Jirina Alanko
Annu Kemppainen
English
Helsinki represents to me freedom and diversity.
The best thing about Helsinki is the diversity of the city, says Annu Kemppainen, who started in November 2022 as Executive Director of the Helsinki Pride community.
“Helsinki has distinctive areas, and all the districts are different from each other. I continue to find places that offer new experiences.”
Kemppainen mentions, for example, public art and especially the environmental art installation Olo n:o 22 by Pasi Karjula and Marko Vuokola. Located in Hietalahti, the work consists of more than fifty polished steel balls.
“On the one hand, they are simple, yet they are very dear and meaningful to me. Public art helps different parts of the city stand out from each other.”
Born in Rauma on the west coast of Finland, Kemppainen moved to the Ruoholahti district of Helsinki in 2010.
“Helsinki has always represented to me freedom and the opportunity to experience diversity, as well as the opportunity to blend in with the crowd at the same time.”
Kemppainen heads the activities of the Helsinki Pride community, which culminates on 1 July with the Helsinki Pride parade and park party in Kaivopuisto.
“The City of Helsinki has been Pride’s main cooperation partner for years. It’s a big declaration that puts Helsinki in the position of value leader.”
According to Kemppainen, Helsinki is a good and safe destination for international rainbow visitors. Although the city’s rainbow nightlife took a hit when the DTM nightclub closed in 2020, the club is reopening at the beginning of summer in new premises at Teurastamo.
Kemppainen urges visitors to admire the buildings and architecture in the centre of Helsinki. A dip in the Allas Sea Pool and the ferry to Suomenlinna are also worth experiencing. You can also see different parts of the city while riding the metro and trams.
“Helsinki was built on people’s terms and for people, which is not a given for cities.”
Kemppainen recommends timing a visit to coincide with Helsinki Pride week.
“That’s when Helsinki really stands out as a wonderful, rich and safe place for all people.”
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I love the street called Bulevardi – it’s a really successful stretch of street and has a lovely lunch spot, Lie Mi Bulevardi. And what's best, the office of the Finnish Women’s Association Unioni and the Maikki Friberg Home are also located on Bulevardi. The space reminds me of a museum in which people are still practicing activism and changing the world. Unioni has grown into a strong non-governmental organisation committed to intersectionality and anti-racism.
Cable Factory is a wonderful place that is dedicated to art, artists and NGOs. For democracy, it is essential that cities have spaces where artists can do their work and meet each other. Dance House Helsinki, which opened last year at Cable Factory, has made the cultural centre even more diverse. Cable Factory, or Kaapeli as we say in Finnish, is also the home of the Helsinki Pride community.
I love Kiasma’s architecture, and its location is perfect too. The Museum of Contemporary Art has hosted really great exhibitions. I also love the Kiasma Theatre, because I have seen performances there that are meaningful to me. My relationship with art is warm. Through it, I have been able to address big and difficult issues, such as climate change. Museum shops are treasure troves of LGBTIQ+ literature and research.
I am a regular guest on YLE’s cultural radio programme. When it started in 2018, it was broadcast from Musiikkitalo, which is how I discovered the Helsinki Music Centre. The building also houses the Sibelius Academy, whose students organise many concerts. Sculptor Kirsi Kaulanen’s wonderful Gaia installation suits the space well. Reijo Hukkanen's impressive “Song Trees” sculpture can also be admired next to Musiikkitalo in the Kansalaistori square.
Ruoholahdenranta, Ruoholahdenkanava and Jätkäsaari together form an area that is personally significant to me. The canal and the sea are particularly important. The development of the Jätkäsaari district is also interesting, as it features many communal experiments. These include the Jallukka House for Musicians, not to mention Teatteri Viirus.
Iso Roobertinkatu street, shortened for Roba, used to be the heart of Helsinki's club scene and nightlife culture. Although the DTM nightclub hasn’t been there in ages, you can still sense the spirit of DTM along the pedestrian street – hopefully it will move to Teurastamo along with DTM. Roba has been a success on the whole, and I would like to see a return of the same lively urban culture that was once there. My favourite among the restaurants along Roba is Yes Yes Yes. It is aesthetically perfect, and the food and drinks are great.