Call­ing for health-safe solu­tions for organ­is­ing events

A rapid Covid-19 test at the fes­ti­val gate? A mobile appli­ca­tion that con­trols audience’s move­ments in the event area and pre­vents con­ges­tions and queues? Or some oth­er inno­va­tion that would enable health-safe organ­is­ing of events?

Since last year, the Most Sus­tain­able Euro­pean Cap­i­tal of Cul­ture project has been look­ing for eco-inno­va­tions to be test­ed at events in North­ern Ostro­both­nia. The aim is to reduce the car­bon foot­print of the events in the region.

How­ev­er, due to the gath­er­ing restric­tions, the events have been can­celed dur­ing the Coro­n­avirus pan­dem­ic. There­fore, the project extends its search for solu­tions to include inven­tions that pre­vent the spread of virus­es at the events. Health-safe solu­tions are expect­ed to be as car­bon neu­tral as pos­si­ble.

The event indus­try is strug­gling to find its way out of hard restric­tions. There is an urgent need for health-safe ways to organ­ise events as the pan­dem­ic con­tin­ues.

Such events as Haa­pavesi Folk Music Fes­ti­val and Oulu-based fes­ti­vals like Qstock and Var­jo, among oth­ers, have signed up as test­ing plat­forms for eco-inno­va­tions and health-safe solu­tions. These test­ings can be car­ried out in the sum­mer of 2021, if the pan­dem­ic sit­u­a­tion eas­es. Solu­tions are also being sought for the events of 2022.

Inno­va­tors can receive a max­i­mum of EUR 10,000 from the project to car­ry out test­ings at the event. The inno­va­tions to be test­ed are select­ed by a pan­el of experts.

Appli­ca­tion peri­od for health-safe and car­bon-neu­tral solu­tions con­tin­ues until 31st May 2021.

Read more about the inno­va­tion call.