Appointments made to Central Arts Council

The other members of the Central Arts Council are: theatre and film director Pauliina Feodoroff (Ivalo), art academic Eija-Liisa Ahtila (Helsinki), musician Jaakko Kuusisto (Lahti), artist Heikki Marila (Turku), university lecturer Alfonso Padilla (Helsinki), deputy mayor Piia Rantala-Korhonen (Oulu), publishing manager Saara Tiuraniemi (Hämeenlinna) and author Antti Tuuri (Helsinki).

The Central Arts Council is a body within the Arts Promotion Centre Finland that makes decisions regarding the number of national arts councils, their names and their roles, and it appoints the members of the national and regional arts councils for two-year terms. The Central Arts Council also submits proposals to the Arts Promotion Centre Finland regarding the distribution of funds for the arts and for granting the title of Art Academic. In addition, the Central Arts Council serves as an advisory body to the Ministry of Education and Culture in policymaking regarding the arts.

“All members appointed to the Central Arts Council are recognised experts in the fields of the arts and culture. The members form a group that possesses a wide range of expertise in the arts and other fields,” states Minister of Culture and Sport Paavo Arhinmäki. Minority cultures and multiculturalism have also been taken into consideration in the appointments.

“The Central Arts Council will play a key role in developing the Finnish arts. A bold approach will be required to support innovations, strengthen internationalisation and safeguard the freedom and work environment for the arts.”

The Ministry of Education and Culture normally appoints the Central Arts Council for a three-year term, but in this case the term of the first Central Arts Council will continue up to the end of August 2016.