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My exhibition Stratum consists of works I created between 2022 and 2025 while studying at the Free Art School. The works reflect a range of stylistic and material explorations from this period. In the exhibition, the pieces encounter one another, forming a dialogue not only among themselves but also...
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...
The Free Art School, originally named Fria Målarskolan, was founded 90 years ago on January 15, 1935, at Eteläranta in Helsinki. The school’s first director was its founder, Maire Gullichsen, and the first teachers were Erkki Kulovesi, William Lönnberg, and Carl Wargh. In 2025, the Free Art School i...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
The Vision 2030 for Visual Arts Education and Pedagogy, led by the Academy of Fine Arts at the University of the Arts Helsinki, has been completed and published. Elina Merenmies, Principal of the Free Art School and painter, was a member of the project's core group. The aim of the vision work was to...
PRESS RELEASE – November 12, 2024 – For immediate release Opening: November 20, 5–7 PMExhibition dates: November 21, 2024 – January 31, 2025 Erno Enkenberg, Siiri Haarla, Aura Hakuri, Marjatta Hanhijoki, Eveliina Hämäläinen, Jukka Korkeila, Tuomo Laakso, Ville Löppönen, Markku Arantila, Elina Merenm...
The public art project organized jointly by the Free Art School and the HUS Art Committee during the 2023–2024 academic year culminated in a competition held in spring 2024. A total of fifteen winning works by students from various year levels were acquired into the HUS art collection. Throughout th...
