Find the research report in Finnish here.

The findings are from a study funded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation and conducted by E2 Research, examining the role of cultural institutions in the integration of immigrants. The study draws on interviews with first-generation immigrants and cultural service providers in Helsinki, Vantaa, Tampere, Oulu and Kuopio, as well as a nationwide survey of immigrants.

Immigrants learn about Finnish culture through cultural services

Cultural services introduce immigrants to Finnish customs and culture. Of the immigrants surveyed, 72 per cent said they had learned about Finland and Finnish culture by attending various cultural events and using cultural services. A total of 57 per cent said that participation had helped them learn Finnish or Swedish.

“Integration is often thought to take place primarily through work and education, but the research findings show that cultural services also play an important role. They strengthen inclusion and participation in everyday life and support immigrants’ sense of belonging to Finnish society,” says Ville Pitkänen, Research Manager at E2 Research.

Libraries, cinemas and concerts are the most familiar cultural services for immigrants

The study asked immigrants which cultural services they had used in Finland. The most commonly mentioned were libraries (75%), cinemas (72%), concerts and musical performances (71%), festivals and other public events (69%), and museums and art exhibitions (69%).

Length of residence in Finland and language skills influence the results. A large proportion of those who have lived in Finland for a long time and speak Finnish well have visited or used all of the cultural events and services listed above. Among those who have lived in Finland for a shorter period, the proportion is clearly lower. Barriers to participation include a lack of information, the cost of services and language barriers.

There is room to strengthen the role of cultural services in immigrant integration

Cultural services have many opportunities to support the integration of immigrants. However, the findings suggest that their potential has not been fully utilised. Cultural service providers are more willing to reach immigrants and increase their use of services than they have resources available to do so. As one service provider interviewed for the study puts it: “This is a really topical issue. And I would say that cultural institutions are way behind on this.” (Cultural service provider, Helsinki)

According to their own assessment, cultural service providers reach immigrants relatively poorly, despite having several tailored approaches and practices in place.

Cultural services make places more attractive and enjoyable to live in

Nearly 90 per cent of the immigrants surveyed believe that cultural events make their place of residence more pleasant and attractive. Seventy per cent feel that attending cultural events has strengthened their sense of belonging with other people living in the same area.

The immigrant population is growing in many Finnish cities. Developing cultural services for new audiences can strengthen the competitiveness of these services and contribute to the vitality of local communities.

“The findings of the report show how essential cooperation between different sectors is. Cultural services play a key role in building a sustainable life across Finland,” says Susanna Pettersson, CEO of the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

Cultural service providers are calling for greater cooperation between businesses, municipalities, integration services, organisations and immigrant communities. Cross-sectoral events, for example, can generate a range of benefits. They can support working life by bringing international professionals and companies together, provide information about available services and strengthen immigrants’ attachment to their local communities.

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Research data

The research data was collected in April–May 2026. The interview data consists of individual interviews with cultural service providers (N=23) and first-generation immigrants (N=25) in five cities: Helsinki, Vantaa, Tampere, Oulu and Kuopio. The interviewees representing cultural service providers included museums, theatres, an opera, libraries, cultural centres and organisations producing various city events.

The survey data targeting immigrants was collected in April–May 2026 through Norstat’s online panel and a Webropol survey. The Webropol data was combined with the online panel data. Both surveys were available in Finnish and English. The final combined dataset contains responses from 591 first-generation immigrants.

The launch event for Does Culture Integrate? A Study on the Significance of Cultural Services for Immigrants will take place on Tuesday, 18 August, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at Helsinki Central Library Oodi and via online stream (in Finnish). More information and registration here.