Scandinavian Culture Calendar: April 2023
By Hanna Heiskanen
Kuopio Dance Festival is the oldest in the Nordics. Photo: Wonge Bergmann
–Where to go, what to see? It’s all happening here!
Sakura Festival 2023 (22 to 23 April)
Cherry flowers are just as essential a sign of spring as Easter eggs in the corner shop. Copenhagen celebrates its Sakura at the end of April when, touch wood, the risk of snow is low. The festival, which is organised by the Embassy of Japan, takes place in Langelinje Park in central Copenhagen. In addition to selfies amongst the flowers and picnicking under the trees, you can take part in lots of traditional Japanese activities, such as origami, ikebana and tea workshops. Or why not try your hand at calligraphy or haiku writing?
Nordre Toldbod, Copenhagen
Kuopio Dance Festival (14 to 20 June)
While it’s still spring, it’s never too early to start thinking about summer and which festivals to attend this year. One not to miss is the traditional Kuopio Dance Festival in Eastern Finland. The 54th edition will take place in June, and it’s the oldest and largest festival of its kind in the Nordics. The programme includes a new piece choreographed by Anton Lachky for the Helsinki Dance Company, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, work by the Burkinabè Salia Sanou based on Martin Luther King’s famous speech, and hip-hop by the Brazilian Grupo de Rua. Jump into the cooling waters of Lake Kallavesi if you need a break from all the action.
Venues around Kuopio
Beer (until 30 October)
Who doesn’t like a pint – especially when combined with a bit of culture? The Stockholm Spritmuseum can deliver an abundance of both through its exhibitions and restaurant/bar. Their most recent exhibition Beer looks at beer in all its forms, so you will get acquainted with IPAs, APAs and NEIPAs, with a bit of history and politics mixed in. After all, beer brings people together. Cheers!
Djurgårdsstrand 9, Stockholm
Spritmuseum in Stockholm. Photo: Johan Eldro
The Garden – Six Centuries of Art and Nature (until 7 January 2024)
Stockholm is a remarkably green city, and now you can also experience some of it indoors at the Swedish National Museum. This exhibition looks at how gardens have been portrayed in art over the centuries, from flowers to landscapes, by big-hitters such as Monet and Watteu as well as by contemporary stars. You will leave with a newfound understanding of how humans’ relationship to nature has evolved over time, from ancient times of biblical paradise to the modern-day and the challenges of climate change.
Södra Blasieholmshamnen 2, Stockholm
Johan Johnsen: Still Life with a Bouquet of Flowers. Oil on canvas. Nationalmuseum. Photo: Erik Cornelius/Nationalmuseum
Rudolph Tegner Museum and Statue Park
Danish architect Rudolp Tegner founded the museum bearing his name in the late 1930s, inspired by extensive travels abroad and the aesthetic of functionalism. Today, in addition to the museum, you can also visit the statue park outside for a combination of dramatic concrete architecture and green rolling hills. One of their exhibitions is a sound work Mod Lyset, meaning ‘Towards the Light’, by Ditte Rønn, which has been inspired by a sculpture of the same name. You can experience the piece in the park four times a day until 23 October.
Museumsvej 19, 3120 Dronningmølle
Rudolph Tegner Statue Park. Photo: Henrik Sylvest
Suomenlinna Art Walks 2023
Suomenlinna is an 18th-century fortress on a group of islands off the Helsinki peninsula and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The fortress makes for a fascinating visit on any day of the year, but it also hosts a number of cultural events well worth checking out. The island hosts a number of artists and artisans of various mediums, from pottery to textiles and paintings. Why not join for a guided Art Walk where you can peruse their workshops? If you fall in love with something, you can buy it as a souvenir to take home with you. The walks are organised every Friday from 11am to 3pm.
Venues around Suomenlinna, Helsinki
Suomenlinna sea fortress. Photo: Super Otus
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