Open office is a free and informal advice service for dance and circus artists and producers, a place to meet and work together. Open office is organized as a pop-up event once a month by Zodiak, Cirko – Center for New Circus and Dance House Helsinki.
Zodiak's, Cirko's and Dance House Helsinki's staff will be present to offer advice, sparring and discussion support on production, management, communication, internationalisation and career development. The Open office also provides space and time to work together, meet and share with colleagues.
Staff from the organizing houses will be on hand to offer advice, sparring and discussion support on production, management, communication, internationalization and career development.
The Open office can provide space, for example:
- to work on a production budget or work text
- to think together about which international organizations to approach and how
- to ask about how associations or cultural cooperatives function
- to get comments on your communications or marketing ideas
- to write emails and meet colleagues in the process
- have a cup of coffee
Autumn 2026 Open offices
The Open office will take place five times during autumn 2026. Each occasion includes one keynote and/or conversation around a specific topic.
Autumn office days, themes, and locations:
- Wed 19.8. from 13:00 to 17:00: To be a producer on the international scene, Zodiak’s office
- Thu 17.9. from 13:00 to 17:00: Grant Clinics 1 and 2, Cirko – Center for New Circus
- Tue 20.10. from 13:00 to 17:00: Domestic tour booking, Zodiak’s office
- Thu 19.11. from 13:00 to 17:00: Models of organizing one's own activities, Dance House Helsinki
- Wed 16.12. from 14:30 to 17:00. Catching up, mulled wine and gingerbread, Zodiak Stage
We will provide more detailed information regarding the content and schedule for each day closer to the event dates across our various channels. Please keep an eye on our communications.
The Open office is free of charge and aimed at artists and producers in the dance and circus sectors.
What Open office is not
Open office is not a production service for individual projects or organizations. This means that the Open office does not replace the work of the producer or production company, but can be used as a consultancy and peer support in matters related to production.
It is not a gateway to the programming of the houses and the curators of the houses are not usually present. It is therefore not worth coming to the Open office to pitch your own work, but instead, for example, to practice or get feedback on your pitch.
House rules
When in different venues, the Open office follows the Safer space guidelines of each house.
In each space, we aim to provide space for both communal and one-to-one discussions. If you prefer to work in peace and quiet, we recommend you bring your own noise-cancelling headphones.
The staff of the Open office will endeavour to allow sufficient time for personalised advice for all those who wish to do so. In order to serve everyone equally, we can provide personal advice up to a maximum of 20-minute sessions.
More info:
Elina Ruoho-Kurola, elina-ruoho-kurola@zodiak.fi
Avoin toimisto – Open office is part of Loisto, a joint project by Zodiak, Cirko, and Dance House Helsinki. Loisto serves as a catalyst for the sustainable internationalization of dance and circus. The project is supported by the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation.