About ODDfest
breaking down walls
Not sure what ODDfest is? Fair.
New things can feel a little strange. You’re wondering if it’s your scene. Should you grab a ticket or sit this one out?
Let’s make it simple.
We’ll break it down piece by piece — so you can see what we’re about.
The vision. The love. The chaos. The answer to a creative industry that’s been stuck too long.
Because ODDfest isn’t just a good time — it’s a necessary one.
Stick with us. Let’s get ODD.
An ODD Festival for a New Era
Here’s the problem.
Finland’s creative sector makes up just 4% of GDP — far behind neighbors like the UK and Denmark. That’s billions in missed potential. And with €17M in recent state funding cuts, things are getting worse. Our cultural vibrancy is at risk.
ODDfest is our response.
June 6–7, 2025 — we’re taking over Lasipalatsikortteli, Helsinki to break down the walls between art, business, and society. We’re uniting companies, creatives, and cultural leaders to rethink how creativity is used — not as decoration, but as a core engine for growth, innovation, and relevance.
Our goal? To make creativity Finland’s next growth sector — and build Europe’s most forward-thinking festival in the process.
What to expect?
Two days of big ideas and bold action. Talks, workshops, and co-creation by day. At night: music, theater, dance, and wild installations across eight stages — CHAOS (main) stage, FOCUS (Bio Rex) stage, LOVE (terrace) stage, Genelec Immersive Sound stage, Helsinki Film Lab (Gilda) stage, AI (Gilda) stage, Transmedia (Gilda) stage, and La Torrefazione.
Curated by Meeri Koutaniemi, Jonas Verwijnen, Liwlig Group, and visionary collectives, our 2025 theme Chaos & Acceleration celebrates one belief:
Real progress starts with disorder.
ODDfest isn’t just a festival. It’s a live experiment in what a better creative economy could look like — and it only works if you’re part of it.
Now discover what our venue and stages have to offer.
Lasipalatsi- kortteli
The Perfect Playground for Creativity
Lasipalatsikortteli sits right in the middle of Helsinki’s city center—smack in the middle of what locals call the “cultural mile.” It’s a place people pass through every day, but not everyone knows its full story.
Originally built in the 1930s, Lasipalatsi has gone through wave after wave of reinvention. In the ’90s, it turned into a digital media hub with Yle and MTV3 Suomi studios calling it home. More recently, it underwent a major renovation and reopened as a cultural landmark that blends history with modern energy.
That’s what makes it the perfect setting for ODDfest.
It’s not just the central location or the architecture (though those help). It’s the vibe. The way it holds space for contrast—heritage and progress, structure and experimentation. Just like the festival.
There’s a massive outdoor plaza for performances and hangouts. Intimate cinemas for deep-dives and screenings. Restaurants, galleries, and side-venues tucked into every corner. Day or night, there’s always something happening, and it all feels connected.
Lasipalatsikortteli isn’t just where ODDfest happens—it’s part of the experience.
eight stages
and other ODD experiences
ODDfest unfolds across eight unique stages and places, each designed to bring the worlds of art, business, and society together. Pick your stage. Or don’t. The best moments happen when you let the chaos choose for you.
In addition to stages, we have other creative spaces, where we reimagine the festival experience. Learn more below.
Chaos 01 stage
01 CHAOS STAGE – ODDfest’s beating heart.
Outdoors. Big sound. Wide open.
This is where things stay in motion—no fixed vibe, no rules.
Artists, bands, DJs, and surprise performances collide in rapid succession. From Pink Siifu’s jazz-laced improvisations to Ilpo Väisänen’s (Pan Sonic) industrial explorations, from dance pop to spoken word to full-body performance—every hour brings a shift.
One moment it’s rap, the next it’s a Tanssin talo dancer sliding across the stage.
This is where you move, meet, and let go.
Focus 02 stage
02 FOCUS STAGE – ODDfest’s brain.
You’ll hear from people who’ve dared, failed, rebuilt, and challenged the status quo.
From anonymous Debate in the Dark sessions to Pecha Kucha battles (20 slides, 20 seconds each), this stage dives into the messy middle of creativity.
Think EIT’s Creative Failups, panels on IP rights, and raw discussions on Values vs. Visibility.
Expect film screenings like Efterklang: The Makedonium Band and guest talks that cut through the fluff—featuring art historians, entrepreneurs, and cultural agitators.
No lectures. Just real talk.
Love 03 stage
03 LOVE STAGE – ODDfest’s soul.
For those who want to feel more than just watch.
Start your day with movement and connection:
<3 Body Talk sessions led by Simo Vassinen
<3 Dancehall workout
<3 Solo kannanottos (statement pieces) from figures like Sussanna Petterson, a Finnish art historian
As the sun sets, the space shifts into a club-meets-concert.
DJs and bands blend genres and energy—like:
<3 DJ Hapan Korppu & Salad Factory’s underground sets
<3 Balkan Fever Helsinki’s with live drummers
<3 A high-voltage performance from Rony Rex
It’s music you feel in your chest, and a community vibe built on presence, play, and participation.
Genelec Immersive Sound Stage 04 stage
04 GENELEC IMMERSIVE SOUND STAGE — ODDfest’s sixth sense.
Built for deep listening and next-level audio, this stage blends conversation, experimentation, and full-body sound.
Artists like Matias Harju, Heli Hartikainen, and Tuomo & Markus don’t just perform—they reveal how sound shapes perception, emotion, and space.
You’ll hear the “why” behind the work, then feel it in immersive, spatial detail—powered by Genelec’s world-class audio system.
Helsinki Film Lab 05 stage
05 HELSINKI FILM LAB STAGE – ODDfest’s IP adapation playground.
A 3-day deep dive for film and TV professionals ready to think beyond the screen.
Led by narrative designer Kurt McClung (Ubisoft, Focus Entertainment), this intensive workshop is built for makers who want to expand their IP across formats—game, podcast, comic, and more.
You’ll shape your project’s creative signature, design a transmedia blueprint, and walk away with a strategy to build story worlds that last.
Not a lecture. A lab.
Pre-registration only. Fee applies.
📍 Kulttuurikasarmi | June 6–8
More info → helsinkifilmlab.fi
AI 06 stage
06 AI STAGE – ODDfest’s glitch in the matrix.
This is where machines dream and humans direct.
Watch films made with generative tools. Hear from artists and technologists interrogating authorship, bias, and beauty in AI-made media.
Then get your hands dirty in the MAKE x MEDIA hackathon—a 4-hour format sprint with creative source material from Finnish singer & artist Stig.
Transmedia Stage 07 stage
07 TRANSMEDIA STAGE – ODDfest’s format breaker.
For creators who cross wires—film, games, audio, and beyond.
You’ll learn how to score a narrative, pitch transmedia ideas, and build inclusive storytelling worlds.
Sessions dive into Roblox virtual ballrooms, AI film showcases, and sound as a narrative driver.
If you’re here to bend genres or build worlds—this is your zone.
La Torrefazione 08 stage
08 LA TORREFAZIONE–ODDfest’s part café, part think tank.
Join a speculative design workshop with Hi Shine & LAB University, dive into Clubbing 101 with Sophia Wekesa (yes, you’ll be moving), or help shape the future of cultural strategy in our ODD Marketing workshop.
Less noise, more nuance. A space for reflection, strategy, and sharp minds coming together.
Come for the coffee, stay for the insight.
