Kolibrí Festivaali 2024 has concluded, and as always, it’s time to review the results, listen to feedback from our audiences, artists, volunteers, and everyone involved, and analyze how to move forward and where to improve.
This year, the program was created from proposals by 37 cultural workers selected through our annual Open Call. Among the participating artists and creatives were musicians, designers, illustrators, writers, storytellers, researchers, and cultural animators from 15 nationalities.
The Chilean illustrator Javiera Mac-lean was the creator of the official image of Kolibrí Festivaali 2024, and the Portuguese company O Som do Algodão, specialized in small ages, was the Guest Company.
Kolibrí featured 43 different activities over the 6 days of the festival. Despite having 3 fewer days than the previous edition, we have renewed our audiences and reached more communities!
We were especially excited to celebrate our first Grand Opening at STOA Cultural Center, thanks to the collaboration with the KOTO project team, led by Ahmed Al-Nawas. This inauguration, where we enjoyed the INDABA performance, allowed us to bring Kolibrí to Itäkeskus (Helsinki).
In total, the number of attendees at the activities was 2644 people!:
- 24.9. Opening – Centro Cultural STOA (Helsinki): 175 attendees.
- 14.9. Family Day – Sello Library (Espoo): 950 attendees. Compared to last year, the first Family Day attracted 534 more people.
- 21.9. Family Day – Lastenkulttuurikeskus Pessi (Vantaa): 525 attendees.
- 26.9. O Som do Algodão encounter with Assitej: 10 attendees.
- 28.9. Family Day – Vuotalo and Vuosaari Librari (Helsinki): 942 attendees. The last Family Day saw up to 618 more people participating in all activities.
- 30.9. Poemario – O som do Algodão professional training at Lastenkulttuurikeskus Pessi (Vantaa): 12 attendees.
- 30.9. Uusi suomalaisuus nyt! Mailmaan Kuvalehti Debate + INDABA performance: 30 attendees.
We also can’t forget the traditional Children’s Book Fair in Spanish and Portuguese, held at Lastenkulttuurikeskus Pessi and Vuotalo. Many families came to get new and second-hand children’s books.
This 13th edition introduced a new space called the Eating Corner, where families can eat together and recharge to enjoy the entire Family Day with full energy, bringing their own food or lunchboxes.
This has been a new incorporation to Kolibrí accessibility spaces like our traditional Serenity Corner, and elements like the maps or publishing the program in 5 languages.
Thank you to all the people, associations, and sponsors who made Kolibrí Festivaali 2024 possible!
Special mention to our amazing volunteers. This year, the volunteers’ team had 51 people, who helped translate texts, communicate the festival, take pictures, design, collect feedback and help artists and all the families attending the festival. Kolibrí couldn’t be possible without them.
The return of O Som do Algodão
The Portuguese company O Som do Algodão returned to Kolibrí for the second time, five years after their first visit in 2019. As 2024 Guest Company, Mariana Santos and Dulce Moreira made us laugh, sing, and get emotional with their play What Stories Does the Moon Tell, with 2 performances at Vuotalo.
Although many of the nearly 100 people who saw their play did not speak Portuguese, both adults and children laughed, sang, and had fun in an entertaining and exciting show that encouraged audience participation from the beginning.
“Sometimes as adults we go to shows and we don’t understand anything. It’s okay if children don’t understand, but especially at young ages, babies are like sponges. They absorb these inputs and it has a huge impact on them. Our shows are artistic experiences for the family.”
Mariana Santos
Once again, it was demonstrated that Kolibrí, like many of the multilingual activities we celebrate at our association Kulttuurikeskus Ninho throughout the year, can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of language.
During the networking meeting organized in collaboration with Assitej-Finland, we were fortunate to learn about the company’s creative process, as well as reflect on children’s theater and how to reach children and their families.
With Poemario training for professionals, participants played with rhythms, songs, improvised words, poems, and movement. It was an interesting workshop where the two Portuguese artists showed how they play with words, something very present in their works, and how to create scenic environments and songs or poems to engage the audience.
What does the audience think of Kolibrí 2024?
This year we enjoyed art workshops, dance, music, and movement workshops, muskari, INDABA performance, and the Jaranas del Norte concert, the Touch Wood ry playful experience, and of course our traditional multilingual storytelling sessions.
Here are some reactions from the audience at this Kolibrí Festivaali 2024, answering the question “What did you like the most?”:
- The playfulness
- The music and the interaction of the people
- The event was very entertaining and interesting.
- The general atmosphere, the tolerance for differences
- The atmosphere and the joy of happiness with the play – joining together with the family. Thank you so much!
- Quality of music
- People’s friendliness
- The good vibes!
- The variety of activities and the positive and friendly environment.
- Sharing the moment with my children.
- I love the idea of a world without frontiers and equality for all
- The multiculturalism of the event.
- Meeting people.
- The possibility of exploring many areas like art and music and expressing ourselves in a friendly and welcoming environment.
- Lots of programs, friendly atmosphere
- The opportunity to take part in a multicultural event organized by a multicultural community.
- Lots of great activities, wonderful Portuguese theater (even though we didn’t understand Portuguese) and an amazing final concert, absolutely loved it
- The atmosphere was great. I am a Spanish speaker and I loved meeting a lot of Spanish speakers there.
If you haven’t given your feedback yet, now is the time! Fill out the form and help improve Kolibrí.
We loved everything. We’ve been participating since the beginning and every time it gets better and better! Thank you for your great work!
Propose the central theme for Kolibrí 2025!
Kolibrí turns 10 years old in 2025! Because we want the whole community to be part of it, send your ideas! What do you think the central theme should be? Fill out the form by October 26th!
What do artists think of Kolibrí 2024?
Participants highlighted the warm, inclusive, and multicultural atmosphere of Kolibrí Festivaali. They appreciated the artistic freedom and support provided by the well-organized, welcoming team, particularly the enthusiasm of Laura Gazzotti (our Artistic Director and Producer) and the rest of the staff. They mentioned the clear instructions for the event and the help provided by volunteers.
“It is a warm, welcoming, creative, diverse, fun community and the work you all do to make it happen is amazing. Thank you and congratulations for yet another wonderful Kolibri!”
Laura Hytti (Coordinator – Belingual – Familia Ry)
Looking forward to the 10th anniversary!
Kolibrí will celebrate ten years in 2025! Our beloved festival has become a must-attend event in the cultural agenda of Espoo, Vantaa, and Helsinki, but we want more cities to enjoy diverse and multicultural children’s culture, free and of high quality.
Stay tuned for news, and if you are an artist, remember that in January-February 2025 we will open our Open Call to create the program for what will undoubtedly be a unique festival.