Elina Tanskanen started this month as the interim managing director of Aura of Puppets. She will be replacing Anni Sundbacka during her study leave. Tanskanen has a wide-ranging experience in the cultural field, particularly in international affairs and with independent groups and organisations. She has previously worked as the cultural affairs manager at the French Institute in Finland, as the head of international relations at Susanna Leinonen Company, and as the coordinator of exhibitions and sales at the gallery Forum Box. Elina Tanskanen has a master’s degree in cultural history from the University of Turku.

“I’m excited to become a part of the Aura of Puppets team! AofP is a unique organization in the Finnish arts sector, and I’ve been admiring the ambitious development work done with issues regarding freelance artists’ employment conditions as well as with the visibility of the whole puppetry field”, says Tanskanen. “The Finnish contemporary puppetry scene is diverse and creatively top-class – there is lots of potential for (even more) international success as well for different local collaborations.”