Toivo Community Musical (Toivo-yhteisömusikaali) was a large-scale community art project carried out at Sointu Senior Services in Tampere, Finland between 2016 and 2018. The project brought together different art forms and aimed to make the wishes, dreams and experiences of Sointu’s residents, staff and collaborators visible through a shared work.
The content of the musical was developed through a multidisciplinary process by collecting hundreds of wishes, stories and memories from older people, their relatives and staff. Over two years, art groups created sets, poems, songs and other elements for the performance. The process also revealed participants’ own artistic abilities—for example, a composition by one resident became part of the musical.
As a community artist, Kanerva Kartano worked in the role of producer–facilitator, shaping the process and coordinating collaboration between participants, staff and artists. She also participated as a musician and performer alongside the participants.
In spring 2018, the project culminated in a performance at Kuuselakeskus in Tampere, bringing together over 320 participants and audience members from Sointu’s three centres. The performance included shared dance pieces, music and collaboratively created scenes. It was directed by Marja Skaffari, with musician Sanette Sevón facilitating workshops and performing in the production.
The Toivo Community Musical marked a significant phase in the development of community art at Sointu and contributed to the establishment of her current full-time role as a community artist.
(Photo: Anne Koski. Image editing and illustration: Kanerva Kartano.)