Open call: Submit a program proposal for ABOAGORA 2026
ABOAGORA is an international art and science event that takes place annually at the Sibelius Museum in Turku. In 2024–2030, ABOAGORA will realise a thematic entity titled The Planets, which draws its inspiration from Gustav Holst‘s orchestral suite of the same name. The annual themes are based on the seven movements of the suite, providing inspiration and a thematic starting point for each year’s events:
- 2024: Mars, the Bringer of War
- 2025: Venus, the Bringer of Peace
- 2026: Mercury, the Winged Messenger
- 2027: Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity
- 2028: Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age
- 2029: Uranus, the Magician
- 2030: Neptune, the Mystic
Next in the series we have Mercury, the Winged Messenger, and now is the time to apply to be a part of the program!
The primary language of the main event, organized on 23–25 September, is English; therefore, please submit your proposal in English as well. However, you can also suggest Avant Aboagora -events, which takes place throughout the year and can also be in Finnish or Swedish. ABOAGORA’s Curatorial Committee will be in touch directly to all proposals in February 2026.
The sessions in ABOAGORA approach the annually changing themes both literally and metaphorically through various scholarly and artistic viewpoints. Mercury, the Winged Messenger, examines, among other things, winged words and metaphors in science, art and society, as well as their effects on communication and societal discussion. The effects of climate change on the animal world, such as the migration routes of birds, are also discussed.
The program can include panel discussions, lectures, performances, excursions, concerts, workshops, and various combinations of these, and we are open to many kinds of proposals. In curating the program, we emphasise the variety of different artistic and scholarly viewpoints, as well as each session’s connection to the theme and the overall balance and diversity of the program.
ABOAGORA may offer performers travel and accommodation for performance days, as mutually agreed, as well as a small performance fee. Please note that we are unable to finance the work of the working group.
Read more about The Planets-theme here.
For inspiration, you can get to know this years’ program here.
With any questions, please contact us at: aboagora@utu.fi
We’re looking forward to your proposals!
ABOAGORA is a meeting place for researchers and artists, an enabler of cooperation and a space for new creation. The project’s annual activities include an international three-day main event organized at the Sibelius Museum in Turku, a research retreat and open Avant Aboagora pre-events. The project launched in Turku’s capital of culture year 2011 is now a pioneer in the field of science and art cooperation. The event is based on the ethos that comprehensive problem solving requires not only interdisciplinary approach but also combining scientific and artistic perspectives. The organisers of ABOAGORA are the University of Turku, Åbo Akademi, Turku Academy of Arts, Åbo Akademi Foundation and Turku University Foundation. In 2026 ABOAGORA is supported by the Kone Foundation and the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation.