in English
Office hours:
Tue - Wed 11:00 - 17:00
Thu - Fri 09:00 - 15:00
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The Student Theatre of Oulu (OYT) has an office on the second floor of Cultural Centre Valve. Most of our theatre productions, events and courses are held in Valvenäyttämö, the second floor small stage at Valve.
You can find Valve accessibility information here.
WHAT'S ON?
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CAMPUS AS A STAGE
The Student Theatre of Oulu (OYT) is taking part in the University of Oulu’s 2026 culture capital project Campus as a Stage!
Campus as a Stage is an all-year spanning project, bringing cultural events to the university and showcasing the breadth of artistic skill in the community. Campus as a Stage is part of the official Oulu 2026 culture capital programme.
Read more about OYT's Campus as a Stage programme here!
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About the Student Theatre of Oulu
The Student Theatre of Oulu (OYT) was founded in 1963 by a group of students. OYT is part of the Student Societies of the Student Union of the University of Oulu (OYY). Nowadays student status is not a requirement for OYT membership.
OYT has produced various different kinds of plays throughout its history, ranging from horror to children's plays. OYT produces approximately 4 plays a year. We also organize courses, events and parties for our members, and often collaborate with various different organizations in the Oulu cultural field.
The Student Theatre of Oulu is a registered nonprofit amateur theatre association. The annual membership fee is 15 €.
What can you do at the Student Theatre of Oulu?
If you want to act, direct or write, OYT is the place for you. OYT also needs people who are interested in graphic design, sound and light technics, costume design, make-up design, set design etc. OYT is a theatre where you can easily try new things and express yourself.
If you'd like to direct a play, please send us a written play proposal! It doesn't matter whether you have prior experience or not. The play proposals should include a directing plan, a budget proposal and a script. The board of OYT chooses the plays that will be produced. For more information, please contact the office.
How to join?
The Student Theatre of Oulu takes new members every autumn through a theatre production called Tuoretiski. Tuoretiski productions are tailored for people who are interested in joining OYT, and they are very similar in production to OYT's regular plays. A Tuoretiski play is normally a slightly shorter play, with fewer shows than a regular prodution.
You do not have to apply for membership after participating in a Tuoretiski prodution, so if you simply wish to try your hand at a theatre production, Tuoretiski is for you! Either way, we expect full commitment to the production from all participants.
If you are interested in joining OYT and the next autumn seems too far away, you can also try to join one of OYT's other theatre productions. But please be aware that in OYT's regular productions, the members of OYT are first in line in the casting.
All casting calls are posted on our website and our social media channels. Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram to receive updates on our activities!
Please note that the majority of plays in OYT are in Finnish, and the acting roles require a high level of fluency in Finnish. Roles off-stage, such as technician, graphic designer etc, do not require Finnish skills. Please also note that you must be 18 years of age or older in order to join OYT or participate in OYT's activities.
OYT's improvisational theatre group Impronium holds free, open-for-all improv jam sessions a few times a month, and some of them are held fully in English. You can apply for OYT membership after you have participated in 10 improv jam sessions. For the next improv jam session dates, please check here.
Membership
There are two levels to membership perks at OYT: regular membership and active membership. Active members get more annual membership perks. You must pay your annual membership fee in order to participate in OYT's internal activities, to be eligible to the membership perks, and to maintain your membership.
Regular membership perks are as follows:
- Access to the members-only Facebook group, Whatsapp group and mailing list
- First in line to casting in regular productions (not Tuoretiski)
- 50% discount to OYT's course fees
- First in line to course enrollment
- Free or very cheap transportation to the annual Student Theatre Festival
- Eligibility to vote for the board members in the autumn election
- Eligibility to become a board member through election
- The members of OYT are insured against occupational injuries when participating in OYT's activities
Active members get all the regular membership perks, as well as the additional activity perks:
- Free or discounted entry to the plays of OYT
- Free or discounted entry to the Puppet Theatre Akseli Klonk's plays (festival performances not included)
- Tickets to the Oulu Theatre plays at a discount (guest performances and musicals not included)
- Tickets to the Oulun Työväen Näyttämö theatre plays at a discount
- Tickets to SYTY theatres' plays at a discount
In order to be eligible to the activity perks, you must collect 3 activity points by participating in OYT's activities. The points you collect in a year count for the next year's membership level. For example, members who have collected 3 activity points in the year 2025 are eligible to the activity perks during the year 2026.
If you have collected enough activity points in the previous year, you must come visit the office after you have paid the annual membership fee, to receive a stamp in your membership card. This acts as proof of your active membership status for the year. If you are unsure how many activity points you have collected, please contact the office.
Please find the listing of tasks which accrue you activity points below:
THE STUDENT THEATRE OF OULU'S SAFE SPACE DECLARATION
OYT is committed to treating everyone equally, regardless of a person’s gender, age, ethnic origin, religion or belief, opinion, health status, disability or sexual orientation.
Everyone has the right to participate in activities here without being subjected to harassment, bullying, offensive language or violence.
It is completely normal if different people make you nervous. You don’t have to like everyone, but you do have to get along with everyone; It is essential in creating successful theatre productions and building a positive theatre community. Simply declaring yourself a safe space is not enough - everyone must do their part and also think about their own behavior.
Instructions for participating in OYT activities:
- If you are not sure if you are allowed to do something, ask first, and if you are not allowed to, don’t do it.
- If you are not sure whether you have offended someone, ask about it and apologize if necessary.
- If someone asks you to leave or leave them alone, do so and do not be indignant.
- If you encounter inappropriate behavior, feel free to discuss the matter with the harasser, the event organizer/director/board representative or the OYT board.
- Flagrant misconduct will be reported directly to the police. Harassment, violation of personal integrity or violence are not things to be laughed at or "solved by your own group".
- If you feel that following these rules is overwhelmingly difficult, seek help for your problems and stay away from situations where you do not know how to behave appropriately.
At Oulu Student Theatre, it is important for us to maintain an absolute zero tolerance for bullying, harassment and violence, and each production has a board representative who is a discussion link between the production's cast and crew and the board of OYT. The task of the board representative is to listen confidentially and, if necessary, forward problematic situations to the board and clarify the matter among the cast and crew members as the voice of the board. The matters you tell the board representative are completely confidential, and they will not pass things on if you do not wish for them to do so. If necessary, the board representative will discuss the matter anonymously, if you so wish. Any member of the board, as well as the director and producer of the play, are also obliged to clarify problematic situations and forward matters to the board.
The board representative will introduce themselves and give their contact information to each cast and crew at the beginning of the production, but if necessary, you can also contact the board's harassment contact person Ruska or Aleksi, whose contact information is available from the office. In matters requiring urgent clarification, call the administrative secretary at the office's telephone number 044 558 4756, who will forward the matter to the harassment contact person. (Please note that the office's telephone is only answered during office opening hours.) If necessary, the board representative will also provide the harassment contact person's telephone number.
See also Univeristy of Oulu's Student Union's Principles of safer space.
Contact information
Oulun Ylioppilasteatteri office
Hallituskatu 7
90100 Oulu
FINLAND
044 558 4756
oyt(a)oulunylioppilasteatteri.fi