We’re happy to announce the participants for the The Finnish Institute, the City of Edinburgh and the City of Oulu in Finland collaborative Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) residency project. 

The project aims to foster greater international collaboration between the two cities and to support creative learning for children and youth in both locations. 

Elaine Oram is a biology and science teacher at James Gillespie High School in Edinburgh. Elaine has previously worked with the Wellcome Trust culminating in an exhibition of students’ work in the National Portrait Gallery. Elaine has also worked within the Equity and Attainment department as Pupil Development Officer working with pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to bridge the poverty related attainment gap. 

Sari Sälevä is an art teacher and STEAM tutor at Yli-ii school near Oulu. She has over 15 years of experience as an educator. Her areas of expertise are STEAM, learning technology and transversal competencies.

The participating artists are Edinburgh-based Brittonie Fletcher and Rovaniemi-based Miia Kettunen. Fletcher’s work ranges in topics and themes with an integrated focus on history and technology within a photographic context. She currently holds teaching positions with Stills Centre of Photography in Edinburgh, Scotland, Penumbra Foundation in New York City and Fairfield University in Connecticut USA.

Kettunen is a visual artist who, after several years of working as a freelance costume designer, has developed a diverse project-oriented approach. Her works are often site-specific with the consideration for the environment and derivatives to questions on how the work can originate from and communicate with the surrounding community. Distinguishing features of her way of working are especially well represented in the land artwork Landshapes for Art Ii Biennial 2020 and in the relief Skogens dans located in Hylte, Sweden.

Fletcher’s website can be found here.

Kettunen’s website can be found here.