Tea Mäkipää is producing a mobile art work for CAA, an updated version of Noah's Arch that could be described as a miniature natural history museum or a lifeboat for animals. The work will sail from harbour to harbour, from the city of Turku to the surrounding archipelago, during the Summer 2011.

Cool down with culture in July

The European Capital of Culture programme in July is strongly influenced by water and the archipelago. While the breathtaking Turku archipelago will be turned into a stage for concerts and contemporary art, the River Aura will provide a fine venue for various cultural events.

Cirque Dracula variety performances, featuring a group of international top performers of Cirque du Soleil fame, will continue throughout July. The group includes artists such as American performers acrobat Ebon Grayman and fakir Betty Bloomerz and French musician-composer Corinne Kuzma.

The artistic SaunaLab saunas received a warm welcome from day one, and they will continue to turn up the heat throughout the summer. The saunas, located in the city centre area and in Ruissalo, are available for private booking or as public sauna sessions.

Brilliance of the Lights Concert Series in July

In July, music enthusiasts will be in for a rare treat as the Grammy Award-winning Vanguard Jazz Orchestra from New York makes a guest appearance at Logomo. This professional orchestra, 18 musicians strong, will perform traditional big band music that draws from high-quality arrangements and top-notch performances.

In addition to the Logomo concert, the beautiful Dalsbruk factory will set the stage for an interesting night where classical music meets jazz. The concert will feature the most beloved opera arias performed by soloists Mari Palo, Essi Luttinen, Petri Bäckström and Riku Pelo, backed by the Vivo Symphony Orchestra conducted by Esa Heikkilä. The Opera Big Band, conducted by Antti Sarpila, will perform the same arias as jazz and swing versions.

Other Lights Concert Series events in July include the Jukka Perko Trio’s Chapel Concert Tour to the Finnish Archipelago, chamber music on Seili Island, the world premiere of Jouni Hirvelä’s chamber music work in Kökar Church and the world premiere of Poul Ruders' commissioned composition in the Sound of the Island Concert staged on Isokari lighthouse island.

Contemporary art in novel surroundings

Contemporary art will become an integral part of the landscape in the Contemporary Art Archipelago exhibition, which spreads throughout the Turku archipelago. The most extensive Capital of Culture exhibition on contemporary art will comprise 20 new artworks and events that discuss the state and future of the archipelago and the sea. Participating artists include both local talents and international artists. Before taking the actual exhibition tour, audiences can read up on the fascinating themes and stories behind the artworks at the project website.

Flux Aura 2011 international environmental art event will offer artistic experiences along the River Aura. The works will be thematically linked to flowing water, the city and the life and nature that border the river. Audiences will be able to, for example, spot a giant daisy outside the Suomen Joutsen sailing ship and a group of giant eider ducks swimming in the River Aura.

Artworks in the Curated Exhibition to the Baltic Sea project include an exploration of underwater soundscapes with the Sonic Soundscape Terrace located in Ruissalo waterfront. The Turku Botanical Garden will present the Green Matters artwork, which studies the applications of green algae.

Dive into colours with Colourscape

Colourscape will make its first appearance in the Nordic countries as it arrives to Turku’s Kupittaa Park in late July. The gigantic labyrinth comprising one hundred colourful spheres will allow audiences to explore colour-saturated chambers and listen to music performances. The multicolour atmosphere is produced by the Eye Music Trust group (UK), which specialises in creating various audiovisual experiences. Colourscape’s visit to Finland will open and conclude with the Music of the Spheres performance on the River Aura, where giant spheres floating on the river will engulf the performers.

Peak months for audience volumes

Record-breaking numbers of visitors are expected to visit Turku during July–August. In addition to domestic tourists, the number of international visitors is expected to heavily increase.

During January–June, a total of 403,000 visitors have participated in Capital of Culture events. Of these numbers, Logomo Exhibition Centre visits amount to 93,000 people and Logomo performances and concerts to 44,000. The total numbers do not include visitors to all open public events, and they are expected to rise significantly when all numbers are available at the end of the year. In addition to these numbers, 2011 Corner – the Capital of Culture information and ticket office – has attracted some 72,000 visitors during the last six months.