Taija Helminen joins Tampere Theatre Festival’s artistic team
5.8.2022
Tampere Theatre Festival’s press release 5.8.2022
For immediate release
Tampere Theatre Festival’s board of directors has selected playwright and dramaturge Taija Helminen as the new member of the artistic team. Director and writer Hilkka-Liisa Iivanainen and actor, director and writer Tanjalotta Räikkä will continue in the artistic team. The artistic team is responsible for choosing the Main Programme of the Theatre Festival.
Taija Helminen (born in 1984) is a playwright and dramaturge who has worked diversely in various positions in the fields of theatre and multi-arts. She graduated from the Theatre Academy with a degree in dramaturgy in 2011, and in 2020 she obtained her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Helsinki. Helminen studied social and public policy as part of her studies in dramaturgy. Her works often have social and political dimensions.
Helminen was a permanent dramaturge at Lahti City Theatre in the years 2017–2018 but has worked for the most of her career as a freelancer. Helminen has dramatized and written works for the Finnish National Theatre’s Touring Stage, Radio Theatre, Riihimäki Theatre, Teatteri Avoimet Ovet and Theatre 2.0, among others.
Helminen has also been part of the group furthering New Play Finland (UNO), which aimed at developing domestic playscripts. She was also on the board of the Writers Guild of Finland in the years 2016–2020 and the convener of the community for playwrights TEKSTI in the years 2011–2015.
The Greatest Happiness Is Being Happy, written by Taija Helminen and directed by Hanna Kirjavainen, will be seen in Tampere Theatre Festival’s Main Programme this year. The play is produced by Teatteri Avoimet Ovet and Lahti City Theatre.
Press photos of the artistic team: https://www.flickr.com/photos/teatterikesa/albums/72177720301065550
Taija Helminen’s CV will be provided upon request.
More information on the selection:
Chairperson of the board of directors Reino Bragge, tel. 040 552 7271
Executive director of Tampere Theatre Festival Hanna Rosendahl, tel. 040 5944 600
Interview requests for Taija Helminen:
PR and marketing coordinator Tiina Hurskainen, tel. 040 865 5852 | tiina.hurskainen(at)teatterikesa.fi