Festival of new art
Silence Festival
For 2026 festival, Kaukonen village will be overflowing with a multifaceted range of performances. Festival events will be spread throughout different parts of the village on both sides of the Ounasjoki river.
It's Winter, the Sky is Blue. 2024 @JouniPorsanger
Silence Festival Presents New Art in the Village of Kaukonen
Focusing on contemporary music and circus arts, the Silence Festival (Hiljaisuus-festivaali) will take place from June 4th to 7th in the village of Kaukonen, Kittilä. This year, the village will host a large circus tent, and an art exhibition—organized in collaboration with the Rovaniemi Art Museum—will open in Kaukonen’s old dairy for the duration of the festival. The program includes the world premieres of two commissioned works, as well as a new, sketch-like piece created during the festival week.
The Silence Festival invites artists to work at the intersections of different art forms and to create new works that can be presented to the audience while still fresh. In the village of Kaukonen, artists work in close proximity to the local community and their daily lives. The environment encourages creativity and provides a supportive setting for artistic work.
The festival is organized by the Kittilä-based Art Organization Silence (Taideorganisaatio Hiljaisuus).
The 16th edition of multi-disciplinary Silence Festival is held in the village of Kaukonen, Kittilä from 4th to 7th June 2026.
The festival programme, organised by the Art Organisation Silence, brings together the creators and creations of contemporary circus and classical music.
More than 20 performances and activities will take place in the Kaukonen village spawning by the Ounasjoki river. Many works combine spatial design with music and circus. Experiencing artistic spontaneity in characterful spaces is what makes Silence Festival unique.
Getting to the festival is easy, whether by a combination of train and bus, flying or driving. It is about 1 km from the bus stop to Kaukonen Community House, where there is a ticket office, a café, bar and INFO. Almost all venues are within walking distance of each other.
Accommodation is possible at the camping or in a shared accomodation iat the Kaukonen School. See more about hotels in the area here.
Services in the village include a restaurant, a café and a bar. We accept card payments.
The Silence Festival has been held since 2010. Over the past 16 years, more than 600 Finnish and international artists from various fields have worked in the village of Kaukonen.
The collaboration between circus and music has resulted in several different works, which the festival audience will see on stage for the first time. The village’s characterful spaces, in which the pieces have been conceived or adapted, also take a leading role in the performances.
Unique festival athmosphere
Contemporary classical music and contemporary circus combined with the unusual surroundings form the essence of Silence Festival. The river Ounasjoki running through the village creates a special atmosphere and most years it also has a role in the festival program.
The festival was born from an idea by circus artist Sakari Männistö and producer Joonas Martikainen to fill the Kaukonen village with high-level performing arts. The Silence Festival has been multidisciplinary since the beginning. It brings the most interesting performances and artists from Finland and abroad to Lapland. The festival is a platform for surprising encounters to people, Northern nature and different art forms.
On your arrival to Kaukonen, the community hall we will help you with everything you need. See you there!