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Elisa Itkonen

@elisaitko

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Art Curator 🏳️‍🌈 Feminist 🏳️‍🌈 Free Palestine 🇵🇸
Director - Lead Curator @antifestival

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🖤 ANTI – Contemporary Art Festival juhli 25-vuotista historiaansa ja kokeellisen taiteen tulevaisuutta 15.–20.9.2026 Kuopiossa. Lämmin kiitos festivaalin taiteilijoille, rahoittajille, yhteistyökumppaneille, työntekijöille ja yleisöille!

Festivaalin tapahtumia järjestettiin Väinölänniemellä, kauppatorilla, Kotkankallion väestönsuojassa, Sankarihautausmaalla, rautatieasemalla, Kuopion museon aulassa ja muissa julkisissa tiloissa Kuopion keskustassa. Tavoitimme noin 5000 katsojaa, ja osallistujia festivaalille tuli ympäri Suomea sekä ulkomailta 12 eri maasta.

25-vuotisjuhlavuoden teemaohjelmiston lisäksi festivaalilla koettiin kolme kansainvälistä esitysteosta, joissa tutkittiin queer-feministisiä tulevaisuuksia ja queer-kehojen vaikutusta julkisiin tiloihin.

Nähdään seuraavalla ANTI-festivaalilla 14.–19.9.2027!

🖤

ANTI – Contemporary Art Festival celebrated its 25-year history and the future of experimental art, 15–20 September 2026 in Kuopio, Finland. A warm thank you to the festival’s artists, funders, partners, staff and audiences!

The festival events took place at the Väinölänniemi beach, the Market Square, the Kotkankallio civil defense shelter, the railway station, the lobby of the Kuopio Museum and in other public spaces in the Kuopio city centre. We reached an audience of around 5,000, and the festival’s participants came from all over Finland as well as from 12 different countries abroad.

In addition to the programme themed around the 25th anniversary celebrations, the festival featured three international performance works that explored queer-feminist futures and the impact of queer bodies on public spaces.

See you at the next ANTI Festival, 14–19 September 2027!

🖤

➡ Lue lisää / Read more: antifestival.com

🖤

Video: Kim Saarinen, Modomo Films

#antifestival #antifestival2026 #anti25 #kulttuurikuopio #kuopio by @elisaitko

Hi, it’s still me.

Still a child but a parent too.

Still fragile but always a rebel.

Still shy but full of (queer) pride.

Still such a fuss but with a growing amount of balance.

Still in-between of things but on my side.

Still unlucky with love but being loved by many - such as by myself.

On 1st of September 2026, on my 40th birthday.

Photos by @hanna_rast . by @elisaitko

@antifestival - 25 years of international contemporary arts in Kuopio, Finland 🖤 ANTI – Contemporary Art Festival 15.-20.9.2026

Main Programme:

Onur Tayranoǧlu (TR): Queer Autonomous Zone (Kuopio) @onurtayranoglu
Keioui Keijaun Thomas (US): Come Hell or High Femmes: The Dolls Rise @keioui
Julischka Stengele (AT): Offering Space @studio.stengele
Kira O’Reilly (IE): Untitled Performance Lecture (a gift, redux) @untitledbodies
Tuomas Laitinen (FI): Life is temporary
Tomi Leppänen (FI): (empty space) @tom1leppanen
Sara Grotenfelt, Lotta Hildén & Tuisku Ojanperä (FI): Kids’ Station
Katja Hänninen & Laura Jänicke (FI): stoneless
Festival Club: Elsi Sloan (FI) @l.c_c.l

Partner Programme:

Dance Theatre Tsuumi & Sonja Jokiniemi (FI): Kyynelpaikka workshop @tanssiteatteritsuumi @sonjajoki
Tekstin talo (FI): Learning Lab for Text Workers
Kuopio Art Weeks (FI) @tekstintalo
ILME (FI), Adam Kinner & Christopher Willes (CA): MANUAL (in Oulu) @kulttuuriosuuskuntailme @adamkinner___ @christopherwilles

🖤

“From the very beginning, participating in the ANTI Festival has been an experience that revolutionises one’s thinking and understanding of the arts and the world. The anniversary programme explores alternative ways of seeing and presenting, and highlights perspectives on the festival’s history, the present, and the future.

In addition to the anniversary year, the programming has been driven by the festival’s ongoing desire to make space for marginalised practices and to envision queer feminist futures in collaboration with artists. Three key, site-specific performance works at the festival all deconstruct, in their own ways, the illusions and assumptions of melancholy associated with queer lives, and build spaces for recovery, social transformation and hope”,

Lead Curator Elisa Itkonen writes in her curatorial notes. @elisaitko

🖤

Graphic design: @tom1leppanen

@kuopionkaupunki @hellokuopio #antifestival #anti25 #antifestivaali #kuopio #kulttuurikuopio #Kuopio #capitaloflakeland by @elisaitko

Can’t stop going back to the @antifestival week! Here are 10 more beautiful moments and my favourite shots (well, some of them) taken by Akseli Muraja/ @murajavisual !

Thank you again, you all,

🧡🍂 Elisa

1. Chiara Bersani (IT): Left Behind

2. Anna Mustonen (FI): Lilluminen

3. Teo Ala-Ruona (FI): Etiological Hydro Disruption Report (audio play)

4. SJ Norman: Bone Library (AU)

5. AARG // A-A-R-Group (FI): The History of Alternative Futures

6. Suominen, Kirvesniemi, Lång & Räsänen (FI): On-Time Performance

7. Andy Field, Beckie Darlington (UK) and the Children of Kuopio: The Museum of Small and Overlooked Things

8. Sonia Hughes (UK): I am from Reykjavik

9. Harold Offeh (UK): Body, Landscape, Memory

10. Tea Andreoletti (IT) & Konepaja Community Members: A Piece of Space: 106 Hours Assembly

#antifestival #antifestival2025 #kulttuurikuopio #Kuopio #Kuopio250 by @elisaitko

Posted @withregram • @antifestival ❤️ Kiitos kaikille vuoden 2025 ANTI-festivaalista! Thank you all for ANTI Festival 2025! ❤️

📍 Tavoitimme noin 9000 katsojaa, kun mukaan lasketaan julkisten tilojen ohjelmisto.

📍Tapahtumia järjestettiin muun muassa Kuopion kulttuurikonepajalla, Itä-Suomen yliopistolla, Väinölänniemellä, Neulamäessä, torilla ja kaupungin kaduilla. Kävijöitä festivaalille tuli ympäri Suomea ja ulkomailta 10 eri maasta.

❤️Lämmin kiitos festivaalin taiteilijoille, rahoittajille, yhteistyökumppaneille, työntekijöille ja yleisöille sekä kaikille muille ANTI-festivaaliin eri rooleissa osallistuneille! Nähdään syyskuussa 2026!

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📍The festival events reached some 9000 audience members in Kuopio, when the works located in public spaces are also included in.

📍Events were organised, for example, at the Culture Workshop Konepaja, the University of Eastern Finland, Väinölänniemi, Neulamäki, the market square and city streets. Participants of the festival came from all over Finland and from 10 different countries.

❤️Many thanks to the festival artists, supporters, partners, employees and the audiences – everyone who participated in the ANTI Festival 2025 in different roles! See you in September 2026!

🔴

Kuvat / photos by Akseli Muraja/ @murajavisual:

1. Tea Andreoletti (IT) & Konepaja Community Members: A Piece of Space: 106 Hours Assembly

2. Chiara Bersani (IT): Left Behind

3. Harold Offeh (UK): Body, Landscape, Memory

4. SJ Norman: Bone Library

5. Sonia Hughes (UK): I am from Reykjavik

6. Andy Field, Beckie Darlington (UK) and the Children of Kuopio: The Museum of Small and Overlooked Things

7. Anna Mustonen (FI): Lilluminen

8. Suominen, Kirvesniemi, Lång & Räsänen (FI): On-Time Performance

9. Festival Club

10. Moe Mustafa (JO/PS/FI): Fragmented Geography

@hellokuopio @kuopionkaupunki @futuredivercities @saastamoinenfoundation

#antifestival #antifestival2025 #kulttuurikuopio #Kuopio #Kuopio250 #CapitalOfLakeland by @elisaitko

The Kuopio Team for @antifestival 2025

These amazing professionals are currently working hard to pull together all the details for the ANTI Festival 2025.

It’s a privilege to work in a feminist community where everyone works not only to produce a remarkable festival experience and a safer space to our audiences, artists and partners, but also to enable a caring and encouraging working space to each other.

Hooray to us (from the left to the right, pic 1):

Communications Coordinator Katja Papinniemi
Director and Lead Curator Elisa Itkonen
Producer Sohvi Roivainen
Production Manager Suvi Koivisto

🩷🩷🩷🩷

Another exciting fact about this year’s team: this festival edition has several curators. I’ve been working in a close dialogue with Season Butler to programme and curate the full picture. In addition, Riikka Thitz is curating three artworks for the programme.

Together, we’ll open the ANTI Festival in 3 weeks!!! The festival dates are 9-14 September 2025. Welcome to join us!

Warm wishes, Elisa 🩷

Photos by @akselimurajaphotovideo

@skuppo
@katjapapinniemi
@sohvir
@season_butler
@rii__tz by @elisaitko

My person number 1. 🩶🩶

Being a single parent and working internationally in arts is not exactly the easiest combination. There’s a constant feeling of inadequacy - I should be more present at home but then again I should be working more out there. I’m often tired and overwhelmed (just like we all, working in arts, are for various reasons).

But then there are moments - like today after working with gentle and sharp-minded colleagues - when I feel that the industry is slowly changing.

Moments when me and the kid squeeze each other, we dance together.

Photos by @jennihietaphotographer by @elisaitko

10 x 💜

Posted @withregram • @antifestival Today we’re celebrating Elisa’s 10th work anniversary; 3 out of 10 she’s been working as our Director - Lead Curator!

Elisa started her career as a producer and curator of contemporary performance and festivals in Helsinki, and moved to Kuopio to work as the ANTI Festival Manager, starting on 25th March 2015.

As the ANTI Manager Elisa was responsible for the festival’s production and communications; she also curated and designed projects. In April 2022, she was appointed as the Managing Director and Lead Curator.

“ANTI Festival has allowed me to grow enormously as an art professional. ANTI is not only a work place but also a home that is located both in Kuopio and far beyond. It’s been a privilege to work with hundreds of artists, producers and other art makers as well as with non-artistic partners. Thank you to every single one of you! A special thank you to Johanna Tuukkanen, the co-founder and the long-term Director of ANTI Festival, for giving me the opportunity and for that you kept believing in me.”

One photo for each of the 10 years!

1 Elisa Itkonen, ANTI Festival 2017.
2 All The Queens Men (AU): Fun Run Flashmob 2015.
3 Gregg Whelan & Elisa Itkonen, Winter ANTI Festival 2016.
4 Elisa Itkonen, ANTI Festival 2018.
5 Elisa Itkonen, ANTI Festival 2019.
6 Elisa Itkonen, Suvi Koivisto & Johanna Tuukkanen 2020/2021.
7 Elisa Itkonen, ANTI Festival 2021.
8 Sanna Ritvanen, Elisa Itkonen, Alli Mattila & Suvi Koivisto 2022.
9 Sirén, Pendolin & Valkonen (FI): Plant Based Stories II 2023.
10 Elisa Itkonen & Emma Fält, ANTI Festival 2024.

Photos 1-7 by Pekka Mäkinen @makinenpekka ; photos 8-10 by Akseli Muraja @akselimurajaphotovideo .

#antifestival #antiisagift by @elisaitko

Yesterday, in my capacity as the Director and Lead Curator of @antifestival , I participated in the Independence Day reception at the Presidential Palace of Finland. Thank you again for the invitation that values the long-term, impactful work made by ANTI Festival @kuopionkaupunki , as well as nationally and internationally.

My look was designed by @sinisaavala . We bought no new materials for the overall look. 🌍 The top is made of waste pieces of lace and the velvet trousers Sini made years ago for her BA degree work.

Outfit & magic: @sinisaavala
Hair & make-up: @chola.fi / Sumi Moreno
Necklaces: borrowed from my grandma & mum & bought a necklace from @crafts4gaza 🇵🇸
Handbag: borrowed from @chora.store

Thank you to everyone who participated in making such a memorable day for me!

#linnanjuhlat #itsenäisyyspäivä2024 #antifestival #kuopio by @elisaitko

The autumn has arrived to Kuopio, the highlights of our work @antifestival are behind. I cover myself up with this beautiful blanket that was made in the village of Huacalera in Jujuy, Argentina, by the hands of Florinda Calapeña, an indigenous woman from the community of Tiziano Cruz. Thank you for this precious gift.

Time to rest.

My heart is full of gratitude, warmth, hope, sorrow and joy after everything that we shared last week at the festival. I learnt so much during the past year and the past week.

Thank you thank you thank you to the festival artists for gently pushing us away from our regular tracks, sharing knowledge - for the art that connected us all in this remote small city in Finland.

@tizianocruzok @luiovane @emejotage @cecikus #rodrigoherrera

@ebsil.85

@brownton.abbey @ebony_rose_dark @hyena.realness @pehmeeog

@maijahirvanen @tatunnonen @lindon.shimizu

@armstrongtactic

@puskame

@emmavilina @_robertofusco @antimanciand

@miraeskelinen @kosmo.frank #mirandakastemaa

@aaltoarted

@nina.hyzhna @yarynashumska_art @nataliiamazur @l_e_u_t_a @_nicekid @anastasiia.lisovska @satelliteorbus @ma4yrura @florianska_l @jamfactory.artcenter

@kpoforpalestine @crafts4gaza @nemat.battah @ziadaburish @moe_xxa @youniskhalill

@taikegram #marjarautaharju @maija.karhunen @arvindrchn @ipiapia

#katrinaduka @zbxte @keithyjakuuspu @liisasaaremael

Thank you to the best ANTI team @skuppo @season_butler @katjapapinniemi @sannabananna @silvanmilja @esayablessaya @fatimahasan0203 @safiirisofia @konstajpv @marikkijaatinen @meriminttumaarit @henna_aminoff #manumerilainen @modomofilms @akselimurajaphotovideo

Thank you to the supporters and partners. Thank you to all the thousands of audience members who showed up and experienced it with us! by @elisaitko

Gracias Finlandia! 🇫🇮 gracias @antifestival por recibir mi espectáculo “Wayqeycuna”, gracias a @elisaitko y a todo su equipo por cuidarnos! Gracias al público por acompañarnos en las funciones y en la creación de panes.

Gracias a mi equipo que siempre acompaña
📍 @cecikus @rosa.studio.art @kuska.projects
📍 @luiovane en la asistencia artística
📍 @pollo.ache en asistencia y operación de luces
📍 @emejotage en sonido, visuales y coordinación técnica.

📷1: @pollo.ache
📷 2: @emejotage
📷 y 📹 (3, 4,5,6): photo Akseli Muruja / Video: Kim Saarinen- Cortesía de Anti Festival 2024- Kuopio - Finlandia by @elisaitko

💚 Autumn is coming, the cuts are coming but let us spend a magical week together in Kuopio! 💚

The @antifestival 2024 programme examines the various ways we come together and keep in touch with each other and the perspectives of belonging and outsiderness.

As organisers of an art event, we spend a lot of time reflecting on the complex questions related to taking and giving space. As a festival, we take space to give it to voices that are underrepresented in Kuopio. The festival artists have created spaces that provide, for example, a place of dreaming, discussion, dancing furiously - and rest.

Newcomer, welcome to try this out! Old friend, I hope we can open a new window for you too!

Graphic design: @tom1leppanen

#antifestival #antifestival2024 #kuopio by @elisaitko