What happens when a mill town tries to rebuild itself through culture. In this ArtMingle conversation, Pauli Sivonen, Director of the Serlachius Museums in Mänttä, Finland, explains how a rural community turned cultural ambition into practical action. The discussion focuses on what museums can realistically do in the middle of a climate crisis, why sustainability became a strategic choice, and how a small town can host exhibitions with global reach. Sivonen describes the energy realities that shaped Serlachius decisions, the practical steps behind geothermal and solar adoption, and the transport experiments designed to make visitor access less car bound.

The episode also explores how a museum becomes cultural infrastructure for a place that lost its industrial base. Sivonen reflects on the long arc from paper mill heritage to international art programming and on why local history remains a living resource rather than a static story. He talks about moments when international artists found unexpected inspiration in Mänttä archives, how school groups and minority communities shape the museum’s work, and what it means to stay true to collections when technologies and expectations evolve.

Listeners who follow cultural policy, climate responsibility, regional development, museum practice, or the future of small towns will find insight in the Mänttä case. The conversation shows how identity, sustainability, and cultural engagement intersect inside a single institution that now attracts visitors from across Finland and beyond. It also looks closely at the choices that carry long term consequences for place making, credibility, staff culture, and the wider community.

Explore the Serlachius Museums: https://serlachius.fi
Learn more about ArtMingle and episode related materials: https://mikaoulu.com/artmingle