Management Team & Leadership Model

The operational management, strategic planning, and development of Art Organisation Silence are led by a four-member Management Team. The organisation employs a collaborative leadership model that integrates management, financial oversight, and artistic expertise into a unified governance structure.

The Managing Directors are Joonas Martikainen (Productions and External Relations) and Jonna Leppänen (Finance, Administration, and HR). The Artistic Leadership is shared by clarinetist Lauri Sallinen and circus artist Karita Tikka. Representing two distinct art forms, this artistic duo defines the organisation's artistic direction, curates all festival and year-round programming, and directly embeds artistic expertise into executive decision-making.

Principles of Management Work:

• Artistic Thinking at the Core:

  The Artistic Directors ensure that intuition, visions, and innovative artistic observations remain integral to organisational structures. They define clear frameworks for artistic work and serve as companions for visiting artists.

• Regular & Integrated Governance:

  Meeting twice monthly, the Management Team jointly oversees day-to-day operations, recruitment, and strategic development in close alignment with the Board.

• Rhythm of Distributed Work:

  To complement remote operations, the team's annual timeline features dedicated in-person working sessions at the start of the spring and autumn seasons. These sessions focus on strategic planning, financial reflection, and team well-being.

Economy & Financial Structure

The operations and finances of the organisation are grounded in professional financial management, transparent practices, and a fair compensation policy that ensures standard-compliant working conditions for both artistic and administrative staff.

The organisation's core operations rely on discretionary operating grants alongside a diversified financing model that secures long-term sustainability:

• Discretionary Operating Grants: Core operations, the residency center, the festival, and year-round performance activities are supported through discretionary operating grants from the Arts Promotion Centre Finland / Arts and Culture Agency as well as the Municipality of Kittilä. Stable baseline funding is essential for sustaining long-term development work.

• Diversified Funding Streams: Beyond public operating grants, the organisation's financial structure includes earned income (ticket sales and expert service sales), private foundation grants, and Nordic and EU funding.

• Corporate Partnerships & Local Support: Long-term corporate partnerships provide both direct sponsorship and crucial in-kind support and services from local businesses, which are vital for festival and event execution.

• Strategic Project Funding: Silence actively secures targeted project funding for artistic initiatives, organisational development, regional and international networks, and local community development.

• Innovative Earning Models for Artists: The organisation leverages its expertise to pilot new financing frameworks- such as commissioning models for contemporary circus- aimed at creating direct employment and paid commissions for independent artists.

This multifaceted financial foundation allows Silence to coordinate regional and international performing arts networks while serving as a key developer for the independent art field.

Economy, Administration & Auditing

The operations and finances of Art Organisation Silence are grounded in professional digital financial management, transparent practices, and a fair compensation policy that ensures standard-compliant working conditions for both artistic and administrative staff.

The organisation's financial integrity and transparent governance are certified through regular independent auditing. The official auditor for the association is Tilintarkastus Hyvärinen Oy.

Board & Governance

Art Organisation Silence is maintained by its background association, Taiteilijayhdistys Hiljaisuus ry. The organisation's strategic oversight and governance are guided by an independent expert Board, bringing together extensive expertise from the arts, corporate management, media, and municipal sectors. To maintain sound governance and operational independence, executive staff members do not serve on the Board.

Governance practices have been systematically strengthened to match the scale and professionalism of the organisation's operations. Continuous communication between the Management Team and the Board ensures high-quality, transparent, and sustainable decision-making.

Board 2026

The association is governed by an expert Board that brings together extensive experience across contemporary art, media, corporate executive leadership, and the public sector.

• Antti Brunni, Chairperson (CEO)

• Aino Huilaja, Secretary / Board Member (Journalist & Author)

• Heini Koskinen, Board Member (Circus Artist)

• Jussi Sorjanen, Board Member (Theatre Director)

• Lauri Supponen, Board Member (Composer)

• Tuula Ylinenpää, Board Member (Entrepreneur/ Designer)

A Growing Community of Practitioners

The association's membership comprises a diverse group of Finnish and international artists, curators, and cultural professionals who have collaborated with Silence through its festival, residency programs, or year-round productions.

The expanding membership reinforces organisational transparency and aligns operations directly with the needs of the independent arts sector. By strengthening the role of its members, Silence ensures that its strategic direction genuinely reflects the perspectives of working artists while amplifying its broader sector impact.

Development of Ecological Sustainability

At Art Organisation Silence, ecological sustainability is a central guiding value in our operations. To determine the actual environmental impacts of our activities and to develop our operations to be even lower in carbon, we conducted a comprehensive carbon footprint calculation based on our activities and financial accounts from 2022-2023. The calculation primarily mapped the carbon footprint of the Silence Festival, while also incorporating the festival's proportional share - 27 percent - of the organisation's year-round shared administrative expenses. The assessment was carried out following the international GHG Protocol, thoroughly examining travel, venues and accommodation, food and catering, as well as equipment and material procurement in accordance with the COICOP classification. Excluding audience travel, the calculated carbon footprint of the Silence Festival was approximately 30,000 kgCO₂e. Travel was by far the largest source of emissions at 69 percent, influenced by the long distances of the North and international guest artists. The assessment was not merely an exercise on paper; we are directly using the results to develop our operations by committing to prioritizing overland travel, promoting public transport and carpooling, emphasizing vegetarian and local food, as well as enhancing recycling and resource-wise procurement.

Social Responsibility & Advocacy

Arts Organisation Silence actively takes responsibility for the broader development of the arts sector. We contribute to regional, national, and international progress through active participation in key working groups, strategic partnerships, and decision-making networks.

Regionally & Arctically

Rooted in the North, Silence maintains an active, ongoing dialogue with the municipality of Kittilä and Regional Council of Lapland (Lapin liitto) as well as major regional cultural institutions, including the Rovaniemi Art Museum, the Lapland Chamber Orchestra, Sámi Museum Siida, and the Särestöniemi Museum. For a decade, we have contributed to the Creative Industries Sector Cluster of the Regional Council of Lapland (Lapin liiton luovien alojen toimiala-klusteri) and played an instrumental role in developing the network for Independent Arts Operators in Lapland (Lapin itsenäiset taidetoimijat). Beyond domestic borders, we foster strong connections and active cross-border dialogue with operators across the Pan-Arctic region.

Nationally & Internationally

Silence is a co-founder of the Baltic Nordic Circus Network (BNCN) and an active member of Finland Festivals, Independent Performing Arts Finland (Esittävän taiteen vapaat yhteisöt), and the Finnish Artist Residency Network (FARN).

Expertise & Impact

Our executive directors are widely sought-after experts and advisors in cultural policy, strategic leadership, and regional development. Through these positions and long-standing network engagements, Silence bridges regional realities with broader decision-making - driving structural change, championing artist conditions, and fostering sustainable practices across the entire cultural ecosystem.