The SCUBA project officially launched with a two-day kick-off meeting in Oulu, bringing together partners from Northern Finland, Norway and Sweden to begin a new phase of cross-border cooperation in the Aurora region. SCUBA stands for Sport, Culture and Business in the Arctic. Running from August 2026 to June 2029, the project aims to strengthen regional attractiveness by creating a joint ecosystem for sports, culture and business events while increasing collaboration between municipalities, SMEs, associations, youth and women across borders.
The partners in the project are: BusinessOulu in Finland, ProTromsø and KUPA in Norway, as well as Bodens Kommun with Boden Event and Boden Business Park in Sweden. Associated partners from Kiruna and Haparanda also contribute to the initiative. Together, the partners share a common goal of developing innovative event concepts, supporting local businesses and creating more opportunities for young people and women to engage in sports and cultural activities throughout the Arctic region.
Partners gather in Oulu to launch the project
The two-day kick-off focused on shaping the activities that will drive SCUBA over the next three years. Partners explored how to build a stronger cross-border sports and culture ecosystem in the Aurora region, discussed ways to engage local associations, SMEs and communities, and began developing concepts for future pilot activities. Particular attention was given to creating opportunities for young people and women to take active roles in sports, culture and entrepreneurship, while strengthening cooperation between partner regions through shared events, knowledge exchange and networking. The discussions also identified potential pilot arenas, ranging from major cultural and sporting events to youth workshops and business networking activities, which will be further developed throughout the project.
” At its core, SCUBA is about empowering people across borders. By bringing together expertise, fresh perspectives, and a shared sense of purpose from the worlds of sport, culture, and business, it creates meaningful connections, drives innovation, and generates lasting value for communities in all three regions.”
- Anne Ryynänen, EU Lead partner project manager for SCUBA
Visit at Aalto Siilo and the “I am the City” exhibition in the Culture Centre Valve.
In addition to the packed days of working sessions, participants had the opportunity to get a taste of what Oulu, the European Capital of Culture 2026, has to offer. The programme included visits to TaikaBox’s artlab, ITU, and Cultural Centre Valve for a sneak peak of ‘I am the City’ exhibition. There was also a possibility to explore the architectural landscape with a visit to the Provenance Projected Symposium at Aalto Siilo, where attendees joined a guided tour of the industrial landmark by Alvar and Aino Aalto, with Factum Foundation developing the future use cases for the iconic space. The kick-off concluded with networking opportunities and informal discussions over shared meals, helping to further mould future collaborations.
The next activity in SCUBA will take place at the European Youth Capital of 2026, Tromsø, at the end of October 2026. Fitting to the theme, it is a youth workshop with the title: “Strengthening Youth Participation in Sports Events”.
The kick-off marked the beginning of a long-term collaboration that will connect communities across the Aurora region through sports, culture and business while creating new opportunities for cross-border cooperation and participation.
SCUBA is a project aimed to strengthen cross-border cooperation on sports, culture and business in the Aurora region, co-funded by the EU program Interreg Aurora.
Contact:
Anne Ryynänen
Project Manager for SCUBA
anne.r.ryynanen@businessoulu.com
Maja Terning
Specialist in SCUBA
maja.terning@businessoulu.com
