Challenge & Objective

Helsinki is diversifying and growing rapidly – especially in the city districts where the cultural centres are located. On the other hand, there is also growing uncertainty and complexity, widening gaps in learning, wellbeing and inclusion and narrowing social circles, which makes us less sensitive to how people outside our “social bubble” live. As Helsinki grows, the character of different neighbourhoods as more than just living spaces becomes more important. In the future cities need places that contribute to quality of life, support social interaction and deepen people’s connection to their neighbourhoods.

What kind of place would the cultural centres be if they were reimagined for the 2030s? How can cultural centres contribute to strengthening the vitality of neighbourhoods and local identities? How can cultural centres redefine their role as urban spaces and hubs that empower people, foster encounters and social dialogue, bring people together around art and learning, and create hope and a more sustainable future? These questions served as guiding framework as we set out to create a new vision. Our goal was to establish a long-term strategic direction, enhance the customer experience and service concept, and develop new ways of delivering services.

The vision work is part of a broader strategic planning process and in the coming years it will also it will also guide the transformation of service environments within the cultural centres.

Approach

Because no one knows the neighbourhoods better than the people who live there, we invited citizens to participate in the vision process. Empathy and inclusion—gaining a deep understanding of the needs of diverse groups and partners—naturally formed the foundation of our approach. Inclusivity issues are not new to the regions, but they are in a state of flux and therefore require particularly careful consideration. Altogether, the process involved a total of up to 2 900 citizens and stakeholders.

We designed and tailored our participatory methods to meet the needs of different groups, ensuring constructive dialogue even in a polarized environment. Our diverse participation toolkit included art-based methods, digital tools, citizen encounters, school collaborations, meetings with the third and fourth sector actors and targeted events for partners. To illustrate alternative development paths and bring future possibilities to life, we used a story-telling approach, allowing different groups to engage in meaningful dialogue about desired futures for the centres.

As part of the vision work, we aimed to reinforce the role of cultural centres as dynamic platforms for collaboration and community-building. This is why partners were actively engaged throughout the process. We also placed a strong emphasis on staff participation. Thanks to the long continuity and thematic structure of the internal workshops, we were able to create ways and solutions with the staff members and different teams to bring the vision to life in the future years.

The co-creation process was highly effective, as it was directly aligned with the project’s strategic goals. It followed an iterative and learning-driven approach, allowing the vision to evolve based on emerging insights. The different phases were also strongly connected to the decision-making and the process of managing organizational change.

Outcome