The Art Breaks Walls Reward was presented on 3 August 2026 to bassist and composer Antti Lötjönen.
The inaugural Art Breaks Walls Award was presented to Mikko Innanen in 2023, followed by Iro Haarla in 2024 and Kari Ikonen in 2025.
The Art Breaks Walls reward is granted to a distinguished artist working in the fields of jazz, improvised music, and contemporary music.
Award Amount
The Art Breaks Walls reward amounts to €5,000.
Purpose and Criteria
The purpose of the award is to promote the recognition of jazz, improvised music, and contemporary music in Finland, enhance their quality, and encourage active contributors in the field to break down the boundaries between different art forms.
The award is presented to an accomplished artist who has advanced these goals through their work, remains actively engaged in the field, and continues to innovate as a pioneer of performing arts. The award is given annually without application to an artist performing in Finland, selected by a jury appointed by Helsinki Jazz ry, based on how well they fulfill these objectives.
Funding
The award is funded by the private benefactor , who also serves as a member of the award jury.
In the photo: Antti Lötjönen and Sakari Puhakka, Chair of the Board of Helsinki Jazz Association.
Photo: Olli Nurmi
