Joy, togetherness, and artistic experiences – The Puddle month is all about the joy of creating

The Puddle Children’s Cultural Weeks take place from 1st to 31st October 2024. Now in its third year, The Puddle’s main aim is to reach out to families with children in Vaasa and engage them with a high-quality, low-threshold cultural programme. The event wishes to highlight the significance of children’s culture, and the actors involved in the field.

– The most important thing for the people and organisations involved in children’s culture is to provide children and their families with spaces and opportunities to engage in activities and enjoy spending time together, says Sanna Asikainen, Head of Culture Services at the City of Vaasa.

Children involved in planning

Children were also involved in the planning of the Puddle month. They were invited to make suggestions for the programme, which were incorporated into the final programme of The Puddle.

– Last year, a panel of children was invited to submit their wishes for The Puddle, and the programme was developed around those ideas. We received so many requests that some of them were used as inspiration for this year’s planning, says Asikainen.

The children have, among other things, created props for Studio Puddle, which will open in the Matilda space at the main library. Additionally, TaiKon students have created the Medusa installation, complete with its soundscape and visual elements. Our young summer workers have created artworks to delight children, while schoolchildren have contributed by making sea monsters.

– In the Puddle, there is plenty of activities open to all, where children can participate in creating the Puddle again this year, says Meiju Merisaari, Cultural Educator with the City of Vaasa.

The Child Friendly Municipality model supports the promotion of children’s culture

The City of Vaasa is investing more and more in children’s culture. The city aims to provide children and young people with artistic and cultural experiences. The city’s efforts within the Child Friendly Municipality model are also linked to its focus on children’s culture.

The Child Friendly Municipality is a tool provided by UNICEF for municipalities, aimed at helping them make the right decisions regarding children’s well-being in municipal governance and everyday services for children. Vaasa has been implementing the model since 2022, and the city aims to be officially recognised as a Child Friendly Municipality in 2025.

Participation and hobbies are a right for every child

The objectives of the Child Friendly Municipality work include ensuring that every child feels valued, has access to hobbies and is considered in decision-making. One of Vaasa’s ambitions is to promote opportunities for children and young people to engage in hobbies and enjoy meaningful leisure time.

It is also a priority for the children’s cultural network that children feel included and have the opportunity to create and experience art and culture.

– We also give a lot of thought to the well-being of families and how to enhance it through cultural activities and doing things together, says Asikainen.

The October ‘cultural deep dive’ offers a diverse programme

The Children’s Cultural Weeks kicks off with the opening ceremony on Tuesday, 1 October. During the cultural weeks, guests and participants can enjoy ‘art splashes’ and experience the thrills of the Corridor of Horrors on Ghost Night on Thursday, 31st October. In addition, exhibitions of art created by children are on display throughout the city – and much, much more.

– Our aim was to create a wonderful month-long cultural dive for children, together with the children, and we eagerly look forward to the programme getting underway, says Merisaari.

See the whole programme from the Puddle website.