Fóram Idirnáisiúnta ar Thaighde Ealaíonta 2026
An 17ú Comhdháil de chuid Chumann na Taighde Ealaíonta (SAR)
Submission Number: 9
Submission ID: 33
Submission UUID: 390a56ee-9d7a-4a79-bd17-c43ff9b26cd7

Cruthaithe: Sun, 18 Jan 2026 - 16:53
Déanta: Sun, 18 Jan 2026 - 17:45
Changed: Wed, 13 May 2026 - 08:12

Remote IP address: 87.92.235.17
Submitted by: Emmi Kujanpää
Teanga: English

Is draft: Níl
Current page: webform_confirmation
Given name Emmi
Surname Kujanpää
Email emmi.kujanpaa@helsinki.fi
I understand that by submitting this form, I consent to the use of my data for the purposes of the 2026 Forum on Artistic Research'. Tá
I agree to the terms of service. Tá
Title Applying Intersectional Feminist Pedagogy in a Transnational Folk Singing Collaboration in Finland and Bulgaria 2018–2022
Format Project presentation
Main language English
Abstract My presentation explores the implementation of intersectional feminist pedagogy to artistic practice in collaboration between Finnish and Bulgarian female folk singers in 2018–2022.

The research material of the presentation consists of a music video trilogy (2019–2022) based on my solo album Nani (2020) and ethnographic interviews. Both the artistic and the ethnographic research data were produced in collaboration with singers from the Bulgarian Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares choir.

In this study, intersectional feminist pedagogy was applied to transnational folk singing collaboration by paying particular attention to power relations arising from economic inequalities. The research also analyses the roles and opportunities of women folk musicians both within the European folk music field and more broadly in society. The study suggests that considering intersectional feminist perspectives can both support transnational artistic collaboration and strengthen musicians’ agency. Accordingly, the research emphasises the importance of considering gender perspectives more widely in EU cultural policy-making.

This presentation highlights especially the artistic practices related to the Finnish, Karelian and Bulgarian languages throughout the project, as well as the ethical issues surrounding the endangered Karelian language.

KEYWORDS: feminist folk music composition, Finno-Karelian folk singing, Bulgarian folk singing, transnationalism, intersectional feminist pedagogy
Link to the Exposition https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/2038366/2038367
Image Emmi Kujanpaa Photo Venla Helenius.jpg
Short biographies of the presenter(s)
  • Emmi Kujanpää is a researcher-artist based in Helsinki. She is a folk singer, kantele player and composer specialising in Finno-Karelian and Bulgarian folk music. Kujanpää studied at the Sibelius Academy (MMus., Folk music, 2011), the University of Helsinki (M.A., Musicology / Educational studies, 2017) and the Plovdiv Academy of Music in Bulgaria (Folk music, Erasmus studies). Her current PhD research at the University of Helsinki (2021–) explores the activist agency and the experiences of gender in transnational European contemporary folk singing. Kujanpää works as a part-time lecturer at the University of Helsinki, teaching on Balkan music and politics, and at the Käpylä Music Institute where she teaches folk singing and kantele playing.
Previous presentations or iterations of the research 28.2.2026 Sibelius-Academy, 7th Folk Mu­sic Re­searchers’ Sym­po­sium.

In my presentation at the International Forum on Artistic Research in June 2026, I will highlight the artistic practices related to the languages used in the project, as well as the ethical issues surrounding them.

The Sibelius Academy's presentation in February 2026 focuses on the cultural sustainability of European societies in the context of the project's artistic practice.
Additional information Powerpoint presentation, which includes music video material.
Spatial and technical requirements
Potential risks or ethical concerns There are no ethical risks associated with the presentation.
Create a user account for SAR 2026 Tá
Create new user Emmi Kujanpää
Fóram Idirnáisiúnta ar Thaighde Ealaíonta 2026
An 17ú Comhdháil de chuid Chumann na Taighde Ealaíonta (SAR)

Welcome to SAR 2026

Endangered Conceptual Worlds

The 2026 International Forum on Artistic Research takes place from 23 to 26 June 2026. Hosted by the University of Galway on the Atlantic coast of Ireland, the Forum addresses the challenges of Endangered Conceptual Worlds. As the 17th annual conference of the Society for Artistic Research it is the largest conference on practice-based research within and through the arts, bringing together more than 300 international participants: leading practitioners, scholars and policymakers from the entire range of arts-based disciplines.

Read More →

Stay informed - subscribe to our newsletter.
Manage existing
Powered by Drupal

Slightly extended deadline for submissions

The 2026 Forum on Artistic Research website has been inaccessible for several hours on Friday night and Saturday morning. Unfortunately, an update to the web server was scheduled to take place, which automatically activated maintenance mode and prevented any work on the submissions during the night and the next morning. We have therefore decided to slightly extend the deadline for submissions to Monday 2 March 2026 at 23:59 GMT. Feel free to work on your proposals until then.