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Catalysti Annual General Meeting — Wednesday May 29th 2024
Dear member,
Welcome to the Annual General Meeting of Catalysti ry!
The AGM will happen on Wednesday May 29th, 2024, at 17.30 at the premises of Globe Art Point (Malminkatu 5, 00100, Helsinki), and online.
You can confirm your participation by sending an email to or join on the day. The meeting agenda, online meeting link, and documents for the Annual General Meeting will be shared in an upcoming e-mail with those who confirm their participation.
All members have the right to vote—if you can’t make it to the meeting, you can delegate your vote(s) to another member (via an email or text).
Join Catalysti’s board for the upcoming year!
Would you like to have a significant role in the decision-making and the organisational development of Catalysti?
Now is the time to send in your application to join Catalysti’s board. The board plays a crucial role in managing the organisation and advancing its mission of supporting and promoting the work of transcultural artists in Finland.
Being on the board will enhance your managing skills and expand your networks while supporting the Catalysti community. Board members can learn and refine skills related to organising and establishing grassroots artistic initiatives in Finland. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to expand your horizons, and develop your skills in a supportive setting that fosters learning and growth.
As per Catalysti’s Bylaws, board members are voted in once a year at the Annual General
Meeting (AGM) and serve for a period of one year (May 2024-2025). The AGM votes for the chairperson, while the board nominates two individuals to fill the legal roles of vice-chairperson and treasurer at the next board meeting.
The chairperson holds a critical role in leading board meetings, setting agendas, and managing organisational needs and concerns. They also maintain relationships with other organisations and funding bodies, ensuring the smooth running of Catalysti’s operations.
Other board members have specific responsibilities as well. The vice-chairperson supports the chairperson in their duties, while the treasurer is responsible for managing financial matters and financial reporting. The secretary handles communication and documentation, ensuring that meetings are well-documented and organised.
All board members are expected to attend approximately six to seven meetings per year, each lasting around two hours. Every board member is responsible for the actions of the board and is required to sign financial documents approved by the accountant at the end of the year. These documents are necessary for the auditor’s final approval and for holding the next AGM.
The board work is currently not remunerated, but operational and other funding is being sought in autumn, to support Catalysti projects and the work of the board. If you are interested in joining Catalysti’s board, please send your CV and a short paragraph expressing your skills and interest to by May 20th, 2024.
If you have any questions about the board work, please check the board roles and tasks document. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us and we’ll do our best to clarify.
We look forward to hearing from you, and welcoming new members to the board.
Kindly,
Catalysti board
Apply for The Sidewalk art project on performance art – open call until 7 April
A new Vantaa-based performance art platform The Other Side is collaborating with the Vantaa Art Museum Artsi to create The Sidewalk, a performance art project, that engages audiences through performance art. The artworks created in the collaborative project using performance art practices will be exhibited at Gallery K in Tikkurila in October 2024.
The Sidewalk art project aims to encourage participants from Vantaa to explore and reflect on how performance art can serve as a tool for self-expression and to explore experiences and interactions in Vantaa. Participation in the project does not require previous experience in art making and performance art.
The art project consists of eight workshops during which participants will be introduced to performance art and its’s practices under the mentorship and guidance of performance artist Tomasz Szraman. In addition, performance art practices will be opened up from different perspectives by guest lecturers from the field of performance art. The project will culminate in the co-created video performances, which will be on display at Gallery K in Tikkurila in an exhibition to be held from October 11th to December 29th, 2024.
The Other Side working group includes artists and curators Aman Askarizad and Parsa Kamehkhosh. The Sidewalk art project is mentored and taught by performance artist Tomasz Szrama. In addition, performance artists Roi Vaara, Tero Nauha, Kira O’Reilly, John Court, Irma Optimisti, Anguezomo Mba (Nathalie) Bikoro and Vishnu Vardhani RAJAN will be guest lecturers at the workshops.
The collaboration and the exhibition are part of the City of Vantaa’s 50th anniversary programme. The theme of the city’s anniversary is “At home in Vantaa”.
Resources for Catalysti’s community
During Katie Lenanton and Paola Nieto’s term as Artistic Directors (2023-24), they have consistently provided valuable resources in their monthly newsletters. These aim to support members in their working and artistic lives, such as manuals, toolkits, tutorials, or readings.
The resources are now gathered and available for you:
1- Urban Apa’s Communications Manual for Performing Arts Events. This guide was born out of a need for clear communications guidelines and checklists within the performing arts field. Initiated by UrbanApa and written by Pragma Helsinki, the manual addresses both basic communication needs, as well as more in-depth accessibility features that one might come across when organising art events.
2- Taku’s Guidelines for dealing with harassment and inappropriate treatment . The guide pays particular attention to small work communities and association-based operators. It touches upon the laws in Finland that are designed to protect people from experiencing harassment in the workplace, and provides some tools and strategies for how to act in such situations as an employee, manager, or board member.
3- Artist-run residency Tuo Tuo’s Resource Library. They generously share budgets and texts from their successful grant applications to Finnish funding bodies.
4- The White Pube’s Successful Funding Application Library, and Successful Project Proposal Library. If you’re searching for examples of how to structure and pitch information, or simply for inspiration, we recommend a deep browse to this international resource.
5- From Australia: The National Association for Visual Arts’ Code of Practice. This expansive document sets out an array of equitable, ethical, and self-reflective standards to support professional contemporary artists in their working life. It covers good practice approaches to working relationships, ethical standards of access and inclusion, and payment rates for artists and arts workers. These are particularly important in the face of increasingly precarious conditions that make work and practise unsustainable for many. The Code serves as a map for ensuring a collaborative, equitable, creative, and inclusive sector for current and future participants, while doubling as an advocacy tool.
Similar work has begun in the Finnish context, and we recommend checking out these suggested rates of pay from Artists.fi (and adding a freelancer premium!) when you’re next negotiating a working relationship.
6- The work of K-oh-llective, who regularly share Open Calls for paid artist work opportunities on their Instagram. They have also compiled these comprehensive Resources for Palestine. In addition to many informative and educational Instagram accounts, they’ve made a list of suggested texts, films, and trusted organisations for donations, that would be great to share amongst family, friends, and kin.
7- Project budget template for grant applications. It is organised according to Taike’s application format, though of course you can also add and delete different categories and line items to suit the needs of your project.
8- Expenses report template, that will assist you in tracking, reporting, and visualising all expenses related to your project.
Additionally, we share a practical example utilising this template. It uses the figures from last year’s Annual Exhibition, so you can also gain insights into the actual costs of the project: Example of Expense report- Annual Exhibition 2023.
Note that the template doesn’t include fees or working grants for labour—be sure to keep track of your working hours, and estimate a fee to cover them. A project like the Annual Exhibition would be at least 2-3 months of full time organising work, which fluctuates depending on the amount of collaborators and ambition of the installation. Be sure to add in fees for documentation too!
9- Mobility Funding Guide. Members planning international collaborations that involve travel might be interested in this new guide that summarises all the available funding opportunities for artists travelling to and from Finland.
10- Opportunities in Performing Arts. Theatre Info Finland regularly sends emails with open calls and job opportunities within the performing arts field. Sign up to receive them by following this link.
11- Taide-ja kulttuurialan työpaikat, apurahat & residenssit. Facebook group (in Finnish) for job & grant opportunities.
12- The Access Toolkit for Artists. Developed by practitioners based in the UK & Ireland, but is applicable to many contexts. It “contains practical information on how to plan, produce, and exhibit accessible art projects including information on access riders, financial planning, slow production, display, and creating an accessible workplace. This information is intended to address the access barriers faced by d/Deaf, neurodivergent, chronically ill and disabled artists, audiences and artworkers, and those who experience ableism.”
13- The Easy to Read Artists’ Contract. Developed by artist and former lawyer Jack Ky Tan through a commission by FACT. It offers many learnings and a great downloadable contract template to assist you in getting on the same page as your collaborations.
14- Flowchart for Visualising Association Annual Processes & AGM preparation. It’s a common (but quite admin-heavy) way of organising in Finland, and this spells out all the key steps needed to sustain this model. While there are benefits like eligibility for particular funding, and not being personally responsible for finances and taxes, if you’re considering starting an association, it’s also worth considering alternatives like developing an auspice agreement with a registered association, instead of joining the approximately 108,000 associations currently operating in Finland.
Image credits: Támara Aalto
Thanks for taking part in the 2023 Annual Exhibition and Art Lottery Event!
Thanks to all who joined us on the 2nd of December for the 2023 Members’ Annual Exhibition and Art Lottery event at Outo Olo!
It was an incredible gathering filled with warmth, positivity, creativity, and an undeniable sense of community. The presence and support of everyone who attended meant a lot for us in Catalysti.
A big thanks to all the amazing artists who participated in the exhibition. Their enthusiastic participation and trust turned this innovative concept into a remarkable triumph.
A big shout out to Tuomo and Outo Olo for the facilities and install support, Olga Spyropoulou for the lottery hosting, Recover Laboratory for lending their screen, Impropias Collective for their curated playlist, and DJ PJ for the enlivening music set.
Watch here to relive the encounters, conversations, and the excitement of art exchange.
Participating artists:
Photos and documentation by Uzair Amjad.
[ID: a gallery window displaying the text “Members’ Annual Exhibition.” Taken from outside, the reflection on the glass captures people engaged in activities inside the gallery. ]