Highlights of the University of Oulu’s 2026 culture programme in May
After Work events
An open Brown Bag seminar will be held at Restaurant Tuba on Thursday, 21st of May at 6pm. At the seminar, you’ll have the opportunity to hear and discuss about research and artistic work at the intersection of science and art.
After Work event will take place on Wednesday, 27th of May from 5pm to 7pm at the Science Garden. The Student Theatre of Oulu will perform an improvised comedy titled “Sytyttääkö hääsykkyrät??”, and the evening will conclude with the Professor Band which cuts loose with an energetic, springtime rock set with their assembly called Shellfish Graveyard.
Culture to brighten your day
At the first culture lunch of May, University of Oulu Chamber Orchestra invites you to enjoy music alongside lunch on Wednesday, 6th of May from 11:30 to 12:00 at Restaurant Medisiina on the Kontinkangas campus.
Members of the Student Theatre of Oulu will delight lunch guests at Restaurant Kerttu on the Linnanmaa campus by reading fairy tales and stories. This culture lunch will take place on Wednesday, 13th of May between 11:30 and 12:00.
Other events
Elina Seppä's intaglio exhibition called Tarinoita - Stories is on display in the University of Oulu’s space for alternating exhibitions on the Linnanmaa campus throughout May. The exhibition is open between 4.-29.5.2026 and it can be freely visited during the campus opening hours.
The history-themed lecture series The Women of Oulu continues in May as usual every Tuesday at 18:00 at the Central Library Saari. This public lecture series is based on a book of the same name in which the authors examine influential women from Oulu and their significance in the city’s history. Please note that these lectures are held only in Finnish.
The long-running Oulu-based popular culture and literature festival Kummacon will return on May 16–17, 2026, and this time it will be held at the University of Oulu’s Linnanmaa campus. The 2026 event theme is Dark Academia, and the weekend program includes, among other things, LGBTQ+ literature, cosplay, Western and Japanese comics, science fiction, games, music, and dance.
From June 9 to 11, the University of Oulu will host the Xplorer 2026 conference, which combines everyday life, art and science to raise awareness of the necessity of sustainable development, circular economy and sustainable mining.
The above-mentioned events are part of the University of Oulu’s 2026 culture programme, which will continue after the summer break in August with many more cultural experiences. Be sure to explore the wider Oulu2026 program as well!