17.3.2025
Tell us your dream of the new Lyseo cultural block by 30.4.
Hear about the plans for the Lyseo cultural block and bring your ideas for the concept. Jyväskylä residents can get involved in the planning process by filling in an online survey about their dreams for the Lyseo cultural block.
Cultural block brings vitality to the heart of the city
The Lyseo cultural block will bring the main library, the Jyväskylä Art Museum, the Craft Museum of Finland, the Adult Education Centre and cultural services to the same building. The cultural block will also provide space for communities, associations and organisations, events, meetings and exhibitions.
The old Lyseo building, which has cultural and historical value, is home to the civic college's city centre branch. The new building would provide shared facilities for the library, the Art Museum, the Craft Museum of Finland and cultural services. The old Lyseo building, new building and the events square will provide a space for culture, new opportunities for gatherings, events and creative interaction. One million visitors per year is expected to visit the new cultural block.
For the existing protected library building the aim is to create a economy hub for creative businesses.
What would you like to have in the cultural block?
The preparation of the concept for the cultural block has been launched at the beginning of the year with the groups of cultural operators. Now the people of Jyväskylä are invited to participate the process too. The public events start and the online survey is open. The online survey gives residents the opportunity to express their hopes and dreams for the cultural block. It will be open until the end of April.
Based on the feedback from the workshops and residents, operational and service concepts will be prepared in May 2025. The aim is to combine the activities and services of the city's five cultural operators in a new way. Among other things, the aim is to unite customer service, facilities management and logistics for improving productivity and accessibility. The actual planning of the Lyseo cultural block will start at the end of 2025, if the Jyväskylä City Council decides to invest to the Lyseo block.
Leave your dream of a cultural block in the online survey here. (The survey is only in Finnish at the moment)
Cultural spaces in the city centre will be renewed
The Lyseo cultural block will solve the problems of several cultural spaces in the city centre through the 2030s, providing a financially sustainable solution in a situation where essential renovation investments are needed in the near future. It offers opportunities for a thriving cultural and creative economy that will increase Jyväskylä's vitality and raise its profile as an attractive cultural city.
The renovation of the old Lyseo building will start in 2026 and the construction of the new building could start around 2027. A draft planning solution for a zoning change enabling the development of the Lyseo block will be submitted to the City Planning Board during March or April. The Jyväskylä City Council will decide to start the actual planning project for the new building in autumn 2025.
The decision is linked to the sale of the existing main library building. The building will be for sale during this year. The city's goal for the process is to have a multi-use, privately operated creative hub for the Upper Town, with space for events, businesses and gatherings.
More information
Seija Laitinen-Kuisma, Director of cultural, Adult Education Centre and library services, p. 050 563 1821
Hanna-Kaisa Melaranta, Director of Museums, p. 050 355 5048
Täyden kympin keskusta -project, Janne Viitamies, Project Manager, p. 050 4771511