Art Realm is a joint initiative of three regional art museums that organizes a contemporary art biennial rotating between different cities. The next biennial, organized by Tampere Art Museum, will open on 13 June 2026.

This major overview of contemporary art features 39 works by nearly 80 artists that were selected through an open call. The exhibition includes site-specific works, media art, paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, as well as performances and participatory works. The selected works have been created by individual artists, artist pairs, and groups of up to more than 20 artists.

The theme of the biennial, TOGETHER, extends from the content and visual language of the artworks to working methods and collaboration with partners.

Art Realm challenges and expands the traditional power structures of art museums and curatorial practices. The works were selected by a multidisciplinary jury of 14 members. In addition to representatives from museums and the art field, the jury included six lay members selected through an open call.

Art Realm ’26 will take place in two exhibition venues — the TR1 building in the Finlayson Area and Haihara Art Centre — as well as in public urban spaces.

Three public artworks from the Art Realm ’26 biennial will appear in central Tampere even before the official opening of the visual arts biennial. Starting from May Day, passersby are surprised and delighted by Ilkka Virtanen’s imaginative sculpture Homo Nepenthes Mangrove, installed in Tammerlampi. The biennial’s theme, “Together,” extends into the public artworks all the way to the visitor experience, as people can encounter the pieces alongside fellow passersby. At the same time, the works also offer an opportunity to pause and take a break from the ever-present social media environment.

In the upcoming biennial, Tampere Art Museum will collaborate with partners including Finlayson Art Area, the Finlayson Area, and the City of Tampere’s Cultural Services.

The exhibition has been supported by the Finnish Heritage Agency.