Network

Network of Creative Social Policy

This Network consists of five civil society organizations or movements that work with realizing and liberating human creative potential in practice, and a research group of five scholars based at the University of Turku. The organizations/movements participating in the network use various creative forms, including arts and innovative therapeutic and rehabilitative methods to recognize and liberate the creative potential of individuals and communities at the local level in various regions in Finland.

The Network of Creative Social Policy was launched in August 2024 with the financial support of the University of Turku. The Network meets regularly to discuss matters related to the realization of human creative potential in the context of the Finnish economized welfare state, including the tension between oppression and emancipation that the organizations experience first hand in their everyday work.

Currently, the Network includes the following five organizations/movements: Lapinlahden Lähde, an organization and civil society movement based in the former Lapinlahti hospital premises in Helsinki, Taitein ry, a low threshold cultural centre in Helsinki, the Community of Empowering Photography, consisting of thousands of care professionals reforming the style of professional encounter, Kulttuurikeskus PiiPoo, operating in Tampere area and focusing particularly on inclusive culture services for people of all ages, and Inartes Institute, an organization located in Lapinlahti, Helsinki offering training in expressive art therapy.

Taitein ry is an organisation and cultural initiative operating in Ruskeasuo, Helsinki. Organising workshops and training programmes in various forms of arts, Taitein ry offers people the possibility to enliven themselves and their inner lives in their own creative ways and from their own starting points. The facilitated and supervised workshops of Taitein focus on acting in a more conscious manner and on strengthening the human, creative and inner force that appears thereby. Breaking conventional boundaries and categories, the approach of Taitein is unique and innovative in a context of current practices related to the arts, science, education and therapeutic and care work.

Facilitated by Miina Savolainen, Arvostavan katseen yhteisöt (Communities of Appreciative Gaze) is a network of professionals and developers in interpersonal fields that promotes appreciative dialogue and the sustainable development of safety nets in a changing society through the Empowering Photography method (Savolainen 2016). The method fosters a cultural shift in interaction within interpersonal fields and more broadly in society, enhancing permissiveness, resilience, and mentalization skills. Despite its name, the method is not based on photography but rather on the gaze. Its core idea is to view professionalism as a dialogical, attachment-based emotional relationship, which a professional can achieve only by transforming their own professional identity and way of seeing. The method is rooted in the gentle act of looking at oneself and another person. It transforms the professional’s relationship with themselves, the structures of their work, and their clients. Simultaneously, it enables client-centered encounters that are based on autonomy and self-determination, leading to more impactful results for clients while reducing the professional’s workload. In this approach, the client leads the creative process and defines the support they hope to receive from the professional.
The Empowering Photography method originated in child welfare in 1998 and has gradually expanded to all areas of interpersonal work through over twenty years of continuous professional training led by Savolainen. Arvostavan Katseen Yhteisöt (Communities of Appreciative Gaze) emerged as a counterforce to the increasing streamlining and structuring of care pathways in interpersonal work. The aim is to address resource challenges in the field by simultaneously considering the well-being of professionals and the effectiveness of client work.

Lapinlahden Lähde is a practical example and embodiment of creative social policy at the local level in Helsinki. Operating at the unique and architecturally valuable premises of the former Lapinlahti Hospital, the center facilitates the discovery of human creative potential through arts, encounters and work activities. Lapinlahden Lähde operates at the juncture of state and civil society as it seeks to channel civil society activities and initiatives into maintaining the spirit and mission of the Lapinlahti premises, which are owned by the city of Helsinki.

Inartes Institute is a Finnish organization dedicated to promoting wellbeing through expressive arts therapy and creative activities. It specializes in using art as a tool for healing and personal growth, offering workshops, therapeutic sessions, and community projects. Expressive arts therapy at Inartes combines various forms of creative expression, such as visual arts, music, dance, and drama, to help individuals explore emotions, improve mental health, and foster self-awareness. What makes Inartes Institute’s approach particularly unique is its grounding in phenomenological understanding of human experience. This approach emphasizes the subjective nature of human existence, encouraging individuals to engage deeply with their emotions and perceptions through creative processes. Rather than focusing solely on external behaviors or diagnostic labels, the phenomenological approach creates a therapeutic environment that respects each person’s unique way of being, helping them discover new perspectives on their emotions, identity, and relationships.

The organization collaborates with schools, healthcare providers, and cultural institutions to integrate art therapy into education, social services, and community wellbeing programs. By incorporating a phenomenological perspective, Inartes Institute supports holistic healing and personal growth, emphasizing the transformative power of art in understanding and reshaping one’s experience of life.

Kulttuurikeskus PiiPoo, Cultural Centre PiiPoo is dedicated to promoting creativity, inclusion, and social empowerment through art and culture. Located in Lempäälä, PiiPoo offers a wide range of workshops, performances, and events designed to engage people of all ages and abilities. The center emphasizes the importance of accessibility, working to ensure that everyone, regardless of background or personal challenges, can participate in creative activities.

PiiPoo provides training for professionals in the social welfare, health, and education sectors on how to practically implement inclusion. Through its expertise center activities, PiiPoo also coordinates and advances national projects aimed at promoting inclusion and wellbeing. The center collaborates with schools, public organizations, and communities to foster a sense of belonging and enhance well-being through cultural participation.

The Network of Creative Social Policy welcomes new members . The ambition is to align the activities of the network with the establishment of a socially and ecologically sustainable social order.

If you are interested in learning more about the Network or would like to join the Network, please contact Johannes Kananen: johannes.kananen@utu.fi.