Rethinking Music Heritage conference
The conference addresses the various forms of music heritage and is the closing event of the research project “Diversity of Music Heritage in Finland.”
About the conference
The University of the Arts Helsinki is pleased to announce an international conference on the various forms of music heritage. The conference is the closing event of the research project “Diversity of Music Heritage in Finland”, funded by Kone Foundation in 2023–25. The conference is co-organised by the History Forum and the Seinäjoki Unit of the University of the Arts Helsinki.
Heritage has become an increasingly prominent focus across cultural policy, tourism and academic studies. In the realm of music, numerous heritage sites exist worldwide, alongside UNESCO’s designated Cities of Music. Music also plays a key role in international and national lists of intangible cultural heritage.
In music scholarship, studies examining heritage are expanding, particularly within ethnomusicology and popular music studies. This scholarship often splits into two main areas: one focuses on non-European folk and traditional music, with an emphasis on human and minority rights, while the other explores popular music’s role in shaping the uniqueness of cities and regions, as well as in their branding and promotion. In both areas, the heritagisation of music intersects with cultural politics, music tourism and the management of intellectual property rights, as well as with digital innovation and museum practices, especially regarding institutional stewardship of music’s cultural and economic value.
Keynote speeches will be delivered by Dr Chiara Bortolotto and Dr Marko Jouste.
Call for presentations (closed)
The organisers invite individual paper and panel proposals from a broad range of approaches addressing the relationship between music and heritage in all its diversity. A variety of scholarly standpoints, voices and disciplines is welcomed and encouraged. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to:
• music in the museum;
• music in the archive;
• music heritage, history and canonisation;
• music heritage communities;
• music, heritage and the dynamics of inclusion and exclusion;
• music heritage and migration;
• music heritage and local branding;
• music heritage and human rights;
• music heritage and cultural policy;
• music heritage and academic disciplines;
• music and intangible cultural heritage;
• music and heritage tourism;
• “musical rubbish”;
• genres of music heritage;
• DIY music heritage;
• digital music heritage.
• Cities of Music and heritage-making.
Alongside conventional papers and panels, the organisers welcome other presentation forms as well (e.g., films, workshops). Please send an abstract of no more than 300 words to music.heritage@uniarts.fi, no later than 28 February 2025. Please make sure to include in your abstract:
• the name(s) of presenter(s) and their affiliation(s)
• contact information
• the title of the presentation
• objectives, materials, and methods (or a report of an ongoing or completed project)
• 3–5 keywords
• if you are proposing a full panel with individual presentations, please include an abstract of each presentation alongside a brief summary of the panel.
Notifications of acceptance will be sent by 31 March 2025.
Registration
The registration to the conference is now open. Please register no later than 31 August 2025 to confirm your participation.
The regular participation fee is 80 €. The concession rate for unwaged and students (incl. doctoral researchers) is 40 €. The link below takes you to the registration site.
Accommodation
Helsinki has a variety of different accommodation options. Below you will find a list of hotels and hostels near Uniarts Sörnäinen Campus and the conference venue (Haapaniemenkatu 6, 00530 Helsinki) as well as booking instructions. For more information on room options and other services, please contact the hotel directly. Please note that the discount offers are meant for conference participants only. If you would like to use a discount code, please contact music.heritage@uniarts.fi.
Accommodation offers for conference participants:
Scandic Hotels
Closest Scandic Hotels to the conference venue are:
- Scandic Hotel Paasi, Paasivuorenkatu 5 B, 00530 Helsinki
(approx.13 min walk / 9 min bus or tram ride to venue)
- Scandic Hotel Hakaniemi, Siltasaarenkatu 14, 00530 Helsinki
(approx. 10 min walk / 8 min tram ride to venue)
- Scandic Hotel Kallio, Läntinen Brahenkatu 2, 00510 Helsinki
(approx.14 min walk / 9 min tram ride to venue)
Book your room at https://www.scandichotels.com/fi website using a discount code. Pricing will be determined based on your time of booking, room type, and availability. For more information, contact meeting.fi@scandichotels.com.
Citybox Helsinki, Kolmas linja 8 B, 00530 Helsinki
(approx. 8 min walk to venue)
Double Room 75 €/night or Twin Room 90 €/night with a discount code (valid between 14-19 October 2025). Rate includes WiFi and use of shared facilities at the hotel. Buffet breakfast is available for an extra fee of 13,50 €/person at Café Roasberg (Siltasaarenkatu 13, 00530 Helsinki).
Discounted reservations only via email: helsinki@cityboxhotels.com.
Other room options at the daily rate available from the website: https://cityboxhotels.com/hotels/helsinki/helsinki.
Noli Studios Sörnäinen, Hämeentie 33, 00500 Helsinki
(approx. 13 min walk / 6 min bus or tram ride to venue)
Furnished studios with kitchen and bathroom, no breakfast. 10% discount from the daily rate with a discount code. The discount code is valid between 11 June – 17 October for reservations between 12-19 October 2025. Book your stay at https://nolistudios.com/en/short-stay/details/stay-details/noli-sornainen-helsinki, the code is entered in the “Promotional Code” field when making the reservation.
Other accommodation options:
Inn Tourist Hotel, Haapaniemenkatu 7 9B, 00530 Helsinki
(approx. 6 min walk to venue)
Hotel/hostel, single room from ~68 €/night and double room from ~72 €/night. Shared kitchen and bathroom facilities, no breakfast. For more information and other room types see Inn Tourist website: https://inntourist.fi/
SweetDream Guesthouse, Hämeentie 21G, 00500 Helsinki
(approx. 9 min walk / 5 min tram ride to venue)
Hostel, bed in a shared room from ~22 €/night or twin room from ~46 €/night. Shared breakfast and bathroom facilities. More information at https://www.sweetdreamguesthouse.fi/, book at www.booking.com.
Organising committee and contact information
The members of the organising committee are:
Prof Antti-Ville Villén (chair)
BA Farida Albrecht (secretary)
Dr Giacomo Bottà
Prof Anne Kauppala
Dr Janne Mäkelä
Prof Saijaleena Rantanen
MA Annukka Saaristo
Dr Elina Seye
Dr Outi Valo
The event is organised by the research project “Diversity of Music Heritage in Finland”, funded by Kone Foundation (2023–25), in collaboration with the History Forum and the Seinäjoki Unit of the University of the Arts Helsinki.
For further information, please contact music.heritage@uniarts.fi.
About the conference
The University of the Arts Helsinki is pleased to announce an international conference on the various forms of music heritage. The conference is the closing event of the research project “Diversity of Music Heritage in Finland”, funded by Kone Foundation in 2023–25. The conference is co-organised by the History Forum and the Seinäjoki Unit of the University of the Arts Helsinki.
Heritage has become an increasingly prominent focus across cultural policy, tourism and academic studies. In the realm of music, numerous heritage sites exist worldwide, alongside UNESCO’s designated Cities of Music. Music also plays a key role in international and national lists of intangible cultural heritage.
In music scholarship, studies examining heritage are expanding, particularly within ethnomusicology and popular music studies. This scholarship often splits into two main areas: one focuses on non-European folk and traditional music, with an emphasis on human and minority rights, while the other explores popular music’s role in shaping the uniqueness of cities and regions, as well as in their branding and promotion. In both areas, the heritagisation of music intersects with cultural politics, music tourism and the management of intellectual property rights, as well as with digital innovation and museum practices, especially regarding institutional stewardship of music’s cultural and economic value.
Keynote speeches will be delivered by Dr Chiara Bortolotto and Dr Marko Jouste.
Call for presentations (closed)
The organisers invite individual paper and panel proposals from a broad range of approaches addressing the relationship between music and heritage in all its diversity. A variety of scholarly standpoints, voices and disciplines is welcomed and encouraged. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to:
• music in the museum;
• music in the archive;
• music heritage, history and canonisation;
• music heritage communities;
• music, heritage and the dynamics of inclusion and exclusion;
• music heritage and migration;
• music heritage and local branding;
• music heritage and human rights;
• music heritage and cultural policy;
• music heritage and academic disciplines;
• music and intangible cultural heritage;
• music and heritage tourism;
• “musical rubbish”;
• genres of music heritage;
• DIY music heritage;
• digital music heritage.
• Cities of Music and heritage-making.
Alongside conventional papers and panels, the organisers welcome other presentation forms as well (e.g., films, workshops). Please send an abstract of no more than 300 words to music.heritage@uniarts.fi, no later than 28 February 2025. Please make sure to include in your abstract:
• the name(s) of presenter(s) and their affiliation(s)
• contact information
• the title of the presentation
• objectives, materials, and methods (or a report of an ongoing or completed project)
• 3–5 keywords
• if you are proposing a full panel with individual presentations, please include an abstract of each presentation alongside a brief summary of the panel.
Notifications of acceptance will be sent by 31 March 2025.
Registration
The registration to the conference is now open. Please register no later than 31 August 2025 to confirm your participation.
The regular participation fee is 80 €. The concession rate for unwaged and students (incl. doctoral researchers) is 40 €. The link below takes you to the registration site.
Accommodation
Helsinki has a variety of different accommodation options. Below you will find a list of hotels and hostels near Uniarts Sörnäinen Campus and the conference venue (Haapaniemenkatu 6, 00530 Helsinki) as well as booking instructions. For more information on room options and other services, please contact the hotel directly. Please note that the discount offers are meant for conference participants only. If you would like to use a discount code, please contact music.heritage@uniarts.fi.
Accommodation offers for conference participants:
Scandic Hotels
Closest Scandic Hotels to the conference venue are:
- Scandic Hotel Paasi, Paasivuorenkatu 5 B, 00530 Helsinki
(approx.13 min walk / 9 min bus or tram ride to venue)
- Scandic Hotel Hakaniemi, Siltasaarenkatu 14, 00530 Helsinki
(approx. 10 min walk / 8 min tram ride to venue)
- Scandic Hotel Kallio, Läntinen Brahenkatu 2, 00510 Helsinki
(approx.14 min walk / 9 min tram ride to venue)
Book your room at https://www.scandichotels.com/fi website using a discount code. Pricing will be determined based on your time of booking, room type, and availability. For more information, contact meeting.fi@scandichotels.com.
Citybox Helsinki, Kolmas linja 8 B, 00530 Helsinki
(approx. 8 min walk to venue)
Double Room 75 €/night or Twin Room 90 €/night with a discount code (valid between 14-19 October 2025). Rate includes WiFi and use of shared facilities at the hotel. Buffet breakfast is available for an extra fee of 13,50 €/person at Café Roasberg (Siltasaarenkatu 13, 00530 Helsinki).
Discounted reservations only via email: helsinki@cityboxhotels.com.
Other room options at the daily rate available from the website: https://cityboxhotels.com/hotels/helsinki/helsinki.
Noli Studios Sörnäinen, Hämeentie 33, 00500 Helsinki
(approx. 13 min walk / 6 min bus or tram ride to venue)
Furnished studios with kitchen and bathroom, no breakfast. 10% discount from the daily rate with a discount code. The discount code is valid between 11 June – 17 October for reservations between 12-19 October 2025. Book your stay at https://nolistudios.com/en/short-stay/details/stay-details/noli-sornainen-helsinki, the code is entered in the “Promotional Code” field when making the reservation.
Other accommodation options:
Inn Tourist Hotel, Haapaniemenkatu 7 9B, 00530 Helsinki
(approx. 6 min walk to venue)
Hotel/hostel, single room from ~68 €/night and double room from ~72 €/night. Shared kitchen and bathroom facilities, no breakfast. For more information and other room types see Inn Tourist website: https://inntourist.fi/
SweetDream Guesthouse, Hämeentie 21G, 00500 Helsinki
(approx. 9 min walk / 5 min tram ride to venue)
Hostel, bed in a shared room from ~22 €/night or twin room from ~46 €/night. Shared breakfast and bathroom facilities. More information at https://www.sweetdreamguesthouse.fi/, book at www.booking.com.
Organising committee and contact information
The members of the organising committee are:
Prof Antti-Ville Villén (chair)
BA Farida Albrecht (secretary)
Dr Giacomo Bottà
Prof Anne Kauppala
Dr Janne Mäkelä
Prof Saijaleena Rantanen
MA Annukka Saaristo
Dr Elina Seye
Dr Outi Valo
The event is organised by the research project “Diversity of Music Heritage in Finland”, funded by Kone Foundation (2023–25), in collaboration with the History Forum and the Seinäjoki Unit of the University of the Arts Helsinki.
For further information, please contact music.heritage@uniarts.fi.