All Things ODD ads

Most organizations don’t lack ideas. They lack the methods to turn ideas into something people understand, feel and remember. And that’s where creative methods are becoming increasingly useful far beyond the creative industries. At ODDference, these three sessions explore what organizations can learn from people who turn bold ideas into outcomes, design meaning and shape how people experience services, products and spaces: Heikki Slåen — Outrageous Ideas, Disciplined Processes How bold creative ideas come alive through structure, trust and disciplined team work. Emmi Kärnä — Narrative Design For Better Business How businesses can move beyond storytelling and design participation, meaning and emotional relevance. Anttoni Palm — Soundscaping Customer Experiences How sound shapes how people feel, focus and remember — and how audio can become an essential part of customer experience. These are not abstract creativity talks. They are practical perspectives on how creative expertise translates into concrete business value. ODDference, June 11–12 in Helsinki. Explore the program through the link in the comments.

Most organizations don’t lack organizational change frameworks. They lack experiences that help people actually feel, practice and understand the change together. That is why Almanovia presents this session at ODDference: The Art of Renewal: Rewiring Organizational Change This is ODDference’s only almost two-hour immersive session that explores how artistic and experiential methods can unlock renewal, creativity and human potential at work. Not just a traditional talk about organizational development. Leading the session: – Karoliina Jarenko, CEO and founder of Almanovia, works with organizational renewal, leadership, learning and the changing role of humans in an era shaped by technology and AI. – Simo Routarinne, founder of Proimpro, is an applied improvisation coach and expert in interaction, status expression and power communication. – Mikko Heikinpoika Neuvonen is a musician and creative coach working with voice, embodiment, improvisation and collective creativity. The session moves from a sharp perspective on why traditional development often falls short into a live demonstration of alternative approaches. The audience is invited to participate, not just observe. Along the way, the session explores how trust, responsiveness and shared rhythm emerge in practice — and what this means for team dynamics, leadership and organizational change. If your work involves leadership, people, culture or organizational change, this is a session worth experiencing. ODDference, June 11–12 in Helsinki. Explore the full program and get your tickets through the link in the comments.

The value of culture has often been debated in Finland. What is it worth? Who should pay for it? Is it essential — or a nice-to-have? In Ukraine, these questions are no longer theoretical. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, culture has become far more than entertainment. It has become a way to preserve identity, strengthen morale, carry memory and keep human connection alive. Across the country, artists, musicians and cultural workers continue to perform, create — and serve. Culture has put on camouflage. Concerts take place near the front line. Events have moved into bomb shelters. Cultural initiatives continue to reach both civilians and soldiers. Culture has become a safe haven: a collective memory of who people are, what they belong to and what is worth defending. At ODDference, Mykolai Sierga, Founder and Commanding Officer of the Ukrainian Cultural Forces, joins us for a fireside chat on how culture operates in times of war — and why this really matters. Because culture is not only about what nations create in times of comfort. It is also about what culture gives back when existential crises hit. Join us at ODDference, June 11–12 in Helsinki. Explore the full program through the link in the comments.

Museums are often thought of as places that preserve the past. But the most interesting museums today are doing something broader: enabling participation, shared experiences, public dialogue and new ways of making knowledge accessible. That is why this conversation belongs at ODDference: From Collecting to Connecting: Rethinking the Role of Museums On stage: – Irene Campolmi, Curator for Art, Technology and Society at Amos Rex – Elina Anttila, Director General at Suomen kansallismuseo - National Museum of Finland – Monika Keisala, Project Coordinator at Suomen museoliitto - Finnish Museums Association This fireside chat explores how museums can become stronger platforms for collaboration — connecting people, ideas, communities and different sectors of society. – How could businesses and museums work together to reach new audiences? – How could technology help museums create new forms of access and participation? – What kinds of partnerships could emerge when museums, companies, researchers and technologists work more closely together? If your work involves audiences, cultural relevance, partnerships or public engagement, this is a session worth attending. ODDference, June 11–12 in Helsinki. Tickets in the comments.

Creativity rarely emerges from sameness. Different backgrounds, identities, experiences and perspectives don’t just change conversations — they expand what ideas, solutions and creative outcomes become possible in the first place. That’s the starting point for this ODDference session: How Diversity Drives Creativity with Elina Sievänen, Karri “Paleface” Miettinen and Sonya Lindfors. Three people working across gaming, music, performing arts, activism and creative leadership from different creative and cultural contexts — exploring how diversity actually shapes creative processes and outcomes in practice. How do different perspectives influence the ideas people create? What kinds of blind spots emerge when everyone in the room sees the world similarly? And why do many of the most original cultural movements emerge when different worlds collide? The discussion explores why diversity is not only a social question, but often a source of more original ideas, perspectives and creative outcomes. See you at ODDference, June 11–12 in Helsinki. There's limited seats, secure yours now.

What really matters in the AI era when every organization can generate endless content and automate repetitive work? Taste. Judgment. Direction. The ability to decide what actually matters. As intelligent systems become part of everyday life, the more interesting question is no longer what AI can do. It’s what happens to humans, creativity and culture afterwards. ODDference’s Creative Futures track explores these questions through the perspectives of artists, technologists and futurists working at the intersection of humans and technology. Lauri Järvilehto will explore AI through the lens of music, philosophy and artistic creation at ODDference — using live human–AI collaboration, audience participation and musical experimentation to showcase what remains uniquely human in this era. Galit Ariel is a techno-futurist, author and immersive media artist exploring how emerging technologies reshape human behaviour, culture and identity — and how to navigate the growing friction between technological progress and human reality. Reidar Wasenius has been involved in nearly every major technology wave since the 1980s — from microcomputers to AI — and now explores how personal creativity and human agency evolve in the era of AI. Not AI hype. Not anti-AI panic. But deeper questions about what human creativity becomes in an AI-native world. If these questions matter to you too, join us at ODDference, June 11–12 in Helsinki. Tickets through the comments.