VSA arts of Finland

TAIKA KYNNYS ry Siltasaarenkatu 4, 5. floor 00530 Helsinki, Finland	Ms. Kalle Konkkola Ms. Tarja Jarvinen
Tel: 358-9-6850-1132 Fax: 358-9-6850-1199	tarja.jarvinen@kynnys.fi http://www.kynnys.fi

Organizational Snapshot:

In 1994, representatives from various disability, cultural, and arts institutions formed TAIKA. The name TAIKA, meaning magic, is a derivative of the Finnish words "tiade" and "kaikille," and translates into "arts for all." TAIKA coordinates visual arts exhibitions in their gallery and, in collaboration with the Finnish National Gallery and the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, has organized numerous conferences and symposia addressing the inclusion of people with disabilities. Additionally, TAIKA coordinates an international film festival, KynnysKINO, every two years at the prestigious Atheneum Museum in Helsinki. KynnysKINO was created expressly to provide a forum for new perspectives on disability as it relates to art. In April of 2001 the KynnysKINO festival presented films featuring the theme of passion as a powerful force, while in the 2003 festival, the focus was on the family as home, with films such as "My Home is my Castle."