Association For Culture on Equal Terms 10 years!
Association For Culture on Equal Terms was founded exactly 10 years ago 12.12.2012 to run Culture for All Service. The founding members were Finnish Museums Association, Finland Festivals ry, The Finnish Reading Center, Finnish Library Association, The Association of Finnish Theatres, Association of Finnish Symphony Orchestras and The Finnish Theatre Centre.
The official founding meeting was held in Ateneum Art Museum, Lindström hall and there were several people present: Tommi Saarikivi representing The Association of Finnish Theatres, Maaria Kuukorento representing The Finnish Theatre Centre, Anu Laitila representing The Finnish Reading Center, Aila Sauramo, representing Association of Finnish Symphony Orchestras, Kai Amberla representing Finland Festivals and Kristiina Kontiainen representing Finnish Library Association. Also the employees of Culture for All Service Rita Paqvalén, Aura Linnapuomi, Sari Salovaara, Ahmed Al-Nawas and Outi Salonlahti. The first chairperson of the association was president Tarja Halonen.
Culture for All existed already from 2003, so we wanted to choose quite similar name for the association. First name suggestion was Kulttuuria kaikille tuki ry (Culture for All support association). However, this name could not be registered, and finally we chose Association For Culture on Equal Terms.
In 2003–2013 Culture for All was part of Finnish National Gallery, in Community relations and development Kehys unit. The Culture for All Service started as developer of the accessibility in the museum field. During the first ten years, our working field extended to all fields of art and culture. Therefore, it was better to be an independent actor than under a museum. Our administration was transferred to the new association in 2013 and in the same year our office moved from Ateneum to the Cable Factory. We are here still today!
Thanks for all our members and cooperation partners for the 10-year path of the association – now we have already 25 member associations from art and culture field!
The photos are from the meeting on 12.12.2012 and the first meeting of the board on 17.1.2013.
Photos: The archive of Culture for All and Pirjo Aalto
