The M_itä? Biennale of Contemporary Art is an overview of contemporary art which will be held every two years in East Finland. Its name is an acronym of the Finnish words mitä (what) and itä (east). The exhibition concept was created in association with Arts Promotion Centre Finland and its production is a collaboration between art museums of Kuopio, Mikkeli and Joensuu, with different professional curators for the individual exhibitions.
The biennale displays the contemporary art of the region, giving East Finnish artists visibility and improving their opportunities for work. Its aim is to help make East Finland an appealing environment in which visual artists can operate, invite other artists to co-create with East Finnish artists, support the professional development of artists and improve dialogue between different actors in the field of the arts.
The M_itä? Biennale of Contemporary Art showcases the wide range and high standards of professional artists of East Finland. The artists of the biennales are chosen separately for each exhibition through a thoroughly prepared selection process. Each biennale features a carefully chosen selection of artists representing various sectors of art in the region. The biennale process includes support for the work of artists in preparing for the exhibition, networking and making use of the exhibition while it is open to the public.
The fifth M_itä Biennale of Contemporary Art opens in Mikkeli in in the summer of 2027. The first M_itä? Biennale of Contemporary Art was on show at the Kuopio Art Museum in the autumn of 2019. The second one was organised in 2021 in Mikkeli. The third biennale was at Joensuu Art Museum in 13.5 -17.9 in 2023. The fourth M_itä Biennale of Contemporary art was at Kuopio Art Museum KUMMA.
An open call for professional visual artists for the M_itä? Biennale of Contemporary Art 2027
An open call for artists for the fifth M_itä? Biennale of Contemporary Art opens on March 13, 2026. The application period ends on April 30, 2026. The Biennale will be held in Mikkeli, at the Mikkeli Art Museum, from June 12 to September 19, 2027.
The M_itä Biennale of Contemporary Art is a review of contemporary art in Eastern Finland, held every two years. The Biennale highlights the region’s contemporary art, offers visibility to artists from Eastern Finland, and seeks to improve their working opportunities. The aim of the Biennale is to highlight the diversity of professional artists in the region and increase dialogue between actors working in the field of art. The Biennale has been organized since 2019 as a collaboration of Mikkeli, Joensuu and Lappeenranta Art Museums and Kuopio Art Museum KUMMA.
The Biennale invites visual artists to apply and participate via a call for portfolios. If an artist already has a specific work in mind that they would like to propose for the Biennale, or a plan for a work that they would like to make for the Biennale, they can also submit a work proposal along with their portfolio. However, this is not necessary – applications will be considered equally whether the portfolio includes a work proposal or not. The Biennale does not have a pre-defined theme – the theme of the exhibition is created based on the portfolios and work proposals received in the artist call.
We invite professional visual artists and artist groups from different backgrounds and at different stages of their careers who have a connection to Eastern Finland to apply. The artist may be from the region, work in the region or otherwise be connected to Eastern Finland. At least one of the artist group members should be from Eastern Finland.
The Biennale is open to all forms of visual arts. The exhibition takes place at the Mikkeli Art Museum. However, the artwork does not have to be confined within the museum’s walls. It can also be exhibited outdoors or even online.
The curator of the 2027 Biennale is artist and Doctor of Fine Arts Teemu Mäki. The working group also includes curator Karoliina Katila (Joensuu Art Museum), curator Mikko Pirinen (Lappeenranta Art Museum), chief curator Marja Louni (KUMMA) and curator Paula Hyvönen (Mikkeli Art Museum).
The artist selection will take place in May 2026.
How to apply
Please send inquiries and applications to the email address: mitabiennaali@sivistys.mikkeli.fi.
The application should be submitted as a PDF file (max. 30 MB). Applications may be submitted in Finnish or English.
Please include in your application the following documents:
- Portfolio including your contact information, possible website address and examples of your previous work (max. 5 examples/images). If the portfolio includes links to media files, please make sure the links are working. If necessary, include a password to enable viewing of the content.
- CV
- A possible work proposal: idea and technique
- Description of the members of the artist group (if applicable)
- Description of your connection with Eastern Finland (in writing, max. one A4 sheet)