The opening festivities, focusing on street dance, are held on 28.7. in front of Kiasma, on the grassy field where the recently built stage and skate ramp Surfing the Apocalypse serves as a centrepiece.
During the first weekend, Kiasma Theatre presents a screening of Skateistan: Four Wheels and a Board in Kabul, a documentary about skate culture in Afghanistan.
On Tuesday and Wednesday 31.7.-1.8. Stoa hosts two evenings of urban dance. The programme includes French world-class street dance in the form of Yonder Woman, “an experiment for two superheroes”, and its performers Anne Nguyen and Valentine Nagata-Ramos. The other main event of the evening, set between the real and the surreal, is the dance solo of the Finnish star Ima Iduozee.
The evenings also include performances by the group of youths who have worked with Elina Izarra Ollikainen and Heli Keskikallio to create a performance depicting the diverse rhythms and beats of Helsinki. The performance is based on the memories and materials collected by the performers from all around the city.
Also focusing on perception as well as memories and secrets of Helsinki is Jon Irigoyen and his workshop Cartographies of the Memory, and Teuvo Teivainen with his World Political City Walk.
The Football Opera, presented 3.8.–5.8., acts as the culmination of the festival week. The performance combines the whole football fan culture into one single stand. Dramatic emotions, hotdogs, support songs and dances all blend into one great portrayal of football and its most enthusiastic supporters. The Belgian hit performance is now performed for the first time outside its hometown, Ghent.
In addition to performances and events, URB 12 also offers a workshop about mythical creatures for children and youth. The workshop is held in Villa Arttu, Hyvinkää, on 1.–5.8 and is led by visual artist Timo Vaittinen. URB also offers an exhibition by the Peruvian pop artist Jorge Miyagui, whose mischievous and provoking art has invoked several cultural scandals. In addition, Timofey Radya, a young Russian street artist delights us by creating a piece of street art in the vicinity of Kiasma.