Open Call Closed!

Thank you for applying

Open call for Aavistus Festival 2026 is now closed for sumbissions.
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The open call for the Aavistus Festival 2026 has now closed. Thank you for your submissions and proposals. Please be patient as we begin the curation process. All selected acts will be contacted once the curation is complete.
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Theme of 2026: Attention, please!

Where does your presence lie?
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‍In the universe, everything is made from tiny particles, resonating on different frequencies. The transmission is subjective. The visual, auditory and digital messages are affected by interpretation, perception and external interference. Noise corrupts structure. It fuzzes signals and warps meaning. Eventually everything falls into entropy, or is found as order. Noise can be the starting point for meaning through pattern recognition. TV static can begin to look like images, the hum of a power plant can sound like music. Our minds seek patterns by instinct. This feature (not a bug!) is now being exploited for purposes beyond profit margins.

The attention economy is all around us. As the German designer Dieter Rams said, without curatorial attitude towards designing communication and our environment, we live in a world of “impenetrable confusion of forms, colours and noises”. The collapse of context in media has made the whole art reactionary.
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The curatorial theme for the 2026 Aavistus Festival, Attention, please!, explores the relationship between noise, pattern, attention and presence. We invite you to question what makes an audiovisual artwork deserve to desire one’s attention.

Where is the threshold of noise to pattern?
How to experience presence?
Is anyone even there?

‍Please, attention.

About Aavistus Festival
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Aavistus Festival is a biennial of audiovisual art and VJ culture in Helsinki since 2020. It showcases a diverse lineup of local and international artists, highlighting the creative possibilities of live audiovisual expressions.

Organised by the non-profit association Aavistus Festival ry, the festival plays a crucial role in promoting and advancing audiovisual art and VJ culture in Finland. It fosters collaboration among artists, designers, and technologists, while also spotlighting Finland's dynamic VJ scene on the international stage. The festival is driven by a dedicated team of local VJs and AV enthusiasts who curate a compelling program of performances, workshops, exhibitions, and discussions.

Aavistus Festival serves as a hub for innovation and creativity within the audiovisual arts community, enriching Helsinki's cultural landscape and offering audiences a unique opportunity to engage and get to know about the diverse world of audiovisual culture.

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Production team
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Festival director
‍Merle Karp
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Head of production
‍Raul Silvennoinen

Producers
Artturi Elovirta
Elif Eren
Antti Hietaniemi
Hannu Häkkinen
Jassir Kuronen
Ira Nääppä
Leo Pahta
Suvi Parrilla
Jacob Söderström
Viktor Teodosin
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Aavistus Festival ry board
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Chairperson
‍Antti Hietaniemi
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Vice-Chair
‍Jassir Kuronen
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Treasurer
‍Merle Karp
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Secretary
‍Jacob Söderström
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Board members
‍Artturi Elovirta
Hannu Häkkinen
Henri Miettinen

Substitute board members
Marie Dahlén
Elif Eren
Marko Miettinen
Viktor Teodosin