Events For grantees Peer mentoring programme 2026: Kick-off workshop Date 23.02.2026 Time 13:00 - 16:00 Location Lauttasaari Manor Address Otavantie 10, 00200 Helsinki Register for the event Do you need sparring partners with whom you could discuss various work-related issues? Have you ever considered how best to plan your work? Where do you get support when you are low on motivation? How do you balance work and leisure time, and how do you know what is sufficient? Do you need support with leading your project? In the grantees’ peer mentoring programme, organised by Kone Foundation, participants work in groups on jointly agreed topics and within a jointly established schedule. The new mentoring season will kick off on Monday, 23 February from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lauttasaari Manor. During previous years, the peer mentoring groups have received support for, among other things, project management, self-management, advancing practical work, combining art and research, balancing work and leisure time, and coping with uncertainty. According to studies, support from peers and colleagues enhances the well-being of both artists and researchers. Peer mentoring provides you encouragement and support for your work and the possibility to share your experiences and insights with others – with a low threshold, as an equal discussion partner. Please note that the primary focus of the mentoring is not to assess questions directly related to the content of your research but on broader pre-selected themes. About the mentoring process in 2026 The peer mentoring programme is intended for all Kone Foundation grant recipients and members of projects funded by the Foundation. We encourage also the responsible persons of the projects and project leaders to join. Mentoring takes place in groups of 3–5 people, and the aim is to form the groups in such a way that the members share similar questions and hopes. You do not need to know anything about peer mentoring in advance – it’s enough that your work is supported by the Foundation, you are interested in the topic and want to achieve meaningful development in your work. The mentoring process will continue until the end of September. Shared meetings consist of a joint kick-off meeting, a voluntary sparring meetings for each group, and a joint final meeting. Between the shared meetings, the groups work independently and meet about once a month. Please mark the dates of the shared meetings in your calendar already at this stage! Forming the mentoring groups The themed peer-mentoring groups are formed by the organiser based on participants’ needs, preferences, and interests. Please let us know on the registration form what topics you would like to address in your group! Please note that groups are not formed according to academic or artistic discipline. We aim to facilitate encounters across fields, and therefore the groups will be assembled to include participants from different disciplines. Programme schedule: Kick-off workshop on Monday 23 February, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Lauttasaari Manor (joint meeting, attendance mandatory) Sparring meetings on Tuesday 26 and Thursday 28 May from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Zoom (a voluntary Zoom meeting for each group according to the groups’ needs, 60 min/group) Final meeting on Monday 28 September, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Lauttasaari Manor (joint meeting) We strongly recommend that every person participating in the programme attends the kick-off workshop. Between the shared meetings, the groups work independently and agree on their schedules. The language of the joint meetings is English. The language to be used in the groups is determined by the wishes of the participants as well as the themes (English or Finnish; Finnish can be used, if everyone in the group speaks Finnish). Kick-off workshop programme The goal for the workshop is to get to know your own mentoring group and learn some mentoring know-how. We will discuss what kind of support each member needs in their own work, encouraging and supporting your group members’ development, and how to create a trusting atmosphere within the group. The peer mentoring programme is led by coach and trainer Minna-Rosa Kanniainen, who has several years of experience in mentoring programmes and training new mentors. The programme can take 60 participants. SIGN UP FOR PEER MENTORING HERE. Please sign up by 8 February. Our events are discrimination-free, with zero tolerance for racism, sexism, discrimination based on disability or health status (ableism), transphobia and homophobia in their broader meaning.