Kanvas is a multi-disciplinary art collective founded in 2019. We produce performing arts and video productions. To date Kanvas has created performance art, theatre, music videos and short films.
Our members are professional multi-disciplinary artists. Our community values art as a hand-made craft – all of our productions are custom made, from script to edit, from composition to stagecraft. Our extensive artistic competence allows for the creation of original art with a point-of-view.
Välitila 2025: ARTlab 201
Kanvas collective returns to Lielahti manor in the fall of 2025 with a space granted by Tampere City. We make our Room 201 into a multi-disciplinary art laboratory. Audience can expect to be suprised by a myriad of art consepts come to life from performance art to exhibitions.
Artlab 201 has happenings between 29th of August until 6th December 2025.
The Meanwhile Use Spaces (Välitila) is Tampere City’s operation, in which the city grants space free of charge for use by cultural and art operators.
SHORT FILM
UNESSA JA VALVEESSA
“ASLEEP AWAKE”
PREMIER: may 25th 2025, FINNKINO PLEVNA tampere
A heart-string pulling drama about an honorable citizen facing the dirty temptations of a rebel leader. Our fifth production for the Uneton48 short film challenge, in which all contestant teams make a film from nothing into a full 3-5 minute film in 48 hours.
The film premiered in Finnkino Movie Theatre on May 21st 2025.
2025 Kanvas collective won Uneton48 short film challenge in the categories of
Best Screenplay and Best Costuming.
and were nominated in:
Best Cinematography and Best Short Film.
Director, Editor, VFX: Pekka V. Louhimo
Screenplay: Pekka V. Louhimo, Veera Herranen & Henry Pöyhiä
Starring: Veera Herranen & Henry Pöyhiä
Cinematography: Elias Laukkanen
Lighting design: Meri Haukkavaara-Gardiner
Sound design: Kimmo Komu
Score: Antti Tuure
Title Graphic design: Meeko Wahlroos
Poster: Antti Tuure
👇 WATCH HERE (FI)👇
PERFORMANce
HAAHUT
“Wanderers”
Haahut (Wanderers) performance explores the temperance of being, from slow to still and back…
A poetic perfomance asks to halt the busy steps of modern life.
Wanderer is a spirit of calm, a part of our soul able to find the possibilty of peace and stillness all around itself. It lives in the flame, sits on a snowflake falling in the woods, it sleeps inside a pink cupcake.
Wanderers happens in Tampere-talo, in the glass staircase by the main entrance. The performance includes amplified sounds.
Choose to be still a while, and Wanderers may appear.
Wanderers was performed in Tampere-talo 2024, as a part of Operation Pirkanmaa “Ruudun takaa” city-wide art happening in November of 2024. The poetic performance included kinetic and auditive aspects.
Concept: Veera Herranen, Henry Pöyhiä, Pekka V. Louhimo ja Anna Papinsaari
Poems: Henry Pöyhiä, Pekka V. Louhimo
Performers: Veera Herranen, Henry Pöyhiä ja Pekka V. Louhimo
Stagecraft: Anna Papinsaari
short film
etiäinen
“Premonition”
Will we make our time into a nightmare?
“Premonition” is the collective’s horror short film made in 48 hours for Uneton48 short film challenge in 2024.
Director & Editor: Pekka V. Louhimo
Screenplay: Kanvas collective
Cinematography: Elias Laukkanen
Score: Anna Papinsaari, Antti Tuure
Sound design: Kimmo Komu
Starring: Henry Pöyhiä, Jeca Koskiranta
1st Assistant Director: Edita Petäjistö
Dialogue Sound Editor: Teemu Wahlroos
Catering: Meeko Wahlroos
Watch here (FI, PG-12):
short film
CLIFF HANGER
Cliff is a work-a-holic, on the same job going on 15 years. Jaded and tired Cliff solves all with his problems like a man: with technical gadget in hand – or will he?
Cliff Hanger on was made for Uneton48 short film challenge in 2023.
Director & Editor: Pekka V. Louhimo
Screenplay: Kanvas collective
Cinematography: Elias Laukkanen
Lighting Design: Heikki Tavilampi
Score: Anna Papinsaari
Sound Design: Kimmo Komu
Starring: Henry Pöyhiä, Sonja Halla-aho, Anna Papinsaari, Jeca Koskiranta, Liisa Hytti
Watch here (EN):
Välitila
KANVAS PERFORMANCE SPACE 2023
For the summer of 2023 Kanvas used the Lielahti manor’s room 205 as a theater space. The room was granted to Kanvas by Tampere City in their Meanwhile Space art operation.
Kanvas’ Manor Theater presented performance art and short form theater productions, installations and video art. Spontaniaty and experimentality was at the heart of our performance art creations.
short film
Linnunradan toive
“A Wish Upon the Milky Way”
Best friends have a moment under the holiday tree – in August.
2022 Kanvas collective participated in Uneton 48 short film challenge for the second time.
Director: Pekka V. Louhimo
Assistant Director/Producer: Miina Seitajärvi
Screenplay: Jeca Koskiranta & Nico Seppä
Cinematographer & Editor: Valtteri Rui
Lighting Design: Heikki Tavilampi, Valtteri Rui
Score: Anna Papinsaari
Sound Design: Kimmo Komu
Starring: Jeca Koskiranta & Jenni Nerg
Watch here (FI):
PERFORMANCE
Mainoskatko
Ad Break
Kanvas collective takes over Samasama Pop-up-cafe in Ratina mall on Black Friday. ”Ad Break” presents in three distict moments of ultra-consumerism in a real display window during the real-life shopping-pa-looza of the year.
Performance happened on Black Friday November 26th 2021 in Ratina mall, Samasama Pop-up-cafe. Performance consisted of three 10min scenes, looping back-to-back for hours.
short film
Matto
“The Rug”
The world is burning. An epidemic is turning people into crazy cows. Matti escapes to the mountains – well on a boulder in his backyard, wearing nothing but a colorful rug. One day a woman called Mirja offers to wash Matti’s rug. During the cleanse Matti opens up about his tragic life.
Kanvas participated in Uneton48 short film challenge, in which all contestant teams make a film from nothing into a full 3-5 minute film in 48 hours. “The rug” was nominated in best costuming and the audience favorite categories.
This collective effort produced a psychedelic haiku-in-images about finding hope in an apocalypse.
Director & Editor Pekka V. Louhimo
Screenplay: Kanvas collective
Cinematography: Petrus Sipinen
Lighting Design: Heikki Tavilampi
Score: Anna Papinsaari
Starring: Henry Pöyhiä, Veera Herranen
Watch here (FI):
music video
Trust No one:
41520
In a postal code the past, a boy longs to say hi to a girl. But for him, the length of a high school corridor is an odyssey of doubt.
Kanvas produced this music video 2020 for the band Trust No One.
Music: Trust No One: Samuli Erkkilä, Joni Suhonen
Director, Screenplay, Editor: Pekka V. Louhimo
Cinematography: Jaakko Pellotsalo
Lighting Design: Heikki Tavilampi
Starring: Henry Pöyhiä, Veera Herranen
Watch here (EN):
Kanvas members
Photos: Sallis Niinimäki
Veera Herranen
Actor, Director, Writer
Actor by education (TeM, FIA). At the moment Veera studies Culture Production in Metropolia YAMK. Professionally she has worked as a director, writer and acting teatcher. Her most notable works include direction of horror event in Särkänniemi Karmivan Karnevaali since 2021. On her free time she spends with her child.
Henry Pöyhiä
Actor, Director, Writer
Pöyhiä graduated as theater performance educator in 2019 from Turku Art Academy. He also acts in Improvisation Theater Snorkkeli.
Henry’s bible is Buddy the Vampire Slayer.
Pekka V Louhimo
Director, Writer, Composer, Actor
Pekka V. Louhimo makes art, movies, writes music and screenplays. At the moment he studies screenwriting in Tampere University of Applied Sciences. He has directed music videos and short films. Since 2020 he has composed music to children’s musical plays in Särkänniemi amusement park.
Pekka loves framedrums and red grapes.
Sonja Halla-aho
Actor (teM, FIA), Dramaturg, Aerial Acrobat
Halla-aho studied the art of acting in Russia and gratuated master in theater arts in 2022. Her acting work is extensive in theatre, tv and film productions. In addition she has worked as a radio host and a circus performer.
In addition to Kanvas, Sonja works in Improvisation Theatre Snorkkeli and Vaasa City Theatre. She has studied dramaturgy in Artistic Thinking Academy (CIRKO & Taideyliopisto).
Sonja loves flying on the ring and having morning coffee on Pispala ridge.
Anna Papinsaari
Scenographer, Composer
Anna Papinsaari is a scenographer and composer. She has designed stagecraft in Finnish National Opera, Ruovesi theatre, and also in Särkänniemi Karmiva Karnevaali horror event, in addition to stagecraft composed music and designed sound for the event. She performs her music with artist name AnnaKristiina.
Anna gratuated an Architect from Tampere University and gratuated in Song-writing from SASKY Municipal Education and Training Consortium. Lately she gratuated as a Scenographer Master of Arts from Helsinki University of Arts.
Anna loves homey cafe’s and guitar by the fire.
Anna scenography Instagram
Anna music Instagram
Anna music homesite: annakristiina.com
Miina seitajärvi
Producer, Actor
Seitajärvi is a producer in Tampere-talo consortium.
(Kanvas supporting member)
JeCa Koskiranta
Writer, Actor
A few years back Jessica “Jeca” Koskiranta decided to hang up the hockey skates and try improvisational theatre. Art became the road Jeca’s still on. So far the journey has brought on acting in theatre and writing audiovisual productions. At the moment she is busy studying to be a screenwriter (in Tampere University of Applied Sciences) and social media work.
Jeca loves slow mornings and her brand new Playstation 5.