The sixth edition of Drifts Festival, Unknown Territories: Oceans, explored the ocean as a fluid space of connection and circulation, where bodies, materials, histories, and ecologies continuously transform through relation. It examined how oceans shape cultural imaginaries while critically engaging with histories of trade, extraction, and industrialisation and their lasting impacts on marine ecologies. Across coastlines and the deep sea, memories of migration, struggle and survival intertwined with myth, ritual, sonic and oral traditions, revealing the entangled worlds of human and more-than-human life.
The programme featured 42 local and transnational practitioners presenting audiovisual and live performances, film screenings, talks, and an exhibition.
Unknown Territories is a three-year artistic initiative that embarks on spiritual and geographical journeys across forests in 2025, oceans in 2026, and archipelagos in 2027.
Participants
Mikko Niemistö, Miia Autio, Lau Rämö, Tomoko Sauvage, Laure Prouvost, Anna Pehrsson, Perila, Anna Torkkel, An Yuri, Nastja Säde Rönkkö, Invisible Flock, Emilija Škarnulytė, TAL & Murrettumeri, Alif Hilal (fka Lyra Pramuk), Maija Hirvanen & Tatu Nenonen, Minnae-Kaisa Kallinen, Maria Ångerman, Grand River, Sonia Levy, Risto-Pekka Blom, Henriikka Himma & Kaisa Karvinen, Evita Manji, K’u’um Collective, Louis Henderson, Saban Ramadani, Ana Vaz, Hezen, KMRU, Milka Luhtaniemi, Sini Silver, Alba Ala-Pietilä, Elena Sulin & f rizzo, Maria Matinmikko & Jari Koho, Marja Ahti and Väinö Karjalainen
Partners
From 2025 to 2027, Drifts Festival is presented in collaboration with the Saastamoinen Foundation. In 2026, the festival was realised together with partners including Kulttuurisauna, Nordic Culture Point, Finnish Institute UK & Ireland, Goethe-Institut Finnland, Finnish Institute Germany, AV-ARKKI, UpNode, and N.E.R.D.S., with support from the Finnish Cultural Foundation, City of Helsinki, Oskar Öflund Foundation, Nordic Culture Fund, and 1664.
Team
Artistic Director | Soko Hwang
Communication Manager | Aala Nyman
Production Coordinator | Mikael Palmu, Laura Jurmu
Producer | Emmi Surwillo
Lighting Manager | Mikko Kaukonen
Lighting Technician | Erno Seppälä, Kosti Kinnunen, Kristian Palmu
Sound Manager | Antti Kainulainen
Sound Technician | Ilja Myllyluoma
Stage Producer | Dmytro Bondariev, Ville Karlsson
Graphic Design | Soko Hwang
Web Programmer | Tõnu Kaggovere
Production Volunteers
Aleksi Häivälä, Aliisa Hakkarainen, Amelia Jones, Anastasiia Zaitseva, Dana Iamaleeva, Elina Satova, Henna Tahvanainen, Ida Giardini, Jade Nguyen, Jisu Seo, Katja Hänninen, Kukka Siipo, Marga Herrmans, Nanna Tervonen, Oleksandra Pysarenko, Paju Hämäläinen, Rebekka Yallop, Róza Turunen, Ruslan Mihti, Venla Parkkila, Yuliia Ivanytska
