Oulu Underground ry: Home for Independent Culture

Oulu Underground ry is a non-profit organization founded in 2025. Our mission is to foster grassroots culture in the Oulu region, Northern Finland. While rooted in the local electronic music scene, we stand with independent creators.

We solve challenges together, share peer support, and develop best practices. We create safer spaces, encourage understanding, and champion free self-expression – strengthening the well-being of our community.

We build trust between independent communities, the City of Oulu, and the authorities. We work long-term to make room for a vibrant and diverse creative culture, and we invite all who share this responsibility to join.

Our actions

• Advocacy: We engage in direct dialogue to secure shared spaces where artistic expression thrives. Receiving national media attention (Helsingin Sanomat, Kaleva), our Alternative Capital of Culture 2026 (AKPK) campaign brings the DIY spirit to the wider public.
• Mutual Care: Our community is built on safer experiences. We are putting our field-tested model of mutual care and connection into practice, where social and healthcare professionals and peer experts care for all attendees with a warm, approachable touch. We strengthen local readiness through sharing know-how and publicly funded training.
• Peer Support: We are stronger as one. We bring together makers, artists, and activists through regular networking meetings. In these events, we share experiences between newcomers and veterans alike, overcoming challenges together across boundaries.
• Digital Autonomy: We maintain an open-source IT infrastructure to provide our members with secure communication and collaboration tools, such as emails, web hosting, and project management. Alongside shared calendar solutions for the alternative scene, we prioritize data protection to ensure participant privacy.

Our values

We follow humane and inclusive values which have been approved at our annual meeting. Values 2026:

Community: We create meaning by building bridges across communities.
Equality: We celebrate diversity and treat one another with respect.
Accessibility: We identify, spread awareness of, and break down barriers to participation.
Mutual Care: We commit to safer space principles and take care of each other.
Autonomy: We do it ourselves and create together – reshaping culture.

Interested?

Want to support independent culture, make an impact, and join forces? As a member (€20 / year), you get to take part in our activities, use our digital @oulu.ug services, and become part of our growing community.

Apply as a member: Holvi / Oulu UG

Board 2026

Chairperson: Iikka Järvenpää <iikka.jarvenpaa@oulu.ug>
Vice Chairperson: Juuso Raitala <bailukeisari@oulu.ug>
Community Care: Saija Mikkonen <saipamikkonen@gmail.com>
Members & Networks: Teemu Ruuska <teemujalmari@oulu.ug>
CTO (Technology): Antti Väätäinen <antti.vaatainen@oulu.ug>
Deputy Member: Katja Rahkola <katja.e@oulu.ug>