When Oulu, Finland, was selected as the European Capital of Culture for 2026, the title was not only seen as a cultural milestone but also as a strategic opportunity to strengthen the city’s position as an international meeting destination.

For Oulu Convention Bureau, Oulu2026 has become a powerful platform for attracting international association congresses and connecting global professional networks with the city’s cultural and innovation ecosystem.

Several international meetings taking place in Oulu in 2026 demonstrate how a major cultural year can support the bidding and hosting of international congresses.

One example is the LUCI Cities & Lighting Summit, the annual flagship event of the LUCI Association – a global network focused on urban lighting. The summit gathers city representatives, lighting designers, companies, researchers and artists to discuss the future of urban lighting and its role in sustainable and liveable cities.

The 2026 summit in Oulu brought together over 200 participants from 26 countries, representing 33 cities and 57 organisations. The European Capital of Culture year played a key role in bringing the event to Oulu and provided an opportunity to showcase the city’s distinctive northern environment and its lighting and cultural ecosystem.

Another international association event is the IETM Plenary Meeting, one of the most important networking events in the contemporary performing arts sector. IETM connects artists, producers, festivals, venues and policymakers working across theatre, dance, circus and interdisciplinary arts.

The meeting is expected to welcome 300–350 performing arts professionals from across Europe and beyond, representing a network active in more than 60 countries. The meeting’s theme, Time for Change, resonates with the overarching theme of Oulu2026, Cultural Climate Change, while hosting the event during Finland’s midsummer period offers participants a unique northern cultural experience.

Oulu also hosts the ECSA 2026 Conference, organised by the European Citizen Science Association. As the first ECSA conference ever held in the Nordic countries, it represents an important milestone for the citizen science community.

The conference brings together researchers, practitioners, artists, community organisations and policymakers from across Europe and beyond to explore the role of citizen science in sustainability, evidence-based decision-making and community engagement.

Together, these examples show how a European Capital of Culture year can act as a catalyst for international meetings. By linking cultural programming with professional networks, Oulu2026 helps attract global congresses, foster new collaborations and strengthen Oulu’s long-term position as an internationally connected meeting destination beyond 2026.