The operating environment of the Aisamäki summer theater has improved considerably Peräseinäjoki pennihäät ry with the new social and storage facilities they built.
Theater operations have grown significantly over the past 20 years, which has also put pressure on the premises. The old facilities were simply insufficient, only about 16 square meters in a room where twenty actors changed clothes, and in addition, the space also had to fit a hairdresser to work. There was no suitable storage place for the sound reproduction equipment, so they had to be transported to Viitasaarite's home for the winter.
- There was no place to store the audio equipment, we always had them upstairs at home, we carried them there every fall. I started telling Sari that a maintenance building like that could be good, recalls the association's vice president Hannu Viitasaari.
Now, next to the summer theater on the shore of Kalajärvi, there is a new, rough red building, which opens out on three walls to wonderful views of the lake.
There were many challenges on the trip
Hannu Viitasaari was in charge of the project, who was responsible for practical matters, such as material purchases and the purchase of the cottage.
- In practice, Hannu came here from work for three years and still performed plays at the same time, he recalls Sari Viitasaari.
The time use of the project was carefully planned together for each work phase. However, the actual amount of work was surprising, even though the time use had been tried to reduce to the upper limit.
- It immediately came to light that the prescribed hours had been calculated far below, states Sari Viitasaari, expert member of the association.
Challenges were not avoided during the project. The carpenter fell ill suddenly, the corona pandemic and the Russian war delayed the availability of supplies and increased costs. Fortunately, the association had prepared for surprises by saving a few good theater summers before the project started.
Community spirit as an asset of the project
Talkoo spirit was high despite the challenging times.
- Nowadays, there is not the same kökä spirit as before, but the project gathered a lot of hands and committed people from Talkoo considering the situation, says Hannu Viitasaari.
The realization of the project was made possible by the support and hard work received from others.
Hannu Ilomäki made the necessary drawings and floor plans, acted as the responsible foreman and also helped with the twists and turns of the bureaucracy. In addition to all this, he also arrived to help with the work.
- Hannu has been a valuable help to us during the project, emphasizes Hannu Viitasaari.
Community support was a significant part of the project's success, including a long-term entrepreneur Veikko Koivisto provided an excavator for the project, which was a huge help in preparing the foundations. In addition Heikki Antila built a wonderful fireplace in the living room of the cottage.
New opportunities with the building
In the building, for example, it is now also possible for associations to organize meetings or sauna evenings outside the theater season, thus the facilities also serve other operators in the area. The wonderful milieu will certainly attract users to the farm.
Now the new social and storage facilities also enable clothing care to be taken care of on site.
- Before, everyone washed their costumes at home, there was probably someone who didn't wash them during the entire show season, laughs Sari Viitasaari.
Theater summer starts in July
At the beginning of July, a new three-week performance season begins at the Aisamäki summer theater. The new facilities bring much-needed relief to the actors and the rest of the team. Peräseinäjoki's Pennihäät ry welcomes everyone to enjoy the Häjyt play!
The new social and storage facilities of the Aisamäki summer theater are proof of the community's commitment to the development of local cultural activities. Thanks to them, theater operations can continue more smoothly and offer the audience unforgettable experiences in the coming summers.
Aisamäki summer theater social facilities / maintenance building project
Total funding
140 045,00 €
Public funding
79 993,70 €
Support percentage:
57,12 %