Youth Work Week features open houses and art
Open houses at youth centres and service points
During Youth Work Week, 5–11.10.2026, Turku’s youth centres and youth service points will host open-house events on different days. The aim is to introduce youth work and its activities to a wider audience and give young people and their parents and guardians an opportunity to see the services in action.
Skate Hall Cube will hold an open house on Monday 5 October during its normal Monday opening hours.
Skateboarding will be available at 14-21 with the final two hours reserved for young people aged 15 and over. On the open-house day, skating is free of charge.
On Tuesday 6 October at 15-18, visitors can find out more about music activities for young people. The programme includes an introduction to the venue and its activities, as well as coffee and refreshments.
On Thursday 8 October at 16-20, parents and guardians will have an opportunity to visit Halinen youth centre and the Swedish-speaking youth centre.
On Thursday 8 October at 16-20, eight youth centres will host a special open-house evening for parents and guardians.
During the evening, parents and guardians can meet youth workers and see the places where their young people spend their free time. Coffee and pastries will be served, and visitors will also have the chance to win unique Turku youth anniversary buckets in various competitions.
The open-house evening will take place at Ypsilon, Aunela, Runosmäki Otso, Pansio, Ilpoinen, Varissuo, Skanssi and Syvälahti.
On Friday 9 October, youth centres will celebrate 80th anniversary with special birthday parties. Young people aged over 13, both current and former visitors to the centres, are welcome to join the celebrations.
The programme includes birthday refreshments, competitions and challenges. The parties will take place during the centres’ normal opening hours, and no registration is required.
The celebrations will be held at Ypsilon, Aunela, Runosmäki Otso, Pansio, Ilpoinen, Varissuo, Skanssi and Syvälahti.
On Friday 9 October at 9-12, visitors can find out more about the activities of Vimma Youth Art and Activity Centre, Fendari Youth Workshop on Amiraalistonkatu and Ohjaamo.
Young people’s art, a video installation and an illuminated Library Bridge
During National Youth Work Week, 5–11 October 2026, the Library Bridge will be illuminated to celebrate the 80th anniversary of youth work in Turku.
In cooperation with Turku City Theatre, Fendari Youth Workshop will present an exhibition at the theatre from 6–11 October. The exhibition explores young people’s perspectives on faith in the future.
In addition to the indoor exhibition, a video installation created by young people for the 80 Years of Youth Work in Turku anniversary will be shown on the art screen in the City Theatre Square and the screen in the lobby of the Main Library.
Workshops, music and gaming during the autumn holiday
During the autumn holiday week, 12–18 October, Vimma Youth Art and Activity Centre will offer art workshops, café activities and music. Vimma will be open from Wednesday to Friday, with different activities for young people each day:
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Wednesday: Kafé Vimma quiz at 5 pm
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Thursday: K-pop event from 3 pm to 6 pm
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Friday: Live@Vimma live music evening from 5.30 pm to 8 pm
The night café will be open on Friday and Saturday from 8 pm to 1 am.
The 10th anniversary LAN party of Turku Game Academy will take place during the autumn holiday weekend, 16–17 October.
Podcast and Youth Gala to celebrate the anniversary
Anniversary podcast designed and produced by young people
An anniversary podcast will be produced during the autumn as a municipal collaboration between Turku, Oulu and Jyväskylä. Each city will produce its own podcast, while the episodes will explore jointly agreed themes.
Three podcast episodes created by young people will be released. Fifteen young people are involved in scripting, recording, editing and publishing the episodes. The topics include youth centres, the Youth Council and young adults.
The podcast episodes will be released during the autumn.
Youth Gala puts young people in the spotlight
The main event of the anniversary year, the Youth Gala, will be held at Vimma Youth Art and Activity Centre on Saturday 24 October. The gala is a celebration created by and for young people, and young people have been primarily responsible for its planning and organisation.
The programme includes:
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a wide range of performances by young people
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food and refreshments
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a surprise guest artist
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positive news and stories about young people
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the premiere of a song created by young people
As part of the anniversary celebrations, the gala will feature the premiere of the young people’s song. The song is being composed and written based on text ideas collected from young people, with contributions from Tony Ewart, known as the vocalist and guitarist of the band BloodRedNails.