Äkkigalleria is an artist-run, non-profit, multifaceted curatorial platform evolving in Jyväskylä since 2009. Äkkigalleria was established by Juho Jäppinen and Anna Ruth with the intention of mobilizing the visual arts into happenings and events; to offer alternative venues for sharing visual arts; to provide live, cultural and social activities for the residents of Jyväskylä; to support local art community; to activate vacant spaces; and to instigate exchange between artists and artistic disciplines. Our primary intention is to provide an "artists first" platform for a commixture of artists to show new, experimental work. We strive to promote creative risk taking, to find new and imaginative ways to bring art to different public spheres by usurping existing spaces.

Äkkigalleria began as a “nomadic space” that would appear spontaneously when appropriate locations became available. These interventions would last an average of 4-5 days, always with different artists in different locations. Over the years the definition of space has expanded to include multiple places indoors and out, as well as other concepts of space and place. Äkkigalleria now serves as a larger platform encompassing a variety of initiatives that strive to stretch the boundaries of where, how and who is brought into the community through art.
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Äkkigalleria has received the support of the City of Jyväskylä, the Finnish Cultural Foundation (SKR), the Central Finnish Arts Council (TAIKE KS) and the Kone Foundation, in the form of project grants. In 2011, the gallery won the 2011 Central Finnish Art Award (a prestigious cash prize for excellence in the arts). 2014 Äkkigalleria was the recipient of the Finnish Cultural Foundation's Award for Arts and Culture. In 2015 Äkkigalleria received the Midnordic Culture Award and in 2016 The Culture Award of the City of Jyväskylä.

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You can contact us via email: akkigalleria(at)gmail.com