2026 Open Call: Programme Proposals on the Theme Freedom
We live in a time when people’s rights and freedoms are being restricted across the world. Freedom means having the ability to make choices and act independently, as individuals and as societies, to express ourselves and to take part in shaping our communities. Freedom thrives in civil society, in the free press, in science, art and culture.
The 2026 World Village Festival theme is Freedom. We invite NGO’s, civic actors, educational institutions, cultural creators and performers to propose programme content for the festival that explores this theme. We’re especially looking for bold, inspiring and impactful ideas that encourage audiences to take action for a fairer world, including:
- Discussions and talks
- Workshops
- Films
- Cultural performances and artistic acts
What are we offering and hoping for?
- Producing programme offers a unique opportunity to highlight your organisation’s perspectives and messages, and to strengthen your visibility and impact at Finland’s largest event focusing on global issues.
- The festival provides the necessary technical equipment and stage setup for implementing your session.
- Producers of talk programmes receive mentoring support to develop their session, as well as a multi-camera recording of the performance, which can be published online or used later in other ways.
- Programme producers gain visibility through festival communications related to their session.
- The producer is responsible for the content of the programme, its participants, script, any interpretation, and all communication materials (texts, images and related copyrights).
- The producer is generally responsible for performer-related costs such as performance fees, travel, accommodation and honoraria. In some cases, the festival may contribute to these costs by separate agreement.
Talks and Discussions Programme
The call for talks and discussions programme for the 2026 festival has closed. However, you can inquire about additional opportunities through Fee-Based Programme Slots. See below for more details. In the open call we were looking for programme proposals from NGOs that:
- Address the Freedom theme in a perceptive and expert way
- Bring forward new voices and stories
- Celebrate diversity and plurality
- Make use of visual elements and are clear and concise in format, approximately 25 minutes in length
The talks and discussion programme will take place on the Speakers Stage at Bio Rex.
- The call was open until Sunday 7 December.
- Applicants will be informed of the selections by Friday 19 December.
- An information session for the selected producers will be held in January 2026.
- Final programme details must be submitted by Tuesday 24 February, including the programme title and description, speaker information, and photos of both the programme and the speakers.
Production Fee
- Other civil society actors: €600
- Fingo member organisations: €350
Workshop Production
Workshops are an essential element of the festival, bringing people together through shared and creative experiences. They offer visitors an opportunity to participate, experiment, and discover together. A workshop can be hands-on, discussion-based, creative, calming, or designed for families. Workshops are encouraged to promote civic participation and dialogue, whether through advocacy skills, collective learning, or creative expression.
Workshops
- Duration: up to 60 minutes
- The workshop organiser is responsible for: content, facilitation, necessary materials, and any staff fees or travel costs
- Number of participants: up to 30 people
- Venue: Luckan, address Yrjönkatu 27, near the Lasipalatsi district
- Languages: Finnish, Swedish, English, or other – multilingualism and accessibility are considered an advantage
- Production fee: €350 (Fingo members) / €600 (other civil society actors)
- The festival provides the venue, basic furniture, and visibility as part of the official programme
Evaluation criteria
- Connection to and relevance of the Freedom theme
- Interactivity and sense of community
- Accessibility and safety
- Realistic implementation
- Diversity in content and creators
The workshop call was open until 11 January 2026.
Selections will be made by 11 February, and presentation materials (texts and photos) must be ready by 13 March 2026.
Cultural Programme
World Village Festival invites artists, performers and cultural creators to co-create bold, inspiring and thought-provoking content for the 2026 spring festival!
How do you explore freedom through art?
What do you want to encourage, challenge or inspire your audience to think about?
Submit your proposal and join the community that believes art can change the world.
We are looking for proposals that:
- Approach the Freedom theme in new and engaging ways
- Bring forward new voices and perspectives
- Take a stand and spark discussion
- Offer a sustainable and hopeful vision of the future
Proposals may include:
- Installations
- Films
- Performances
- Children’s programmes
- Musical acts
- Popup-style area performances and street art
- Other creative cultural content
The Cultural Programme call was open until 11 January 2026.
Selections will be made by 11 February, and presentation materials (texts and photos) must be ready by 13 March 2026.
Opportunity to Make Use of Fee-Based Programme Slots
Would you like to ensure your programme content is included in World Village Festival?
You can reserve a programme slot through a fee-based programme partnership, guaranteeing your organisation’s visibility in the festival programme. Applying for a fee-based programme slot means that your organisation will not take part in the regular open call for programme submissions. Please note that all fee-based programme partnership contents must also align with World Village Festival’s theme and values.
Pluralistic discussion arena that is free from discrimination and harassment
World Village Festival is a discrimination-free space committed to promoting equality, justice and non-discrimination. Everyone is welcome just as they are – discrimination or harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. Read more on our discrimination-free festival page.
The festival provides an arena for open dialogue and cooperation on global issues, highlighting diverse perspectives and voices.
The organiser of World Village Festival, Fingo, has updated its programme policy as follows:
- We will invite performers to our events with a view to maximising diversity, including in particular:
- People representing a variety of backgrounds – such as ethnicity, cultural background, gender, age, etc.
- People representing a variety of societal and political views.
- In terms of political representativeness, we pay attention to our events also including participants from political parties that have typically not been oriented towards our topics.
- All those appearing in festival programme are required to commit themselves to Fingo’s Safer Space Guidelines.
- We will not invite as a speaker anyone who to our knowledge has been sentenced under Finnish law for agitation against a population group or for a hate crime.
- As regards persons whose criminal proceedings are still underway, we will assess the situation specifically for each case, taking account of the nature of the matter and the information available.
- As regards sentences imposed a very long time ago, we will pay particular attention to how the person has demonstrated change and commitment to promoting equality and responsibility.
- Fingo must not be associated with unlawful activity, but we may, on a case-by-case basis, invite to our events persons who have used unlawful actions to seek goals that are in line with Fingo’s values.
- We will not invite as a speaker anyone who is or has been a Member of Parliament and has been dismissed from an established parliamentary group due to their conduct (not due to political differences of opinion).
Programme producers must check the backgrounds of those appearing in their programme.
More information about programme cooperation
World Village Festival is Finland’s largest sustainable development event attracting about 25 – 30 000 festivalgoers. The talks and discussions programme had an on-site audience of around 4,500 and an online audience of 3,000 people last year 2025.
Audiences want to improve their understanding of global issues and are interested in the work of various actors and the impacts of their work. Half of those attending World Village Festival responded in our visitor survey that the event provided them with information that has influenced their own activities. The festival’s values are diversity, inspiration, equality, responsibility and communality.
Check out the contact details for Programme Manager and Programme Producer for more information.
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