Pictured: Vauriomania: Haavemaa. Viirus GUEST 2024-2025. Photo: Juuso Timonen / Vauriomania

Open call has ended.
Viirus GUEST Open call for 2027 – 2028

WE NEED MORE ART

We are interested in what we don’t yet know.

We want to do what we have not yet done.

We want to be open and curious towards art, reach towards something new through different senses and different disciplines. We don’t want to repeat the same theatre traditions, and we hope that the dust does not settle on the surface of the performing arts (unless it’s an artistic choice).

We believe in the vast potential of the performing arts, and we want to harness it: how powerful a tool can the stage be? What are the ways in which to perceive it and the ways in which to use it?

In all our activities, we are driven by the will to shake the traditions of the performing arts. We want to create surprising movement in the body, in thinking and on a structural level. 

Viirus is a stage for the performing arts and a platform for artistic reflection.

We have our own productions as well as a vast repertoire of guest performances.  We are now looking for propositions for our Viirus GUEST program for the years 2027 – 2028. We welcome all kinds of processes, all steps that cross artistic disciplines, interdisciplinary pieces and we welcome searing great art. 

In all suggestions, we focus on originality, relationship with the audience, the clarity of the idea and what kind of an imprint the piece is trying to make in the world. Your piece can be a stage work or a site-specific production, but in case the piece is not performing arts, we are interested in how the piece comments, has a dialogue with or observes the performing arts and the performance context, for example the Viirus stage.

Propose a piece that you believe in, a piece that sparks something in you. We want to hear more about a performance that you think is needed today: what kind of a relationship it has with the audience, how it accesses the world and what makes it special and meaningful. We encourage the questioning and redefinition of the prevailing norms in the arts – we also enjoy being challenged in our own thinking.

We endeavour to have all activities in our premises follow the principles of sustainability and equality. We want all personnel – artistic, production and technical staff alike – to have a good working environment that is based on these values. We value professional production planning and ethical and ecological working practices.

Let’s be honest: the funding and appreciation of art on a government level in Finland is at an all time low. We won’t be discouraged by that. We believe in art and in making art. There must be a lot of it, from different angles. We also happen to know that there is a strong international interest towards Finnish art. And that Finns are interested in international art. Keep it coming!

Viirus has a hungry, curious and open audience. We want to provide only the best for them!

Please read all the instructions before applying <3

Ahti – Kantonen – Nieminen – (& Von Bagh): [scene]. Viirus GUEST 2025. Photo: Yoshi Omori

Viirus GUEST open call 2027-2028

What is Viirus GUEST? 

Teater Viirus’ curated GUEST program offers a space for professional performances and interdisciplinary productions.

 Viirus has four stages:

• Main Stage 50% (125 m2, approximately 60 seats)
• Studio 1 (58 m2, max 30 seats)
• Galleriet (115 m2, approximately 50-80 seats)
• Amphitheatre (16 m2, outdoor stage, max 150 seats)

Pictures

Bonsai Kittens: Avaruuden Nurkka. Viirus GUEST 2025. Photo: Noora Geagea

Application Link, Deadline, and Response Time Deadline

Deadline: Monday, October 13, 2025, 23:59.
Link to the application form: https://forms.gle/oQ7RHRpBKychj9VM9

Applications will not be considered outside the application period. Please submit your application on time. We aim to respond to all open call applications within two months of the application deadline. 

Estimated timetable for the productions in this open call 

This open call is for performances that (if chosen) will go into production in the autumn of 2027, and the year 2028.

How to apply?

We want to get an idea of the performance as a whole in the application: what kind of  performance are you after, how it could look and what it could sound like, what kind of  form does it have and who is a part of making it. In the year 2024 we got 150 applications, and we were only able to welcome approximately 7 % of them. That means eight productions a year. We do welcome propositions that are still incomplete and looking for their form, but we do want to get an understanding of what kind of a performance you are going for and why it would be a fit for Viirus.

If you decide not to apply in this open call, you can get in touch later and we can discuss different alternatives. 

Should I apply? When is the next open call? Is Viirus the right place for my performance?

The next open call will be organized in September 2026. If you only have a crude sketch about what you’re making, or you haven’t found your team yet, you can ask us for help. We also offer help to clarify your idea.

You can call us in number 050 5437841 during the following time slots:

Friday the 26th of September from 12am to 3pm 

Monday the 29th from 11am to 3pm

Friday the third of October from 11am to 2pm

Wednesday the 8th of October from 11am to 1pm Keskiviikko 8.10. 11-13
If your performance idea is already clear, but you need help with other issues relating to the production, for example information about the space or schedule, you can contact us by email at mirkka.maikola@viirus.fi You are able to reach us during weekdays, 9am to 4pm.

Who Can Apply?

Anyone, regardless of language, nationality, or background, can apply for the Viirus GUEST program as long as they are professional artists, groups, or theatres. We also welcome applications from international artists, institutions, and collectives. 

Please Note 

If you have previously applied to Viirus GUEST with the same project, you cannot apply again. 

We prioritise premieres in our selections. However, if you are applying in order to do a remake of a piece, and the original production has had performances in Helsinki, please specify your target audience carefully  and the need for the remake. 

The main hall

As a stage, the main hall is more demanding in its technical equipment, and it demands more in terms of marketing from the artistic group. Our requirement for productions for the space is that they must have at least a part-time producer or a marketing person as well as a technical producer in the team. 

Application Attachments 

If you wish, you may include the following attachments: technical rider, working plan, CVs of the working group (in a single PDF file). Please do not send any other files.

Our Selection Criteria 

We prioritise diversity and equality in both the working groups and themes. We encourage professional production planning and a commitment to ethical work processes. We seek high artistic quality and uncompromising form. We encourage consideration of ecological aspects in planning and production.
on.

Marketing and Publicity 

In our view, art and its marketing are entwined. Please be prepared to invest in the marketing of your piece and think about who your audience is. Our resources in marketing are limited and we expect our visiting artists to be active as well.

Who Makes the Decisions? 

The decisions for the program are made by Teater Viirus’ executive producer/curator and artistic director in collaboration with the Viirus artistic committee. We may also consult other advisors from the industry, if needed. All applications are processed confidentially.

You can learn more about Viirus’ programming decisions and artistic policy here: https://www.viirus.fi/en/offer-your-idea-to-viirus

Contract Model 

Viirus GUEST operates on a platform model. The guest is responsible for the production of the work and the salaries of the team, and retains full artistic rights. We do not charge rent for the spaces, but we share the ticket revenues with the guest. Viirus provides a production framework for the realisation and presentation of the work.

What we’re offering

Basic technical equipment for the spaces (for example, light and sound desks). Additional technical equipment can be provided based on availability. See more: https://www.viirus.fi/en/theatre/spaces

Technical assistance and consulting for setup and teardown, as well as other assistance within the normal working hours of Viirus’ technicians.

The contract also includes technical consultation, help for set-up and tear-down, as well as other assistance during technicians working hours (daytime). 

Also included in the contract is marketing through Viirus’ own channels (social media, printed material, press releases, newsletters), as well as front of house and ticket services.

One event in audience development, for example a public discussion about the performance. The format is agreed upon together with the Viirus audience developer.

What’s Not Included in the Contract? 

We cannot provide an operator for the technical equipment of the show, computer to run the show with or licensing for software, targeted audience sales, press photos, recording, copyright fees, planning or programming. Furthermore, logistical services, scenography- and costume services and accommodation are not available.

Duration of the Visit 

We aim to avoid short, one-off visits. The minimum duration for the Main Stage is two weeks, and one week for Studio 1. Galleriet also hosts one-night events, but these are curated through the Viirus Klubb concept. See more: https://www.viirus.fi/en/offer-your-idea-to-viirus

Collaborations 

Currently, Viirus cannot participate in co-productions or other forms of partial financing.

Inquiries: Executive Producer, Curator, Mirkka Maikola, mirkka.maikola@viirus.fi

Jenni-Elina von Bagh ja työryhmä: Extramaterial. Viirus GUEST 2025. Photo: Anna Antsalo.