AREFS taide ja kulttuuri ry
AREFS art and culture association



  • Savon Radan ryhmä organizes activities along the historical Savo line






REPORT 2013

 The board of AREFS taide ja kulttuuri ry in 2013
Matti Karttunen - chairman
Jukka Tikka - vice chairman
Juhani Palonen - secretary
Lucien den Arend - vice-secretary
Marja de Jong - treasurer

During 2013 AREFS was operating at the old railway station of Hiirola.

Activities and programs


a. TÄMÄ ON MINUN TAKAPIHANI - THIS IS MY BACKYARD


An art education program with children and parents at the schools of Haukivuori, Hiirola and Rämälä.

children visiting exhibition Animas in Mikkeli art museum

children visiting exhibition ANIMALS in art museum Mikkeli

In spring 2013 AREFS has been awarded by Etelä-Savon Kulttuurirahasto with a grant of 8000 EURO for the art project TÄMÄ ON MINUN TAKAPIHANI - THIS IS MY BACKYARD. In May we started with some introduction workshops at three schools in rural Savo. A series of workshop with parents and children has taken place during summer holidays.

In September new series of 4 workshops each were planned and at the end of the year 8 series were successful finished.
Special workshops with children and parents have been organized in autumn.
The exhibition ANIMALS in Mikkeli Art Museum fits very well in the program plan and in November it was possible to have the first visit with 2 groups 0/1/2, with children in the age of 6-8 years.

art activities with parents and chldren

In 2014 new series are planned and also activities with adults and children together. Other groups will visit the exhibition ANIMALS too and experimental art activities are part of the schedule.

After this project ends all the material will be registered and documented in a publication. AREFS is applying for funding to be able to realize this publication.

b. exhibition THIS IS OUR NATURE

After the exhibitions in the library of Mikkeli and Haukivuori it was possible to install during February 2013 an exhibition in the lobby of the municipal house in Kangasniemi.

c. TransCultural Exchange conference Boston

artist-in-residence conference in Boston USA

artist-in-residence conference TransCultural Exchange in Boston

Board member Marja de Jong was invited to give a presentation at the artist-in-residence conference of TransCultural Exchange in Boston MA USA. This conference was very fruitful as it was possible to introduce the ideas about the new AREFS' AiR program THE NEXT STATION and the collaboration with Art & Technology art program in Sweden. THE NEXT STATION will be developed in the old railway station in Hiirola. There has been a presentation and different discussions with interested artists and international AiR colleagues about the content of the program.

d. THE NEXT STATION artist-in-residence program

artist-in-residence program THE NEXT STATION

first activities in the AiR program THE NEXT STATION

After closing the artist-in-residence program in Haukivuori it is the intention to create new facilities for artists at the old railway station in Hiirola. As there is not so much space in the building we look for possibilities to set up different cabins in the yard around the station.
It is the planning to invite during spring and summer one or more artists at the same time to start with temporary accommodation. These 'studios' can be constructed with the available material and/or in one of the other buildings.
All facilities will be temporary and basic, but as a continuous process they will develop it during the years.
Finally the artists are designing and building the residence content and accommodation.
AREFS has applied for funding at the Arts Council of Finland.

e. ART & TECHNOLOGY - a new collaboration program

Art and Technology AiR cooperation with Sweden

Art and Technology AiR cooperation with Sweden

The municipality of Olofström in Sweden has initiated an international art program to develop new jobs in their city. AREFS is invited to join this program and to explore their region on the development of new on job creating businesses. AREFS will search for possibilities in the field of art and art and creativity related business. Jussi Palonen will contact the tourist branch for cooperation.

f. excursion Helsinki 


This year AREFS was planning an excursion to an exhibition in Ateneum Museum, unfortunately to less people were subscribing and the trip is cancelled.

g. planning atelier route in 2014

It is the intention of AREFS to develop an art and atelier route in Mikkeli. The first route will taken place in summer 2014. Lucien den Arend is contact person and collecting the information of the artists.

h. open doors

open doors and railway activities

open doors and railway activities

This year the railway station of Hiirola has been part of the annual railway event at the first Saturday in October. On that day an old train drives between Haukivuori and Ottava and stops in Hiirola too. This year it was possible to combine this event with open doors in the station and through public information over 30 persons from Hiirola were attending the event.
Next year the Savo track will celebrate its 125st anniversary and different stations will be involved in its celebration.

i. new computer

In 2013 AREFS has purchased a laptop to work more flexible and to store, archive, document and edit the material needed for the (art) activities.

j. other activities

christmas fair in Hauki Halli Haukivuori

christmas fair in Haukihalli in Haukivuori

On the last Saturday f November AREFS participated in the Christmas fair in the Haukihalli in Haukivuori. This annual event is a meeting place for hundreds of citizens of Haukivuori. AREFS informs about their activities, program and people can contribute to these activities by buying books and other stuff and by the lottery.

k. planning publication THIS IS MY BACKYARD

AREFS has applied and will apply in 2014 for funding to publish a publication about the running art and art education program TÄMÄ ON MINUN TAKAPIHANI - THIS IS MY BACKYARD. Already different persons have agreed to contribute to this new document of rural living.

l. promotion

promotion material in 2013

promotion material during 2013

During 2013 the following promotion has been printed:
1. brochure art activities TÄMÄ ON MINUN TAKAPIHANI - THIS IS MY BACKYARD
2. flyer THE NEXT STATION
3. business card
4. banner large and banner small THIS IS OUR NATURE
5. memberships cards 2013 and 2014
6. brochure AREFS
m. meetings

During 2013 the board has had a meeting 3 times.

n. financial review:

A financial report about 2013 will be ready in spring 2014.

During 2013, about 70 copies of the book THIS OUR NATURE are sold.

TÄMÄ ON MINUN TAKAPIHANI - THIS IS MY BACKYARD is awarded with a grant of 8000€ by Etelä-Savon Kulttuurirahasto.
An application to Koneen Säätiö is not granted.
At the end of 2013 3 applications are still running.

In 2013 45 persons are member of AREFS.
134 persons are following AREFS on Facebook

During 2013 the board has had 3 times a meeting.

Financial support:
THIS IS OUR NATURE has got a grant of 8000€ by Etelä-Savon Kulttuurirahasto.

PLANNING 2014

Related to the goals of AREFS taide ja kulttuuri ry and its activities in the past we are developing a various program in the field of art, art education, cultural heritage and rural development. It is our intention to involve local communities in participating in the program parts.

In 2014 AREFS is planning the following activities:

1. Continuation of the art education program THIS IS MY BACKYARD (started in spring 2013)
2. Developing and starting the artist-in-residence program THE NEXT STATION
3. Celebration of 125 years SAVO-railway together with other railway stations along the SAVO-line
4. Participating in the international exchange program ART & TECHNOLOGY (Olofström-Sweden)
5. Village exchange program LASTEN MAASEUTU between rural region in Russia and Finland
6. Editing the publication THIS IS MY BACKYARD in cooperation with different authors
7. Participating in the InSEA world congress in Melbourne Australia with lectures and presentations
8. Organizing flee markets with local products and handicraft in the yard of Hiirola station in summer
9. Art activities with children during the year
10. Those activities which are fitting in the vision of AREFS

AREFS is applying for grants at different locations to be able to finance the planned activities.

 

©2009 AREFS taide ja kulttuuri ry, Finland. All rights reserved.
No reproduction by any means or in any language without prior permission of the author.