Visiting artists in Rovaniemi

The Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation and the University of Lapland’s Visiting Artist Residency Programme annually offers two Finnish visual artists a three-month working period in Rovaniemi.
The goal of the Rovaniemi residency programme is to provide artists with complete peace for work and deep concentration, surrounded by the nature of the North. The residency also enables interaction with the university community and the broader cultural environment of Rovaniemi.
The programme is by invitation only: candidates for the Rovaniemi residency are proposed by the Wihuri Foundation’s Visual Arts Committee, and the final decision is made by the Foundation’s Board or Finance Committee. Each year, the Foundation sends two artists to Rovaniemi for three-month working periods.
The invited artist receives a €13,000 working grant from the Wihuri Foundation and studio and living space from the University of Lapland.
Since the programme began in 1995, a total of 58 artists have taken part in the residency in Rovaniemi.
- 2025 Saarikoski Hanna
- 2024 Holma Marjatta
- 2024 Poteri Iiri
- 2023 Ziegler Denise
- 2023 Eskola Jenni
- 2022 Paavo Räbinä
- 2022 Heikkilä Alma
- 2021 Laakkonen Juha Pekka Matias
- 2021 Ala-Maunus Petri
- 2020 Heiska Tiina
- 2020 Albrecht Maija
- 2019 Reinhard Aurora
- 2019 Hirvelä Markku
- 2018 Peltokangas Matti
- 2018 Uusitalo Kristiina
- 2017 Kylänpää Hannele
- 2017 Kekarainen Pertti
- 2016 Saukkonen Teemu
- 2016B rander Pirjetta
- 2015 Nurminen Matti
- 2015 Räisänen Janne
- 2014 Kanervo Marja
- 2014 Piilola Tamara
- 2013 Weckman Jan Kenneth
- 2013 Pirilä Marja
- 2012 Korkeila Jukka
- 2012 Vaara Roi
- 2011 Schroderus Kimmo
- 2010 Tompuri Anne
- 2010 Wuorila-Stenberg Henry
- 2009 Tuominen Anu
- 2009 Ojala Antti
- 2008 Retulainen Anna
- 2008 Wilkman Sofia
- 2007 Sirén Päivi
- 2007 Väätti Ilkka
- 2006 Marila Heikki
- 2006 Arminen Tuija
- 2005 Suntio Heimo
- 2005 Pitkänen-Walter Tarja
- 2004 Osipow Paul
- 2004 Määttänen Lotta
- 2003 Päiväläinen Riitta
- 2003 Hulkko Irmeli
- 2002 Vesterinen Pekka
- 2002 Siukonen Jyrki
- 2001 Rankka Lauri
- 2001 Lehtinen Jukka
- 2000 Heikinaho Minna
- 2000 Niva Jussi
- 1999 Hiltunen Heli
- 1999 Karjula Pasi
- 1998 Karjalainen Juha
- 1998 Laitinen Kari
- 1997 Hakuri Markku
- 1996 Niemelä Jaakko
- 1996 Keränen Markku
- 1995 Heikkilä Jussi