Awards and commendations

The City of Kuopio rewards distinguished individuals and groups annually on the anniversary of its founding, 17 November.

Special recognition awards given out by the City Board include

•  Kuopio medal
  •    Kuopio commendation
  •    City of Kuopio gold medal of distinction
  •    City of Kuopio silver medal of distinction
  •    Vuoden Ilmiö (phenomenon of the year) diploma
  •    Diplomas for exemplary individual or group performance

Further information: Internationality and PR Assistant Pirjo Kolari, tel. +358 44 718 2011, pirjo.kolari@kuopio.fi

Kuopio medal guideline

The Kuopio medal is awarded in recognition of significant special merits in the development of Kuopio, the safeguarding of Kuopio’s interests in national solutions, and the positive promotion of Kuopio at the national and international level.
The Kuopio medal can be awarded to a citizen of Finland or another country or to a community.
The aim is to give out the Kuopio medal or medals on the anniversary of the founding the City of Kuopio.
For justified reasons, more than one medal may be awarded in the same year.

The Kuopio medal is awarded by the City Board.

Recipients of the Kuopio medal

2022 Jukka Mönkkönen
Press release on the recognitions awarded by the City of Kuopio in 2022 (pdf, in Finnish)

2021 Lahti Ari
2018 Paronen Petteri
2018 Almila Atso
2016 Kähkönen Sirpa
2016 Tsetserskiy Ivan
2015 Hyvärinen Juha
2014 Pohjalainen Ritva-Liisa
2013 Vähälä Eija
2012 Vapaavuori Pekka
2011 Tuomisto Jouko
2010 Soininen Hilkka
2010 Panula Jorma
2009 Nerg Päivi
2008 Uotinen Jorma
2007 Laakso Markku
2006 Arkkipiispa Leo
2005 Kaipio Jari
2004 Kuopion Rouvasväen yhdistys ry
2004 Ylä-Herttuala Seppo
2003 Uusitupa Matti
2002 Lipponen Paavo
2002 Karjalainen Elina
2001 Kekäläinen Elina

Each year, the City of Kuopio awards the Security Award to a person or community who, by their own initiative, has improved safety or made an initiative that has led to an improvement in safety.

Actions to improve safety may include the prevention of vandalism and crime, the prevention of exclusion and violence, the prevention of substance abuse problems, or fixing environmental hazards that endanger safety. The award can be given out to anyone: a private person, a work community, an association, an organisation, or an authority.

The recipient of the Security Award is elected by a jury formed by the City of Kuopio’s multidisciplinary security working group. The secretary of the jury is the working group’s temporary secretary Tiina Nykky.

The award ceremony will be held in connection with the city’s anniversary event in November.

There will be a raffle for gift cards to the City of Kuopio’s cultural and sports services among people who suggested recipients for the award.

Read the rules for suggesting a recipient for the award (pdf, in Finnish)

Recipients of the Security Award

2022: Sirkkulanpuisto mobile preventative work project for intoxicant abuse
Press release on the 2022 recipient of the Security Award (in Finnish)

2021: Kuopion Ensikotiyhdistys ry, Miessakit ry, and Hyvä Mieli ry. Honourable mention for the Kuopio Covid-19 tracking team.

2020: Local branches of the Finnish Red Cross and the Savo-Karelia district of the Finnish Red Cross. Honourable mention for the Tukikohta parish.

2019: Pasi Jalava, and honourable mentions for SMPS Kuopion Järvipelastajat ry (local branch of Suomen Meripelastusseura sea rescue organisation) as well as Jukka Tapio Keränen and Anni Marin.

2018: Alko Oy Kuopio region employees. Honourable mentions to Setlementti Kuopio’s Girls’ House and the civilian helpers of the Kuopio bus accident.

2017: Volunteer pedestrian crossing guards. Honourable mentions to the Who Cares working group’s Marko Kilpi, Arto Tynkkynen, and Eero Wetzell.

2016: Setlementti Puijola. Honourable mentions to Enna Rissanen, a student who graduated from the Ingman College of Crafts and Design, for her work in promoting non-smoking.

2015: First aid team and psychological support team of the Kuopio branch of the Red Cross

2014: Organisers of afternoon activities in schools: Joint child work of the Evangelical Lutheran parishes in Kuopio, Kuopion Juniori-KalPa junior ice hockey team, Kuopio Christian comprehensive school, Kuopion Palloseura sports club’s junior support association, Kuopion Setlementti Puijola, Kuopion Steinerpedagogiikan kannatusyhdistys (support association for Steiner school), the City of Kuopio’ coordinators for afternoon activities in basic education

2013: Kallan Melojat ry

2012: Executive manager Pekka Matilainen / ViaDia Pohjois-Savo ry

Each year, sports clubs submit free-form proposals with justifications on the athletes and coaches to the Board for the Promotion of Wellbeing by 30 September.

The award ceremony will be held in connection with the city’s anniversary event in November.

Further information: Civic engagement expert Sirpa Niemi, tel. +358 44 718 2504, sirpa.niemi@kuopio.fi

Commendation rules (pdf, in Finnish)

The City of Kuopio gives out an annual Service Award. The award is given out in cooperation with the Kuopio Chamber of Commerce as part of the Best Service vote.

For more information on voting for the Best Service, see the website of the Kuopio Region Chamber of Commerce.

Each year, the City of Kuopio has given out a Service Award to a person or group who as excelled in customer service. Kuopio residents as well as people from elsewhere can suggest recipients for the Service Award.

The winner may be in the commercial sector, be employed by the city or another employer or participate in the activities of an association. The award may be based on an individual service event or good customer service throughout the year.

The recipient gets an itinerant trophy for a year.

Further information: Customer Manager Petri Kervola, +358 44 718 2062, petri.kervola@kuopio.fi

Recipients of the Service Award

2022 Old School Barber Xhoshki
2021 Bike Taksi Oy
2020 Savo-Karjalan Liha Oy
2019 Bike Taksi Oy
2018 Kuopio Animal Park
2017 SYKETTÄ – Kuopio higher education sports services
2016 Northern Savo TE services Messi and its staff
2015 Paul Staufenbiel, cinema Kuvakukko
2014 Market square supervisor Kari Laitinen, Mestar
2013 SAVONETTI ry IT association for senior citizens
2012 Savo Karjalan Liha Oy, entrepreneurs Jouko and Mari Koistinen and the company’s employees
2011 Fashion shop Henri and fashion shop Nina staff and founders Urkki and Maikki Keinänen
2010 Staff of mobile library Elina
2009 Village shop M. Kauhanen and pharmacist Mirja Hyvärinen
2008 Ismail Alaoui and Inga Angersaari
2007 Kanto workshops for young people
2006 Pikku-Pietarin Torikuja
2005 Veijo Savolainen, Torin Liha Ky
2004 Staff of the Jätekukko Oy recycling centre, Commendation: Arja Savolainen Savon Kauppapalvelut T:mi Elvi Martikainen
2003 Erkki Laitinen, Eija Leinonen
2002 Pali service transport drivers
2001 Hotel-Scandic reception
2000 TB service station in Männistö
1999 Lyömätön Kuopio project
1998 Kukkonen bakery, Kuopion Fotokellari
1997 Kurkimäki village association
1996 Peipposenrinne community centre, Katupäivystys
1995 Kasarmi education unit staff
1994 Airport bus driver Kalevi Kataja, patrol officers of the Kuopio police department

The Savonia Award for literature is given out annually as recognition to a Savonian writer for a major literary work published that year.

The award is given out by the Savonia Award panel appointed by the City Board. The panel includes Varpu Puskala as chair, Martti Ruokolainen as vice chair, and Matti Kaarlejärvi, Arja Kekoni, Risto Lappalainen, Aku Latvaniemi, Essi Löytynoja, Miika Raudaskoski, and Anna Vilkuna as members. The secretary is Johanna Oosi.

The panel selects the candidates using the method that best suits the situation at hand. The panel does not accept external recommendations or nominations.

The Savonia Award is 12,000 euros. The award is given out annually on 9 December. In 2023, the award is given out on 12 December, as the regular award date falls on a Saturday.

Further information: Secretary of the Savonia panel, library secretary Johanna Oosi, +358 44 718 2343, johanna.oosi@kuopio.fi.

A recording of the Savonia Award ceremony of the City of Kuopio on 9 December 2021 can be viewed in Finnish on Yle Areena: Savonia-kirjallisuuspalkinnon voittaja julkaistaan Kuopiossa | Yle Itä-Suomen videot

Recipients of the Savonia Award

2022 Oona Pohjolainen ja Adile Sevimli: Kärsimyskukkauuteaddiktio
2021 Sirpa Kähkönen: Vihreä Sali
2020 Petra Rautiainen: Tuhkaan piirretty maa
2019/2 JP Koskinen: Tulisiipi
2019/1 Heidi Jaatinen: Koski
2018 Asko Sahlberg: Amandan maailmat
2017 Virve Sammalkorpi: Paflagonian perilliset – Iax Agolaskyn päiväkirjan säästyneet sivut
2016 Karo Hämäläinen: Yksin
2015 Jouni Tossavainen: New Yorkin lentävä suomalainen
2014 Antti Heikkinen: Pihkatappi
2013 Pirjo Hassinen: Popula
2012 Marko Kilpi: Elävien kirjoihin
2011 Esko-Pekka Tiitinen: Kiven sylissä
2010 Jukka Itkonen: Laululinnun saarella
2009 Anna Krogerus: Kuin ensimmäistä päivää
2008 Markku Turunen: Löytötavara
2007 Marja-Leena Tiainen: Alex ja pelon aika
2006 Markku Pääskynen: Tämän maailman tärkeimmät asiat
2005 Ilpo Tiihonen: Largo
2004 Jorma Ranivaara: Upseerin parempi elämä
2003 Asko Sahlberg: Höyhen
2002 Aila Meriluoto: Mekko meni taululle
2001 Pekka Kejonen: Kevätpäiväntasaus
2000 Eira Mollberg: Vakuuslapset
1999 Sirpa Kähkönen: Mustat morsiamet
1998 Sari Mikkonen: Pakkasyön odottaja
1997 Inka Nousiainen: Kiinalaiset kengät
1995 Pirjo Hassinen: Ennustaja
1993 Kari Hotakainen: Buster Keaton, elämä ja teot
1990 Lassi Nummi: Requiem
1989 Jukka Parkkinen: Osakkeet nousussa Osku and Voittoa kotiin Osku
1988 Matti Rossi: Teko
1987 Eino Säisä: Afrikan tähti
1986 Elina Karjalainen: Tärisevä enkeli ja muita juttuja

Award rules and guideline
Award rules (pdf, in Finnish)
Award guideline (pdf, in Finnish)

The purpose of the grant is to provide a distinguished visual artist with a reasonable income and allow them to focus on creative work free from other employment. A grant requires the waiving of other full-time employment during the grant period.

When making the decision, other grants awarded to the applicant and other financial prerequisites will be taken into account. The grant can be awarded to a visual artist who has been registered as a resident in Kuopio on the first day of the year in which the grant is awarded. The grant is 7,400 euros.

Applications should primarily be submitted using the electronic application form.

Electronic application form http://asiointi.kuopio.fi/elomake3/tunnistaudu.php?lomake_id=2982

Printable grant application for visual artists (pdf, in Finnish)

The printed paper form is mailed to: Kuopion taidemuseo, Kauppakatu 35, 70100 Kuopio
Last approved stamp date 30 November.

Rules for the grant for visual artists and other instructions (pdf, in Finnish)

Further information:  Kuopio Art Museum director Anna Vilkuna, +358 44 718 2634, anna.vilkuna(at)kuopio.fi

The Juho Rissanen commendation (1,700 euros) is awarded annually as a recognition and incentive to a young Kuopio-based artist under the age of 35.

The Martti Merenmaa commendation is awarded annually to a writer from North Savo under the age of 35 who has demonstrated their literary skills. The commendation is 1,700 euros.