Project 5 : Cultural Collective Kukoistus

Cultural Collective Kukoistus

Cultural Collective Kukoistus is located at the Korkeaoja village in the Western part of Finland, some 40km from the coastline. We work here on various projects centered around art, ecology and building. Some of us live in the village and others in nearby cities. Our aims are to increase the opportunities for artistic work in the Finnish countryside and combining art with living close to the land while promoting sustainability and ecological values. Our operation is centered at the old main house and it’s surroundings at Korkeaoja organic farm. 

Among our ongoing long-term projects are the creation of an international residency for artists and the establishment of a communal edible forest garden. In addition we organize a wide range of festivals, exhibitions, workshops and seminars. We are also finishing the renovation of an
old stone barn to function as a multi-purpose space for work and events.
The residency is aimed for people of all ages and all cultures and backgrounds, as are all the projects of our cultural collective. 

Our public events attract people from all around Finland, but also focus on serving our local community in the South-West countryside of Finland. Our special interests are performance art and time/space art, permaculture and ecological design, and holistic, wholesome life in general. Some examples of past event and activities are: Käsitekesä summer exhibition, Artistic Ecosystems seminar, the Immaterial festival of performance art, ”Kotonen” mobile house construction workshops and lectures on permaculture and forest garden design.

Your work as a volunteer

The tasks for volunteers vary according to season and the progress of various ongoing building projects (the renovation of the main house and the stone barn, finishing a cordwood hut and a recycling center) as well as the forest garden. The skills and interests of volunteers will be taken into account. The work hours may vary as well, but we make sure it all balances out.

The period of mid winter, from December to March, is really only suitable for someone who enjoys quiet and solitude (and we mean this in a Finnish sense ;) And especially for someone who has their own creative projects they can pursue, as there isn’t so much practical work to do during that time.

Possible tasks

  • Taking care of the premises (cleaning, organizing, heating the house with firewood etc.), tools and accommodation and solving small problems. Organize housemeetings and practicalities in housekeeping.
  • Construction (this can be simple and repetitive manual tasks, or more demanding work depending on skills)
  • Working in the garden and orchard (watering, weeding, planting, protection, harvesting of herbs, apples, berries)
  • Heating the sauna
  • Organize get-togethers between Kukoistus members and artists in residency.
  • Assisting artists in residence (if there are some and if they need help with something)
  • Organize events, workshops and other happenings that suit Kukoistus profile (arts and culture, citizen-activism, permaculture etc.).
  • Helping with the Summer café
  • Making art (For those who want to pursue their own artistic practices we also want to offer the time and space for working on their art. We can offer tools, but you’ll need your own materials. Art that is installed / takes place in the village is most welcome, but not a prerequisite.)

Volunteer profile

We are looking for volunteers interested in art, ecology, gardening, building, and life in the countryside. Qualities we look for: creativity, self-initiative, flexibility, patience, social skills and a positive outlook. 

From spring to autumn we have more people staying here, so getting along with random people is important, while from autumn to winter things tend to quiet down and tolerance towards quiet and solitude can also be important. There are several unfinished projects going on simultaneously so capacity to handle some chaos and unpredictability is good to have.

Accomodation & practicalities

  • Accommodation is in the residency house where a private room is available. There are occasionally a few other people staying in the house, artists or visitors, and occasionally more during busier summer months and during events or workshops.
  • Volunteers prepare own their meals in the shared kitchen. Food money is provided to this end on monthly bases.
  • There’s a wifi connection and a shared computer to use.
  • There are also a few horses, a cat and two dogs inhabiting at the farm. This is good to take into account if you have allergies or other sensitivities.
  • The closest shops and services are 15km from Korkeaoja, in nearby small towns. There is no public transport, but we coordinate car-rides. We also have bicycles volunteers can borrow.
  • Distance to Pori, the nearest city, is 35km.
  • Nearest bus and train stations are 15km away, with good access to Pori, Tampere, Helsinki and other cities.
  • For leisure time there’s plenty of nature to enjoy. For other activities the city of Pori has a quite active cultural scene with exhibitions, concerts and festivals. Yyteri beach by the seaside (50km) has wonderful natural dunes and the longest beach in Finland.

Former volunteer shares her experience !

Open positions and timetable

We are looking for long-term volunteers (3+ months) to start in late August or in early autumn. The maximum volunteer period length is until 30.7.2023. Having a driving license is considered a bonus!

Deadline for applications is 5.6.2022. Chosen applicants will be informed within a week after the application period has ended. 

Questions can be e-mailed to our ESC-contact Juha at: jpmehtalainen@me.com