Municipal Artist project - Collaborative comic project in Parainen 

“Ankarhusets serieverkstad - Ankkuritalon sarjakuvapaja”  is a colorful, 70-pages long comic magazine put together from comics made by the people living in the small city of Parainen, Finland. The comics were made in workshops during spring 2023 and can be read in both Swedish and Finnish. 

The theme of the comics are “Together”, reflecting the method they were made. There were 26 participants and most of them had never made comics before. In the 5-month long period, municipal artist Siiri Viljakka taught comics, held workshops and was responsible of the final product of the comic magazine. The participants, Viljakka, City of Parainen (Pargas in Swedish) and the many supporters of the project were pleased with the project’s results.

Participants in the project:
Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture
City of Parainen
Turku University of Applied Sciences
The Library of Parainen and Democracy-project
Turku Comics Club
Konstila Art School
Archipelago without borders
Kiikari Centre
Youth Active Center Aktiva
People of Parainen

Project manager: Siiri Viljakka
Translations: Ralf Kauranen
Layout: Turun Sarjakuvakerho
Font: Hilla Semeri
Comic workshop’s attendees and authors: Lauri Kallio, Barbro Laurén, Anna Gaponova, Fedir Gaponov, Arina Danylko, Ulla-Maj Lübchow, Jade Suodenjärvi, Kerli Pelkonen, Kirsi Hokkanen, Rosa Linnamäki, Linnea Aalto, Emma Sandström, Margot Aberg, Emma Ivaska, Fia Isaksson, Vera Danielsson, Bene H., Ellen Lertola, Sofia Aspholm, Clara Wickström, Taimi Turunen, Eini Kaukametsä, Caroline Backman, Ben Westerlund, Amanda Ginman, R ja Siiri Viljakka

YLE VEGA