3–12 June 2024
The Mirjam Helin Adacemy
The new Mirjam Helin Academy seeks to provide further education for ambitious young singers and to support them in the formation of their artistic identity.
The Mirjam Helin Competition
A Leading Global Competition for Exceptional Singing Talent
Since 1984
The Mirjam Helin Competition
The Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition counts among the most prestigious competitions of its kind in the world.
It has a reputation for being one of the leading international singing competitions, and many of its former prizewinners, such as Olaf Bär, Elīna Garanča, René Pape, Andrea Rost and Julia Lezhneva have later risen to the top of the world of singing.
Designed for outstanding young singers, it is known for its high standard, exacting repertoire, superb prizes and prestigious jury. The competition has been organised every five years by the Finnish Cultural Foundation since 1984. From 2024, the competition will be arranged every three years.
The competition became a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions in 1987.
The Finnish Cultural Foundation
The Finnish Cultural Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in Europe and works to promote Finnish culture by awarding grants to private individuals and organisations in the arts and sciences.
Grants are drawn from the Foundation’s central fund and seventeen regional funds. The Foundation also organises its own cultural events, the most significant of these being the Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition.
The Finnish Cultural Foundation’s starting capital, raised entirely from donations made by the people of Finland in 1938, makes it unique among foundations internationally. Seven decades of successful investment and numerous donations and bequests have seen that capital grow. Today, some 900 donor funds operate in conjunction with the Foundation, issuing grants in accordance with the donors’ wishes and the funds’ regulations. Mirjam Helin is one of the most significant donors in the Foundation’s history.