University of Kucku Biennial 2026 is an international contemporary art biennial taking place in Lovisa. The two-year art and learning project University of Kucku – Faculty of Art, Sustainability, Rest and Whatever culminates in the festival. The project is organised by the local cultural organisations Art in Lov and Loviisa Contemporary and is grounded in the theme of sustainability in its broadest sense, encompassing ecological, political and socio-ecological perspectives.
During 2025–2026, local, national and international artists are invited to participate in residency programmes, collaborate with one another, and develop artistic works and socially engaged projects that explore questions related to art and sustainability. The project functions as a collective learning process in which everyone is welcome to participate as “students” and to accumulate experiences and “credits” through activities and engagement.
The biennial, held in September 2026, marks the high point of the project and will transform Loviisa into a platform for contemporary art. Works will be presented in traditional exhibition venues as well as in unexpected public spaces throughout the city. The biennial offers audiences the opportunity to encounter and experience art that responds to contemporary questions of sustainability and society, and serves as a culmination of the collaborations and processes developed over the course of the project.
Feel free to bring a piece of clothing, a notebook, or anything else to collect University of Kucku stamps! Each project has its own stamp—by collecting them, you document your participation in the University of Kucku. The stamps are washable, so if you collect them on a piece of clothing, you’ll build your own University of Kucku uniform!
Accessibility
We strive to organise the programme in accessible venues whenever possible. Accessibility information will be included when the festival programme is published.
University of Kucku follows safer space principles
Everyone should be able to participate in peace and feel heard. We treat one another with kindness and respect, and we listen to each other. We recognize the diversity of people and aim to avoid acting on our own assumptions or biases. Discrimination and harassment of any kind are not accepted.
If you experience or witness inappropriate behavior, please speak with the event facilitator. You can also provide feedback afterward via email: art@kucku.fi
