Anniversary Exhibition Free 90 | HAM
Detail from Elga Sesemann’s work Self-Portrait with Yellow Pot, 1943. Photo: HAM/Hanna Kukorelli
Unto Pusa, Koskiharjoitelma | Forsstudie | Study for a Rapids Scene, 1956. Kuva: ©HAM/Sonja Hyytiäinen
Unto Pusa, Koskiharjoitelma (yksityiskohta) | Forsstudie (detalj) | Study for a Rapids Scene (detail), 1956. Kuva: ©HAM/Sonja Hyytiäinen
The Free Art School is a private institution founded in 1935, specializing in painting. It is located at the Cable Factory in Helsinki. The school offers a full-time, four-year study programme leading to a professional career in painting.
The school is maintained by the Free Art School Support Association, which also organizes public drawing courses and lectures, curates exhibitions, and publishes art-related materials.
Hämärä II – Group Exhibition by Students of the Free Art School
Exhibiting artists: Emma Grönqvist, Taina Hakala, Minna Harri, Aino Kalliosaari, Eero Koistinen, Tuomas Korhonen, Maria Kuisma, Eleonoora Lehvonen, Dante Linsén, Milka Mansikka, Tanja Pohjola, Sanna Pöysä, Elina Rajala, and Milla Tarpio. Open 12–17 August, daily from 9 AM to 8 PM, and on Sunday 17 A...Student Stories
Minna Salomaa:
“I’m fascinated by the idea of a deliberate mistake.”
Minna Salomaa, Will-o’-the-Wisps, 2024, 60 x 70 cm, oil on canvas
Raana Lehtinen Selected as Recipient of the Aïda Alliman Grant 2025
The 2025 Aïda Alliman Grant has been awarded to painter Raana Lehtinen. Lehtinen graduated from the Free Art School in 2019. Raana Lehtinen shares thoughts on her current work and the grant.What are you currently working on in painting? I recently completed my postgraduate studies at the Academy o...Scenes from the Opening of Vapaa '25
The Free Art School’s annual graduation exhibition opened on Friday, May 2, 2025, at Puristamo, Cable Factory. This year, twelve painters graduated from the school. Warm thanks to everyone who joined us for the opening! We would like to thank Olvi and Vindirekti for providing the refreshments, and e...Anita Snellman Foundation Awards Grants to Four Graduating Painters from the Free Art School
The Anita Snellman Foundation, which supports art education, appreciation, and engagement, has awarded grants to graduating painters from the Free Art School. This year, €2,000 grants were awarded to Pinja Kanon, Marika Maijala, Eevi Oittinen, and Maria Rasinkangas, all of whom graduated from the Fr...You can now register for the open art courses for autumn 2025
The Free Art School’s open art courses will start again this autumn. This season, a total of three creative courses will be offered. The Free Art School is a private institution founded in 1935, specializing in painting and located at the Cable Factory in Helsinki. In addition to our painting degree...Partnership Project with Icelandic Art School Completed – Erasmus+ Activities Continue
The EU-funded project created a model for close collaboration between two painting schools and launched the development of a network for European painting schools. The two-year pilot project included teacher exchanges between Finland and Iceland, study trips from Helsinki to Reykjavík and vice versa...Vapaa '25 now available as a virtual exhibition
The degree exhibition, which closed on 18 May 2025, is now available as a 3D recording on our website. You can explore the virtual version of the Vapaa '25 exhibition online: Vapaa '25. In the future, the link to the recording will be available on the exhibition's webpage. The exhibition presents th...Register for open courses
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Teacher Spotlights
Pilvi Ojala
“The world is full of rules, so let art be a place where one can think and act freely.”
Pilvi Ojala is fascinated by, among other things, the Wunderkammer, which she describes as a cabinet of wonders or curiosities—a reflection of its collector, a collection that exists somewhere between reality and illusion.
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