Artist residency
An apartment, a studio and an exhibition space in the same building on Ahlströminkatu — a working period that can end in your own exhibition at street level.
Since autumn 2026 Ahlströminkatu 22 has housed an artist residency of a kind that is rare in Finland. In most residencies the artist lives in one place and works in another — and there is no exhibition space at all. Here all three are at the same address in the centre of Varkaus: the apartment upstairs, the studio in the basement and the gallery at street level on the main street.
The building has several furnished apartments, from a penthouse to studios. You can choose the one that fits the residency: a 99 m² penthouse with three bedrooms and a fireplace, or a smaller studio for one. All have their own kitchen and bathroom and come fully furnished.
The penthouse balcony runs the full width of the apartment and faces the sunset. It opens from both the living room and a bedroom, with a view across the town centre.
On the ground floor there is a 76 m² exhibition space with large display windows on the main street. A residency can end in the artist’s own exhibition or event — or the doors can stay open for just a few days.
The gallery opened in September 2026 with an exhibition by visual artist Unski Immonen, who grew up in Varkaus. The works had been unfinished for years and were completed only for this exhibition. The mayor of Varkaus, Henri Tanskanen, visited the opening. The artist’s work has been supported by the Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) and the Toini Markkanen Foundation.
The length and price of a residency are agreed case by case, and a quote can be provided for a grant application. The residency is run by Tertunkulma Oy.