VISION & MISSION

Malakta is a centre for creativity, culture, arts and people. Our aim is to create an oasis for people where creativity, ideas, art, and culture can grow and flourish. Our keywords are action, sustainability and inclusion.

Malakta is a space welcoming national and international artists, the local community, groups, associations, companies, and all with an interest in creating better conditions for people, ideas and organisations to develop in a sustainable and dynamic way.

  

STORY

Malakta is located in an old dairy by the Malax River in the municipality of Malax in western Finland.

The dairy was established in the beginning of 1930s by a Swiss cheese maker Stucki to manufacture cheese from milk produced in the local rural community. As the industry grew Malakta became a busy centre for the villagers. In 1960s the production changed to manufacturing milk and cocoa powder. Malakta became a well known brand by its innovative thinking and the testing of new products. One delicious invention was POP, the now famous Finnish soft ice-cream Pehmis. In the 1980s artists found Malakta. Toivo and Eila Kultti started transforming the old dairy into a place for artists, building studios, a bronze foundry and a gallery.

Art Factory Malakta was established in 2007 by Ann-Maj Granstubb and Jukka Rajala with a vision to create a space for people, creativity, wellbeing and development.

Malakta has been arranging and hosting events, concerts, theatre, markets, workshops, masterclasses, retreats and creative get-togethers since 2007. Malakta houses artist studios, crafts workshops, artist residencies and a film production company all under the same roof. Malakta’s creative community also realize projects together with regional, national and international collaborators. Yearly intensive workshops, Malakta Labs that bring together international participants to work, create and share together, were established in 2012. In 2017 the association Art in Malakta rf. was founded to create and run the artistic activities at Malakta.

The association Art in Malakta runs a Art Residency Programme open for artists and other creatives, as well as yearly LABs or masterclasses for professional such as Dance film lab, writers lab, Storytelling lab. We also produce public events and courses like Art Saturdays. The board of Art in Malakta plans and executes the activities at Malakta together with the artist community, members and the public.

Malakta is a vibrant and growing centre for art and innovation that continues the proud tradition of the original dairy: a busy centre for the community and a well-known brand.

Art is for everyone!