PARTICIPANT INFO
This page is for KUBU participants – artists, researchers & invited guests alike.
Shortcut: https://kubu.fi/artist
(last update: Jan 8th, 2026)
What is in this document:
• KUBU info
• Welcome to KUBU
• How to get to KUBU
• Accommodation Info
• Food and Drink Provisions
• Invoicing Info
Kulturhus Björkboda aka KUBU
KUBU is an artist-run, independent space dedicated to transdisciplinary artistic practice, environmental sustainability, and community engagement. Located on the island of Kemiönsaari, Finland, KUBU operates as a living, evolving project aimed at addressing pressing ecological and social issues through the lens of art and design, social science and humanities, science, and education.
KUBU facilities
KUBU has 700m2 of indoor area, former classrooms, converted to exhibition spaces, workshops facilities and multi-function rooms. Four exhibition spaces have specific character: one classic white-box, one dimmable high-ceiling exhibition space, lobby space with old-school character and a white chalcked, four room, mini-dungeon in the cellar. The four workshop spaces are 1) Arts-studio, with serigraphy, graphic press, bookbinding setup, 2) Makerspace with traditional woodworking tools, laser-cutter and 3D printer, 3) Digital studio with high-end render-station and DTP workstation with digital drawing pad and 4) Analog photo lab with an enlarging machine and darkroom equipment. The multi-function hall is a 100m2 / 6m hight dance/excercise hall and it’s stage with PA-audio & lights is the performance setup. These facilites are in the curators disposal for personal use and plan project us accordngly.
Welcome to KUBU!
In advance of your trip, we have prepared some guidance for how to get to the house and some support to prepare for your trip. We advise when coming to visit or work at KUBU that you prepare for staying on site. So bring what you need for work and pleasure.
Kemiönsaari is a big, rural island in Southwest Finland . While the island is connected to the mainland of Finland and close to areas of outstanding natural beauty, access to it and to supermarkets, bars, restaurants and other amenities when on the island is not possible without a car, bike and/or other modes of transport.
KUBU is a former school house. The architecture and atmosphere of the house is still very much like a school. Hundreds on the island have been educated within its walls and so close to the hearts and minds of some of our local audience. In transforming the site into a space for catering too and supporting local cultural production and creative expression, our audience are our local residents, senior citizens, families and young people.
In establishing KUBU in 2022, we have spent the last few years building up the local audience. 2025 marks the first year, to explicitly work in an international manner. Moving into this new phase, we see KUBU as an opportunity for rural retreat. Sitting outside of the dominant norms of the urban gaze, we see it as a space for testing, sharing and showing new and existing work with local and other professional communities.
We look forward to your visit! Below are some practical guidelines relating to your stay.
How to get to KUBU
Below directions are orientated towards those traveling from aboard, public transport and/or by car. Notice, the region is bilingual, with swedish speaking majority over finnish speaking, place names have the swedish version first, few important examples:
Kimitoön = Kemiönsaari (the island)
Kimito = Kemiö
Dalsbruk = Taalintehdas
KUBU’s address:
Kulturhus Björkboda
Smedskullavägen 3
FI-25860 Björkboda
info@kubu.fi
From abroad
When planning a visit to KUBU from abroad, options for travel are by air, land and ferry. From northern Europe, take a train via Copenhagen to Stockholm and day or night ferry to Turku and bus to KUBU (see https://www.sales.vikingline.com). If you fly, Turku airport is the closest (1h drive, 1h30 by bus) and small and effortless Airport. From Helsinki airport, you can look for a bus connection to Salo or Turku and follow the guide below.
By train+bus from Helsinki
Helsinki central railway station (address: Kaivokatu 1) has a train connection to Turku, but you get off in Salo. You can also take a bus from Helsinki to Salo, from Helsinki bus terminal in Kamppi (Urho Kekkosen katu 1). From Salo, you can take a bus to Björkboda or arrange a pickup with us. In Salo, the bus terminal is 200m from the train station (address: Vilhonkatu 11). KUBU has a busstop (Björkboda koulu) 200m from the front door.
Train tickets can be purchased from the stations, with app, or pay in train (more expensive), buy bus tickets online or from the bus bus.
From the Helsinki airport, we recommend a local train to Pasila (on stop before central station) and transfer to Helsinki – Turku train and get out in Salo as above.
Train tickets:
https://www.vr.fi/en
(Helsinki – Salo)
Bus tickets:
https://www.matkahuolto.fi/en
(Helsinki – Salo)
(Salo – Björkboda)
Direct summer-season connection:
Helsinki – Kasnäs (stops at KUBU)
By bus from Turku
From Turku airport or Turku harbour (satama), take the city bus (line nr.1) to the Turku bus terminal (Linja-auto asema). You can pay the city bus with the contactless credit card (or phone/watch). From the bus terminal, there is a direct connection to KUBU (Björkboda). Turku-Björkboda tickets online or from the bus.
Turku city bus
https://www.foli.fi/en
Regional bus From Turku to Björkboda:
https://www.matkahuolto.fi/en
(Turku – Björkboda)
By car / bicycle
From Helsinki, you can drive via Salo-Perniö-Kemiö or Tammisaari-Perniö-Kemiö. From Kemiö, drive/cycle 13km towards Taalintehdas on road #183. Slow down at the SEO service station and turn next left. Continue 200m. Parking is available at the front of the house. Signs for KUBU are on the road. Cyclists can take the bike via train (or bus) to Salo and cycle three different routes to the island, one with small ferry via Kokkila – Angelmniemi.
Cyclist info:
https://www.bikeland.fi/en/reitit
Island tourism info:
https://www.visitkimitoon.fi/en
Opening hours:
KUBU is open 24/7 for participants and other key-holders. The exhibition, shop & café openings vary by the season, usually just Mondays closed in Summer and Thursday-Sunday open in off-season
Accommodation
When you arrive at KUBU you will be greeted by the hosts Tuomo and Sari, and the KUBU team. Who will go through the house and show you to your rooms. The accommodation takes places in the classrooms, which may have also other use during the daytime. Toilets and showers are downstairs, not ensuite.
Pictures from the residency
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hWaZPNBZCRt7pvwc7
At peak times, when the house is full. We also provide accommodation for visiting artists, workshop facilitators, performers and guests through local hotels and B&B’s. If you do not have a car, we will drive and pick you up from your accommodation.
Food and Drink Provisions
We usually cook together for lunch and may visit nearby villages for dinner. A mini kitchen is available to use (micro, fridge, stove) which is located in the library. As this is also an exhibiting and working space, we ask you to consider the activities that might be taking place here before using it. For residents we will provide a trip to local markets as needed. During exhibition dates, the house opens at 11 and has a Pop-up Café. The offerings of the café varies but usually some soup lunch is available when we have events.
**Please note: The main KUBU Cafe kitchen is not available for general use during café hours.
KUBU Open Call (autumns)
https://kubu.fi/call/
KUBU program
https://kubu.fi/project/2026/
Elemental themes
https://earth.kubu.fi/
KUBU socials
https://www.instagram.com/kulturhus_kubu/
https://www.facebook.com/kulturhuskubu
https://www.linkedin.com/company/kulturhus-kubu
https://mastodon.social/@kulturhus_kubu
https://bsky.app/profile/kulturhus-kubu.bsky.social
Contacts:
Tuomo Tammenpää
+358 40 525 4636 (Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp)
tuomo@kubu.fi
Sari Kippilä
+358 41 806 4766 (Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp)
sari@kubu.fi
Regional map below