Aika loistaa – art for older people
Activities for people aged over 65 will continue under the name Aika loistaa. The programme brings participatory arts into the everyday lives of older Helsinki residents, creating opportunities to connect through art in a variety of ways. Activities include cultural events, touring performances and training for higher education students who will work with older people in the future.
Join the Taidetta ikääntyneille mailing list. You will receive project updates and information about upcoming events by email twice a year.
In autumn 2026, we will continue the highly popular Tarinasta teatteriksi programme. We will also begin developing a new touring production under the working title Rakkaat radikaalit. Our collaboration with Metropolia University of Applied Sciences will continue with its degree programme in elderly care.
All our activities are free of charge for participants. Events take place in the Helsinki area.
A very warm welcome to join us!
Tarinasta teatteriksi programme
The Tarinasta teatteriksi programme uses playback theatre to bring people together. Playback theatre is a form of improvisational theatre in which participants’ experiences and stories are brought to the stage as short performances.
The performing group, made up of retired amateur performers, began rehearsing at a senior centre in autumn 2023 and meets there weekly. Under the guidance of professionals, the participants perform as playback theatre actors. In autumn 2026, the group will continue to explore playback theatre in greater depth and perform at venues across Helsinki.
The programme is led by project staff Laura Ikonen and Reetta Kankare. Heli Lyytikäinen is the playback theatre musician.
Rakkaat radikaalit
We are developing a touring theatre production for older audiences under the working title “Rakkaat radikaalit”. The production is scheduled to premiere in spring 2028. Development will begin with workshops that will generate material for the future production. Participants will reflect on what has been radical or boundary-breaking in their own lives. The workshops will be led by Laura Ikonen and Reetta Kankare.
Higher education collaboration
Our long-standing collaboration with higher education institutions will continue during the 2026–2027 season. We will work with the degree programme in elderly care at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in a variety of ways during both the autumn and spring terms. For more than five years, our activities for older people have included training future elderly care professionals, social services professionals, early childhood music educators and drama instructors, among others. Students have also had opportunities to lead activities themselves and engage directly with older people. The training is provided by Reetta Kankare and Hanna Nuorala.
Valo piirtää kasvojesi uurteet online exhibition
The exhibition presents nine stories about older Helsinki residents living in their own homes. It opened at Redi Shopping Centre in spring 2022 and subsequently toured a wide variety of venues across Helsinki. The exhibition ultimately attracted more than 10,000 visitors. Its four-year tour ended last spring, but the online exhibition will remain available until the end of the year. In the online exhibition, the stories of the older people portrayed are read by Helsinki City Theatre actors. Watch a recording of the photography exhibition via this link. The photography exhibition is also ideal for viewing with groups such as senior centre clients.
The Aika loistaa programme is part of Helsinki City Theatre’s audience engagement work. The project is funded by the City of Helsinki and delivered in collaboration with an extensive network of partners.
For more information about the project:
Reetta Kankare
Project Coordinator
reetta.kankare@hkt.fi
