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The 35th of Oulu's 100 Acts: The children and young people's map of Oulu

The 35th of Oulu's 100 Acts: The children and young people's map of Oulu

What does Oulu look like through the eyes of children and young people? Now you can find out with the Children and Young People’s Map of Oulu. Published by Oulu Art School, the map features children's favorite places in Oulu as illustrated by children themselves. This new kind of travel guide is sure to delight both citizens of Oulu and tourists, especially families with children. It encourages you to explore the city from a new perspective and find places outside the traditional tourist spots.

The Children and Young People's Map of Oulu was published at Oulu Art School in February. The idea for the map came from the Työmaa advertising agency, which asked students at Oulu Art School to produce the contents of the map. The goal was to complement Oulu's existing travel guides with something completely new. As a result, children were given the chance to share where they like to spend their time in Oulu.

Special places and familiar tourist spots

The students at Oulu Art School took up the challenge and thought about what makes a specific place interesting and special. Is the place esthetic, pleasant, and experiential, or does it involve specific types of activities, like outdoor recreation or simply having fun? The map was centered on the city center, so children were asked to pick their favorite place near the heart of the city. The idea was to find places that children found special in addition to the traditional tourist attractions, although many drawings of these were produced as well.

Pieces on display until March 27

Students submitted over 300 pieces, out of which 55 were chosen for the map. The designers at Työmaa chose the most suitable pieces for the map and designed a layout that would let the drawings produced by children and young people shine. The map features pictures of the places chosen, their addresses and the students’ reasoning behind choosing each place. The map will be distribute by various City of Oulu offices such as libraries, Oulu10 and the Cultural Centre Valve, and it can also be ordered from Oulu Art School by calling +358 44 703 9218.

The Children and Young People’s Map of Oulu will be on display until March 27 in the Lobby Gallery of Oulu Art School, Kansankatu 54, Oulu. Mon–Thu from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For further information, please contact:

Anna Parkkonen, Oulu Art School teacher and visual line project lead, tel. +358 50 3166512
Ulla Kaislaranta, Rector of Oulu Art School tel. +358 44 703 9213

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The 100 Acts program brings Oulu Region municipalities together and gives everyone the opportunity to highlight small and large actions that take the area forward and bring joy to the population. Take a look at the 100 Actions program and enter your own project or candidate at www.oulu.com/100tekoa