JP (Juha-Pekka) Väisänen

Read the article in English after the Finnish text.

 

Olen poliittinen eläin, taiteilija ja toimittaja JP (Juha-Pekka) Väisänen. Taiteilijoilla ja helsinkiläisillä kulttuurin tekijöillä pitää olla paremmat työvälineet vastata helsinkiläisten kulttuurisiin perustarpeisiin. 

 

Kulttuuria ei voi ostaa – se tehdään! 

 

Minun kulttuurikäsitykseni on taiteen tekemistä laajempi, ja siihen kuuluu sellaisen yhteisen rakentaminen, jossa erilaiset ihmiset voivat sekä osallistua että jättää oman jälkensä – oli sitten kyse yhteisistä metsistä, julkisesta kaupunkitilasta tai taiteen tekemisestä ja harrastamisesta.

 

 

 

I am a political animal, artist, and journalist JP (Juha-Pekka) Väisänen. Artists and cultural creators in Helsinki must have better tools to meet the cultural needs of Helsinki residents.

 

Culture cannot be bought — it is created!

 

My understanding of culture extends beyond making art; it includes building a shared space where different people can both participate and leave their mark — whether it’s about common forests, public urban spaces, or creating and engaging with art.

 

 

I call myself a social media journalist because I mainly create content for various public and free social media platforms. I was inspired to get involved in citizen journalism while studying (2021–2023) digital rainbow media. From the perspective of civil society, I find them to be some of the most interesting actors.

 

Social media refers to platforms where people can share information, stories, images, and experiences, participate in public discussions, and influence broader communities. Social media functions as both a channel for information dissemination and interaction, offering the opportunity to quickly and effectively engage with and impact social phenomena. To me, social media is much more than just discussions within one’s own community or trolling strangers. At its best, it is about collaborating and changing the world together. I wanted to take my enthusiasm and channel it into something concrete within my own communities.

 

Uusi Sivu – Online Publication

 

At the beginning of 2024, journalist Jaana Kanninen and I co-founded the online publication *Uusi Sivu* as part of PAND's peace work. It not only invites readers to explore current topics on culture, art, and peace, but also encourages them to contribute to the publication's creation.

 

PAND is an organization for artists and cultural workers, founded in 1983, that promotes, supports, and develops the peace work of artists and cultural professionals, focusing on social stability and conflict prevention, mainly in Finland.In 2024, one of the organization's main goals is to increase the visibility of content and initiatives driven by the specific expertise of artists and cultural professionals, particularly in issues related to peace, sustainable development, human rights, participatory democracy, nuclear disarmament, and equality.

 

Metsäkissa – Art and Science Research Project

 

I am involved (2024–2026) in an art and science research project called *Metsäkissa* (Forest Cat). The project focuses on the Finnish forest and related thinking, art, and research over multiple years. I am *Metsäkissa*’s social media journalist, covering topics of interest to the "cat" on its social media channels.

 

The creators of *Metsäkissa*: Jukka Ilmonen, Jaana Kanninen, Virpi Koskela, Katja Luhtala, Antti Rajala, Susu Rytteri, Aki Saariaho, and I, JP (Juha-Pekka) Väisänen, believe that it is possible to create a space where all parties, from forest owners to the crested tit, are satisfied in the Finnish forest.

 

The art and science research project *Metsäkissa* has received a grant from the Kone Foundation to study how experiential art and creative learning methods can renew Finns' relationship with the forest and build a shared forest utopia by 2044.

 

Citizen Journalism

 

Jay Rosen (1956-) is an American journalism professor and media expert who teaches at New York University (NYU). He, along with W. Davis "Buzz" Merritt Jr. (1963), has worked together on issues related to journalism and democratic participation. Both are renowned scholars of citizen journalism (public journalism) and key developers of the concept. Rosen has written extensively about the role of journalism and media in democracy, with his work focusing on how ordinary people can participate in reporting and public discussions using media tools. He is also an active critic of traditional media and often blogs on topics like media ethics, journalistic innovations, and the evolving role of audiences in contemporary media.

 

According to Jay Rosen, citizen journalism happens when "people who were previously the audience begin to use the tools of the press and media to communicate with each other." He is one of the creators of the concept of citizen journalism and emphasizes that its purpose is to reform the work of the press to support a healthier public sphere and promote democracy through people's participation.