First impressions
Looking back at my photos from October 2021, when I moved to Brussels, I see mundane things that, for some reason, amazed me at the time, a newspaper stand full of international newspapers, tram 81 (the old version), the broken heater in my first rental property, and the sgraffito decorations on the Art Nouveau houses. Before long, other firsts took over: the first team-building and planning day in Boondaal, the first EUNIC networking meeting (online, as was appropriate in 2021) and the first press trip to gloomy Helsinki in November.
Leading through a pandemic and cultural cuts
At the Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux, directors come and go. I started when the pandemic was in full swing, and I am leaving at a time when attacks on culture, academia and democracy are no longer just topics of discussion, they are a stark and growing reality. Cuts to cultural budgets have been on the table and implemented for all four years, and still are, all over Europe. In such times, we can and must learn from each other.
Fair pay, residencies, and cultural exchange
As I leave the network of Finnish Cultural Institutes and Brussels behind, the most valuable things I will take with me back to Finland are the best practices I have learned here: a growing focus on ensuring fair pay for artists and cultural workers in the Netherlands, high-quality, community-focused residency programmes across Belgium and increasing recognition of the social and cultural impact of the creative industry in Luxembourg, to name but a few.
One of my goals during my time here has been to increase the number of exchanges between artists and cultural professionals in Finland and the Benelux countries. Mentoring and peer-to-peer meetings are nothing new. ‘Just chatting’ face-to-face is one of the most important tools for learning from each other and fighting the idea that the arts are ‘nice to have’, but hardly essential.
Thank you to my team
Working with the team at the Institute has been the greatest joy of my career to date. I have never encountered such a dedicated, fun and compassionate group of professionals. They are always ready to help each other and are full of brilliant ideas. ‘How can I help you?’ is such a powerful phrase in the workplace. I have also been privileged to work with a large group of wonderful interns — young professionals whose strong commitment to social impact and collaborative approach to problem solving have brought valuable new perspectives to the Institute. Thank you, Malin, Ela and Eppu for being there, every day. Thank you Tiina, Hanna, Christina, Laisa, Emmi, Chloé, Sonja, Yohannes, Tega, Anni, Eero, Maija and Josse.
Not goodbye, just see you later
My camera roll will probably have a few more shots of heaters, houses and traffic-related hiccups, which are all par for the course when living in this city, constantly en déviation. “Brussels grows on you like mould” is a catchphrase that we use here at the Institute. So most likely this isn’t goodbye, just ‘see you later’…