos, and fostering international visibility.
The City of Helsinki itself has recognized that creative industries are a key success factor for economic vitality, innovation, and global attractiveness .
ODDfest directly supports this mission by:
Boosting growth with practical skill-building and networking. Sparking innovation with cross-pollination between creatives and businesses. Strengthening courage by providing community support and inspiration. Creating global visibility for Finnish talent and Helsinki’s cultural richness. Building a continuous cultural anchor in the heart of the city.
ODDfest is more than a festival it is a movement and platform with a mission to reimagine Finland’s creative economy and elevate Helsinki to the international stage.
By uniting daring creators, cultural trailblazers, and visionary businesses, ODDfest ensures that Helsinki is not only a vibrant local hub but also a globally recognized capital of creativity.
ODDfest 2025 was a unique example of how a culturally significant festival can extend far beyond its stages. By uniting thousands of people, hundreds of contributors, and dozens of partners, it created meaningful encounters, opportunities, and inspiration that will continue to resonate with people long after the event. The festival not only reflected Finland’s diverse creative communities but also united and strengthened them, amplifying underrepresented voices, fostering inclusion, and sparking collaborations that grew into lasting initiatives.
In its inaugural year, ODDfest brought together 2,600 people in Helsinki, creating space for connection across country, ethnicity, and disciplinary boundaries. The festival became a rare meeting point for diverse creative and business communities bridging cultural, artistic, and professional worlds while fostering dialogue, curiosity, and collaboration.
In just half a year, ODDfest was made possible by the dedicated efforts of more than 350 people and organizations: 153 speakers and artists, 123 crew members and volunteers, and 75 partners.
attendees speakers & artists
2,600 153 crew & volunteers 123
partners 75
from diverse professional and personal backgrounds were united to create meaningful encounters and opportunities together
*Numbers do not include the official after-party or side events collaborative projects sparked 20+
From core team members to supporting NGOs, the festival stood as a testament to what collective passion and effort can build in even a short period of time.
Photo credit: ODDones gathered in front of the Chaos Stage to connect and enjoy.
Photo by Vilikasper Kanth
Creative professionals enjoying the second edition of the Film x Games x Comics Industry Networking event at Helsinki Bryggeri Brewhouse in August 2025.
Photo by Alisha Hasan
BajaMyArt artists finishing their creations for ODDfest. Photo by Remu Shemeikka
With 23% of the lineup also hailing from outside of Finland , ODDfest introduced international influences that enriched the local cultural landscape.
The festival expanded access to culture, participation, and creative and business exchange within Helsinki and even Finland.
Koje Studio’s Cycloop installation at Kallio Block Party in August 2025 livening up a second rendition of ODDfest’s Creative Flow Yoga by Parenteau and Eriksson. Photo by Laura Ylinen
Diversity and inclusion were essential to ODDfest’s programming women represented 40% of the lineup, while 20% of voices came from BIPOC backgrounds .
The festival also provided a platform for over 10 first-time performers and emerging artists, offering visibility, opportunities, and networks to new creative talent.
By partnering with academic institutions such as Humak University of Applied Sciences, Metropolia’s Creative Dimension, and LAB Institute of Design and Fine Arts, ODDfest connected students directly to these opportunities and the event through student discounts and volunteer involvement.
Furthermore, engaging activations from more than 70 partners strengthened ties between cultural, commercial, and civic spheres, showing how creativity can be celebrated and supported collectively.
Although hard to tell how many opportunities will be born out of the first rendition of ODDfest, a few highlights from the past two months after the event can be showcased to demonstrate the impact of the festival beyond its own bounds.
For the event itself, ODDfest commissioned four site-specific art projects, including BajaMyArt in collaboration with Humak Creve, You Are What You Breathe by Nina Parenteau, Oddly Finnished by Anttu Koistinen, and an adapted Cycloop installation by Koje Studio, and gave 14 artists and collectives the chance to create new work, with at least one installation leading directly to another festival booking.
Additionally, the ODDfest MxM Hack-AI-thon inspired a follow-up edition with stage host and tech business coach Mika Pyhämäki, the Film x Games x Comics Industry Networking event , cocreated with Helsinki Film Lab, Sunklo, and Espoo Game Lab, grew into a recurring community gathering, and the Creative Flow Yoga led by Mirka Parenteau and Ronny Eriksson got a continuation later the same summer.
These outcomes highlight how ODDfest served as a catalyst for lasting opportunities that extend far past its first immediate impact.
More project highlights ignited by ODDfest listed on the next page.
Sparked by ODDfest
Beyond the direct partnerships and projects designed specifically for or with ODDfest, the festival also proved to be fertile ground for initiatives outside itself.
In total, ODDfest set more than 20 collaborative projects in motion in just two months, and the following showcases just a few of the exciting ventures (both featuring ODDfest directly and not) that can already be shared publicly.
Due to ODDfest’s and Olymp’Arts’ shared commitment to global art development and underlining the role of art in building a better world, Eriksson and Parenteau serve as members of the Olymp’Arts National Committee. In this role, they represent Finland in the Olympic Arts Charter and support the search for Finnish candidates to perform at the inaugural Olymp’Arts in 2027.
Evavaara Design x Rakkautta & Anarkiaa
Evavaara Design and Helsinki International Film Festival, Rakkautta & Anarkiaa, met at ODDfest sparking a joint project for the festival’s 38 edition taking place in September 2025. This collaboration will feature Evavaara Design’s sshhh 5 acoustic chairs with built-in volume controls to create an inclusive theater for the hearing-impaired and sound-sensitive. th
Kaleidoscope
Jonas Verwijnen and Lotta Savolainen’s “What are the odds?” music industry -focused ODDfest talk inspired a new recurring sit-down event for indie artists and music industry minds called Kaleidoscope. This peer-driven discussion event had its debut in the R4 space in Teurastamo in August 2025.
ODDfest co-produced and curated a stage with Salad Factory for Kallio Block Party 2025, drawing thousands of visitors to enjoy a dynamic summer program in August 2025.
In addition to the four site-specific art projects, ODDfest commissioned the production of its very own audio brand from Tunement and two producers, Saulus Lahti and Jarkko Vilska, that took form as a six-track audio library, published both on streaming platforms and the native audio libraries of social media platforms.
Eriksson and Parenteau along with other national representatives at the 30 Anniversary Celebration of the Olympic Arts Charter in July. th
Photo by Olymp’Arts
Jonas Verwijnen and Lotta Savolainen hosting the first Kaleidoscope in Teurastamo in August.
Photo by Laura Ylinen
Listen to ODDfest Audiobrand
ODDfest collaborated with Radio Helsinki to produce a 10-episode program on the urgent topics of Finland’s creative sector, hosted by Ronny Eriksson. Called “upside down” in Finnish, the show challenges listeners to rethink the role of culture in society, and even flip their hierarchy. Listen to Väärinpäin
Photo by Felix Lybeck
ODDfest 2025 drew 2,600 attendees , with over 1,900 signups , bringing together a dynamic mix of Finland’s established industry professionals and emerging young talent perfectly reflecting the festival’s positioning as a hybrid between Slush and Flow. The audience blended grassroots artists with institutional leaders, fostering unique opportunities for cross-pollination across the creative economy.
The community was highly diverse yet focused: young creative professionals (aged 25–34) formed the core, complemented by a strong presence of senior leaders, CEOs, professors, and directors, adding depth and credibility. While two-thirds of attendees came from the Helsinki region, nearly 15% joined from abroad , highlighting ODDfest’s growing international reach.
With a balanced male-female gender distribution and strong representation of non-binary attendees, the audience reflected ODDfest’s inclusive values. Moreover, the broad industry spectrum spread across creativity, technology, and society, coupled with the participation of universities, government bodies, and leading companies, reinforced ODDfest’s role as a credible, diversely represented, and influential platform for the creative industries.
To make sure ODDfest truly lived up to its role as a creative melting pot driving change, and to pay respect to the doers and thinkers of Finland’s creative economy, ODDfest partnered with the Central Organization for Finnish Culture and Arts Associations, KULTA ry, and the City of Helsinki to distribute 100 festival tickets to leading voices in Finnish creativity . Called the ODD100, this guest list gathered culturally and artistically influential Finns—from organization leaders and political decisionmakers to journalists, influencers, artists, and curators—to bring industry professionals together in front of thought-provoking programming and foster new discourse, insights, and collective action.
The ODD100 guest list was curated by ODDfest in collaboration with KULTA ry, with tickets sponsored by the City of Helsinki.
2,600 1,900
ODD100 Overview attendees signups
Invited guests representing
Creative Economy
Public Institutions & Politics
Media Education & Academia Civil Society & NGOs Business, Innovation & Startups
ODDfest’s programming brought together 153 speakers and artists , including 94 showcasing artists and 59 thought leaders, representing both the richness of Finland’s creative economy and fresh inspiration from abroad.
Spanning more than seven cultural sectors such as music, gaming, film, fashion, visual art, design, and performing arts , the lineup highlighted the festival’s interdisciplinary DNA.
The group was diverse yet representative—58.2% of the lineup consisted of men, 39.9% women, and 2% non-binary voices, with 20% representing ethnic minorities. Furthermore, while the majority, 77.1%, of the lineup was Finnish, a significant 22.9% came from international backgrounds, ensuring a blend of local perspective and global outlook.
This combination of voices and visions shaped ODDfest into a multicultural and interdisciplinary platform that mirrors Finland’s creative ecosystem while pushing its boundaries by introducing crossovers and outside influences.
More than 120 passionate individuals came together behind the scenes to make ODDfest a reality.
A professional crew of around 50 , covering everything from technical production and security to first aid and core festival operations, worked side by side with 73 volunteers divided into six specialized teams: attendee experience, hospitality, production, marketing and design, program and content, and people operations.
Together, this community effort not only made ODDfest possible but also created meaningful moments of collaboration, learning, and gaining confidence, showing how deeply the festival moved those who helped build it.
ODDfest also partnered with Aseman Lapset, an NGO dedicated to preventing social exclusion, crime, and mental health challenges in youth, and employed a handful of young adults in production roles. This initiative not only provided meaningful work experience but also reflected ODDfest’s commitment to fostering inclusion and creating positive pathways for young people in society.
artists speakers 94 59 representing ethnic minorities 20%
“Having produced events for over 25 years, I can say with absolute certainty that ODDfest was unlike anything I’ve worked on before. Creating something this unique, alive, and multifaceted in just six months—with such a spirited team— was a rare highlight in my career.”
Kirsi Shemeikka , Head of Production, ODDfest
“ODDfest 2025 felt like a craze where music, art, and business clashed all at once. Everywhere you turned, you found other creatives just as funny and odd as yourself, which was extremely thrilling and gratifying in many ways.”
Yoanna Rönnqvist , Volunteer, ODDfest Crew & Volunteer Feedback
Being the creative festival it set out to be, ODDfest wanted to push the boundaries and refrain from adding any standard brand booths at its venue. This resulted in brand activations that were fun, innovative, and kindled creative thinking.
These activations included prompts such as:
Oddlygood’s booth at the venue handed out drinks in exchange for creative ideas to enhance recycling.
Before the event, ODDfest, RFSU, Adventure Club, and Outshine joined forces to create an interactive, body-controlled game on an outdoor display that allowed passersby to play for a chance to win ODDfest tickets and merch.
At the festival, RFSU was represented by a bike that carried a ring toss game. The prizes? Merch.
NMC constructed a pop-up studio at ODDfest that allowed attendees to record vocals and instruments and be part of producing a song.
Friidu’s ice creams were passed to attendees participating in the Creative Matchmaking session to serve as icebreakers.
Watch recap of Oddlygood at ODDfest
In total, ODDfest gathered a family of 75 partners , including six financial supporters and nine media partners, that helped make the festival a reality. Additionally, 17 organizations helped spread the message of ODDfest to their stakeholders, acting as communication allies.
See full list of partners on the next page.
Photo credits for the previous page:
Upper right: Screen capture of an Oddlygood video production by Skyproduction.
Middle right: RFSU game near Kamppi in Helsinki city center. Photo by Outshine
Bottom left: Oddlygood booth at ODDfest.
Photo by Ida Henriksson
Bottom middle: Friidu ice cream cooler amidst the Creative Matchmaking session.
Photo by Vilikasper Kanth
Bottom right: RFSU’s ring toss bike.
Photo by Vilikasper Kanth
Photo credit for the next page:
The ODDfest crowd enjoying the sun on the mounds of Lasipalatsi Square.
Photo by Sebastian Hiemann
Reflections from the CrowdPartner, Speaker & Artist Feedback
Anders Adlercreutz , Minister of Education of Finland
“I see this as an opportunity to network and gain insight into what’s going on in the industry right now. There’s a good mix of different activities here, everything from music to AI to media.”
Francesca Martini , Creative Sustainability Student, Aalto University
“This felt like the beginning of a new cultural phenomenon. I wanted to be part of it early. Besides, I liked the theme—it had all the ingredients for a really great festival.”
Joelle Reefer , Culinary Entrepreneur & Former Music Producer
"It’s a good place to try out new things and explore new interests. There’s a lot happening here."
— Zoheb Rahman , Business Analytics Student, LUT University “I’m so happy for this event. Helsinki really needs city culture, city events, and bold, new things to happen in the center of this city that need people, new ideas, and new initiatives.”
“What a wonderful ambiance of love and a community of people who care. I just enjoyed it so very much. ODDfest is something everybody’s got to check out. This is going to be the big thing of the Nordic countries.”
— Dr. Arthur Brooks , Author & Harvard Professor
“What’s exciting about ODDfest is simply that high-quality cultural programming is happening right in the heart of Helsinki.”
— Rony Rex , DJ-Producer & Radio Host
“Proud to be part of driving the creative industries to new heights. Now more than ever, Finland needs bold ideas and world-class execution!”
— Kimmo Timonen , CEO & CoFounder, Adventure Club, ODDfest Partner
“What a fantastic first run for ODDfest! Helsinki needs platforms like this. Kudos for the daring vision and the sisu to make this celebration of creativity and the movement behind it happen.”
— Heidi Humala , Director of Business Environment, City of Helsinki, ODDfest Partner
In total, ODDfest 2025 generated a direct economic impact of €401,500 . Visitor spending outside the festival added at least €15,000, primarily on accommodation, food, and services in the Helsinki city center area. On average, this equals €183 of direct impact per attendee .
A significant share of this investment flowed directly into the creative sector—€320,000 went to artist and creative fees, production, marketing, and related expenses, supporting local professionals and suppliers, and reflecting ODDfest’s mission to stimulate growth in the Finnish creative economy.
When including conservatively approximated indirect and induced impacts, ODDfest’s total citywide economic impact is estimated at €667,000—approximately €256 per attendee .
Beyond cultural value, it is clear to see that ODDfest strengthens Helsinki’s economy while channeling resources directly into the Finnish creative ecosystem.
In addition to measurable financial results, ODDfest served as a catalyst for more than 20 new collaborative projects between creative organizations, businesses, and cultural institutions.
667K
estimated total citywide impact
direct economic impact 400K
invested straight into the creative sector 320K
local hotel, food, and services spend 15K+ collaborative projects ignited 20+
These range from co-produced events and joint artistic projects to cross-sector partnerships that extend far beyond the festival.
Several companies and initiatives also received visibility, momentum, and acceleration through ODDfest, demonstrating its role not only as a festival but also as a long-term engine for creative development and innovation in Finland.
More on the collaborative projects sparked by ODDfest on pages 42 and 43.
Photo credit:
ODDfest attendees viewing programming on the Lasipalatsi Square. Photo by Remu Shemeikka
In less than half a year, ODDfest achieved remarkable visibility and reach, amplifying its message to an audience of one million through a blend of earned, owned, and paid media.
This media presence not only built awareness and interest but also generated real-world impact, drawing 2,600 attendees together in Helsinki while inspiring thousands more online.
By strategically combining bold storytelling with cultural relevance, ODDfest positioned itself as a powerful new Nordic player at the intersection of art, business, and society.
ODDfest gained over 20 earned media hits across Finnish news outlets, event publications, radio, and corporate blogs, with select mentions landing on international platforms.
This coverage established ODDfest as a rising cultural force, extending awareness far beyond its immediate community and validating its relevance within both creative and business media landscapes.
Through a content-first approach across Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook, and its website, ODDfest reached over 288,000 people and generated more than 1.23 million content views in just five months.
interest gained in
messaging reached 20+ 20+ 288K+ 1.23M+ 1M in total
media hits countries social media & website reach content views
Through the awareness, a passionate follower base of 3.5K formed that engaged with content and joined in on the cultural commentary, creating a digital community around ODDfest.
Despite its debut edition, ODDfest sparked curiosity in more than 20 countries , with notable interest coming in from the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and the US.
While international media presence was limited this year due to the festival’s short runway, global media outlets and audiences expressed strong future-facing curiosity, laying the foundation for ODDfest to expand its reach and influence in years to come.
Photo credit:
ODDfest crowd gathering on the Lasipalatsi Square to enjoy Chaos Stage programming. Photo by Remu Shemeikka
Audience enjoying the Focus stage programming.
Yle
Nov 3 2024 Ronny Eriksson vill ta kulturen till uppstartsvärlden: ”Det finns pengar ”
Hufvudstadsbladet
Jun 6 2025 ODDfest förenar kultur och business
Nov 1 2024 Ronny Eriksson har ännu inte hittat sin polstjärna
Töölöläinen
May 30 2025 Kunniaa outoudelle
Helsingin Uutiset
May 19 2025 Tämä mies haluaa pelastaa Helsingin keskustan – uusi tapahtuma on “Slushin ja Flow’n rakkauslapsi”
Markkinointiuutiset
Feb 11 2025 Uusi luovan alan kaupunkitapahtuma Helsinkiin kesäkuussa – tavoitteena ensimmäisenä vuonna 4 000 kävijää
Soundi
Apr 10 2025 Luovien alojen ammattitapahtuma
Oddfest järjestetään Helsingissä – mukana kosolti asiallista musiikkia
Rumba
Apr 14 2025 Uusi luovien alojen ammattitapahtuma Helsinkiin: ”Slushin ja Flow Festivalin rakkauslapsi”
Klangi
Apr 8 2025 Tapahtumien uusi tulokas – ODDfest yhdistää Flow’n fiiliksen ja Slushin vision
Feedi
Apr 17 2025 Uusi kulttuuritapahtuma ODDfest herättää kiinnostusta – ”vastaavanlaista ei löydy
Suomesta”
Event Media Features
Resident
Creative
Jun 3 2025 The Best Creative Conferences to Attend in 2025
Mar 20 2025 The Best European Conferences for Creatives 2025
Radio Helsinki
Mar 30–Jun 16 2025 Väärinpäin program hosted by Ronny Eriksson , 10K listeners per episode
Yle Vega
Feb 14 2025 Den nya festivalen Oddfest ska föra samman den kreativa branschen med företagare
Jun 6 2025 Yle Vega Morgonsändning med Ulrica Fagerström
Humak Creve
Jun 12 2025 BajaMyArt ilahdutti ODDfestissä –uudenlainen taidevaltaus teki vaikutuksen
Jun 13 2025 Yrittäjyyttä ei mitata rahassa – vaan siinä, mitä hyvää saamme aikaan
Jun 2 2025 BajaMyArt tuo taidetta yllättävään paikkaan ODDfestissä lukuisten artistien voimin
Apr 23 2025 Humak ja ODDfest yhteistyöhön –BajaMyArt muuttaa bajamajat taideteoksiksi
Salute
“This new Finnish festival combines cutting-edge music, art, film and so much more. What's not to like?”
Michael Lawson, Resident Advisor
“It seems like the beginning of a new cultural phenomenon.”
Ronja Stenberg, Hufvudstadsbladet
“ODDfest was born out of a pressing, socially significant need: the creative industries have not traditionally been seen as drivers of growth in Finland, and this is reflected in the extensive cuts to the sector.”
—Ville Syväluoma, Klangi
“Far from an average music festival, this is a professional event built for the creative industries—complete with a long lineup of musical performances.”
Saku Schildt, Soundi
In just five months , ODDfest built a vibrant digital community through its socials and website that reached more than 288,000 people, generated over 1.23 million content views, and grew a passionate follower base of 3,500 across Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Facebook.
With its content-first approach that paired bold storytelling with program reveals, PR, and cultural moments, ODDfest inspired engagement, sharing, and conversion, showing the audience did far more than passively watch and that the festival’s impact extended far beyond its first physical event.
Strongest activity occurred in April–May, aligned with PR & lineup drops. From socials, most emphasis was put on Instagram and LinkedIn, which functioned as the festival’s main channels for the first half of the year.
From 0 to 1,7 13 followers in five months
Account created in Jan 2025 First post on Feb 5, 2025
Rapid growth until the festival, trends stabilized post-event
Feb 5 – Aug 14, 2025 Views
Followers
From 0 to 1,480 followers in less than seven months
Page created in Jan 2025 First post on Jan 31, 2025
Followers
From 0 to 74 followers in four months
Account created in Apr 2025
First post on Apr 14, 2025
Most followers gained in May, steady growth since
Engagement
Apr 14 – Aug 14, 2025
Views Reached audience Engaged audience Interactions
Profile views
ODDwappu event announcement Top-Performing Content
Comments from Anders Adlercreutz, Finland’s Minister of Education Views
BajaMyArt-project progress video Views
Followers
From 0 to 178 followers in five months
Page created in Feb 2025
First post on Feb 4, 2025
Spikes in Feb, Apr, and May in tandem with page creation, PR, and lineup drops
Feb 4 – Aug 14, 2025
Interview with Jonas Verwijnen
Mikko Makkonen & Mia Jaatinen dance program announcement
Website View Analytics
Website
Steady growth starting from Apr, biggest traffic in May and June. Views & Visitors
From 0 to 76K views in two and a half months
Page created in Feb 2025
Mar 25 – Jun 8, 2025 (75 days)
As a first-year festival, ODDfest 2025 was designed not only as a cultural gathering but also as a pilot for building sustainable event practices.
This inaugural edition laid the foundation for future reporting and accountability, with a full carbon and waste audit planned for 2026.
By embedding environmental considerations into core operations, ODDfest took its first steps at charting a path toward becoming a leading example of sustainable cultural events in Finland and beyond
ODDfest enforced established Finnish eventsustainability principles by integrating circular economy practices throughout the festival. Waste sorting, bottle recycling, and material reuse were prioritized across the site to reduce unnecessary waste.
Food and beverage vendors were selected for their commitment to sustainable values, with special encouragement to minimize single-use plastics and opt for greener solutions.
Transportation was a central focus for reducing environmental impact. All ground travel for speakers, artists, and crew was arranged using electric vehicles, significantly lowering emissions connected to the festival.
In addition, ODDfest’s centrally located venue made it easily accessible via public transportation. No parking facilities were provided, sending a strong message to discourage private car use and to support lowemission travel options.
The inaugural year provided a valuable testing ground for sustainability efforts at scale. In 2026, ODDfest will deepen its commitment by conducting a comprehensive carbon and waste audit, enabling transparent reporting and measurable progress.
The long-term vision is to not only meet but exceed Finnish sustainability standards— ensuring that ODDfest can grow as a creative movement that celebrates culture while respecting the environment.
Photo credit: ODDfest attendees mingling on the Amos Rex mounds of Lasipalatsi Square.
Photo by Remu Shemeikka
The inaugural edition of ODDfest provided the first chance to test its framework, the Inspire, Teach, Showcase, Accelerate, and Unite -model, it was built on in action.
Delightfully, the results have shown just how each of these ambitions translated into tangible action and impact already in its first year. From sparking collaborations to amplifying creative voices, ODDfest demonstrated its real aptness and potential as both a cultural festival and an engine for systemic change.
By spotlighting 153 speakers and artists whose stories reflected the breadth of today ’s creative economy, ODDfest moved minds and resonated. The lineup blended local and international voices —77% Finnish and 23% from abroad and included 20% from ethnic minority backgrounds, ensuring relevance, inclusive representation, and fresh perspectives. With 58% men, 40% women, and 2% non-binary participants, the program highlighted diverse journeys that challenged assumptions, shifted attitudes, and encouraged audiences to dream and act bigger.
Practical learning was embedded throughout the program through 11 workshops. From masterclasses to hands-on crash courses, creatives gained new tools to succeed while businesses explored how creative know-how drives innovation and cultural relevance.
The festival featured over 44 diverse creative showcases across eight stages, offering immersive performances and thought-provoking installations. With 23% of the lineup international and more than 10 local artists included whose work has never been displayed in front of audiences before, ODDfest successfully highlighted a wide spectrum of Finnish talent while enriching it with global influences.
In just a few months, ODDfest catalyzed growth by commissioning and co-creating projects connected to the event and beyond it, and by sparking more than 20 collaborations, several of which have already evolved into ongoing initiatives. Businesses and artists alike were able to use the platform to test ideas, gain exposure and tips, and build momentum for new projects.
Perhaps ODDfest’s strongest achievement was serving as a meeting point for 2,600 on-site attendees and an online community thousands strong, uniting fragmented communities across art, business, and society. By blending grassroots creatives with institutional leaders, the festival fostered unique encounters which ripple effects will continue far beyond the event itself.
Photo credit for this page: ODDones deep in conversation.
Photo by Vilikasper Kanth
Photo credit for page 63: Eriksson sporting his ODDfest 2025 shirt.
Photo by Ida Henriksson
ODDfest 2025 offered partners a unique opportunity to align with a pioneering cultural movement in its inaugural year. Whether as founding or supporting partners, sponsors, media partners, or members of the cooperation network, each partnership carried distinct value delivering visibility, direct audience engagement, and association with an event positioned to become a flagship of the Nordic creative sector.
Beyond the two-day festival itself, many partners also benefited from collaborations and projects sparked through ODDfest that continue to create long-term value far past the physical event.
Visibility across channels that reached an audience of nearly 300,000 & generated 1.23 million content views. Presence at a high-profile festival that drew 2,600 attendees. Brand recognition linked with innovation, creativity & community.
Direct contact with creative professionals, entrepreneurs & policymakers, both local and international. Access to a highly engaged audience often difficult to reach through traditional channels.
ODDfest prioritized immersive activations that placed partners at the heart of the festival (examples on page 45), that provided:
Hands-on product and service trials & direct feedback. Memorable brand moments designed for sharing. Additional media coverage & buzz.
Being associated with ODDfest’s inaugural edition confers ongoing brand equity as the festival grows. Partnerships supported many joint goals: increasing access to culture, supporting the creative economy & fostering cross-sector dialogue & innovation. Over 20 collaborations & projects sparked by ODDfest are already underway, extending impact well beyond the festival.
While per-attendee cost was naturally higher for a first-year festival, ODDfest delivered exceptional quality of reach and engagement. Partners gained not just visibility, but meaningful positioning within a pioneering cultural movement, direct connections across the creative ecosystem, and opportunities to cocreate experiences that will resonate long after the event.
Jäbät & Tunteet -podcast hosts and RFSU’s Maria Uusi-Rauva hosting a live episode on sex and intimacy.
ODDfest 2025 proved that there is real appetite for a festival where art, business, and society collide, and legitimate change is realized.
The first edition demonstrated not only cultural and economic value but also the potential for ODDfest to become a flagship event for Europe’s creative industries, and much more.
Building on this foundation, ODDfest will now take bold steps forward, scaling the festival in 2026 while expanding the realm of ODD into a year-round movement.
Yes, it’s official ODDfest is returning to Helsinki’s iconic Lasipalatsikortteli next June, and it is raising the stakes with a larger scale, broader reach, and a program designed to inspire global impact. In practice, ODDfest is planning on doubling the impact it left with its debut edition.
Next year, ODDfest aims to grow to 8,000 –10,000 visitors and build around it a week-long creative city festival, Helsinki Creative Week, which it will serve as the culmination of. Targets include selling 3,000+ full-access tickets, reaching 30% international attendance, and doubling media reach, website traffic, and partner engagement.
The next edition will integrate free public installations and activations across Helsinki’s central areas through the broader city festival.
More of the festival’s programming will be open and accessible to the wider public, inviting everyone to experience creativity firsthand.
With the addition of the Helsinki Creative Week, ODDfest will launch more extensive open calls for showcasing artists and program and workshop leaders, ensuring that the community actively shapes the program. Partnerships will emphasize social impact, grassroots participation, and collaborative experimentation.
The 2026 edition will introduce a sustainability roadmap, set waste-reduction targets, and collaborate with partners on circular-economy initiatives, with the goal in mind to make ODDfest a pioneer in sustainable cultural production.
In 2025, we embraced chaos and acceleration and took the risk of stepping into the unknown to bring the very first ODDfest to life.
Now, we call on us all to be brave together— brave to speak out, brave to take action, brave to try, fail, and improvise when needed.
With this, we introduce our next year’s theme, bravery , which reflects the uncertainty of our fast-paced world and the courage it takes to adapt, create, experiment, and lead change.
Next, the realm of ODD is expanding into a weeklong series of events and a year-round initiative, building a movement that positions and advances creativity as a driver of economic, cultural, and social progress.
Week ODDfest
An open-to-all, city-wide creative festival will activate public spaces across Helsinki with creative programming art, concerts, skate parks, and community dinners, the sky is the limit led by local collectives and showcased by ODD. This wider city festival is designed to open cultural life to the public and make it accessible to everyone, despite their background and life situation.
The curated two-day centerpiece at Lasipalatsikortteli will continue to spotlight boundary-pushing performances, talks, and installations, anchoring the creative week with high-level programming.
A new professional format, Beyond ODDfest, will cater specifically to established creatives, institutions, policymakers, and business leaders through conference-style programming during the creative week.
Beyond the festival, ODD will grow into a fulltime initiative, The ODDside, running side events throughout the year, offering programs, services, and spaces, and collaborating with local and international networks
Report compiled by Laura Fuentes
Information & Sourcing
Ronny Eriksson
Laura Fuentes
Mirka Parenteau
Photography Ida Henriksson
Remu Shemeikka
And remember to save the date for the second edition of ODDfest, on June 11–13, 2026.
Sebastian Hiemann, Basti Visuals
Vilikasper Kanth
Majakka Additional photo credits under individual images
Brand Identity & Visual Direction
Adventure Club
Layout & Design
Laura Fuentes
Thank you to everyone who believed in the dream our dream, your dream, the shared vision of a stronger creative economy.
Thank you to attendees and ODDones who followed the journey online, thank you to partners, speaker and artists, and staff and volunteers. Your courage and input made bringing this project into being possible.
Thank you to each and every one who dared to step into the unknown with us and make the firstever ODDfest a reality.
This is only the beginning. See you next year.
Ronny Eriksson
Founder, ODDfest
+358 50 517 7908
ronny@oddfest.co
Press Inquiries:
Laura Fuentes
Head of PR, ODDfest
+358 40 731 4523
laura@oddfest.co
www.oddfest.co
www.linkedin.com/company/oddfest
www.facebook.com/oddfest.co
www.youtube.com/@ODDfest @oddfest.co
#ODDfest #BeTheOddOneOut @oddfest.co
Media kit available at: www.oddfest.co/media
Photo credit: ODDfest exit gates thanking the visitors.
Photo by Sebastian Hiemann
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