A Very Queer Christmas Market in Helsinki: HOMOTAIDE- MARKKINAT

Poster made by the Artist ©Eino Nurmisto

Queer Joy, Bold Art, and a Growing LGBTQ+ Business Ecosystem at HOMOTAIDEMARKKINAT

Helsinki may be wrapped in winter darkness in early December, but on the 5th, the Hobo Hotel was glowing with something far brighter than Christmas lights: queer creativity, community energy, and a thriving local LGBTQ+ business scene taking up well-deserved space. The new Christmas Edition of HOMOTAIDEMARKKINAT – The Queer Art Fair proved once again that Helsinki’s queer ecosystem isn’t just alive. It’s expanding, unapologetic, and ready for the global stage.

“The Queer Art Fair isn’t just an event. It’s a statement of presence, pride, and entrepreneurial power.”

A MARKET THAT FEELS LIKE HOME

The event on December 5th attracted the attention of the entire public.

The Fair gathered more than 20 queer artists and entrepreneurs and organized by Aleksis Kolmonen and Eino Nurmisto—two creative forces who clearly understand the cultural power of visibility. What started as a Pride Week project has already evolved into one of Helsinki’s most promising queer initiatives, and this new edition only solidified that momentum.

The Queer Christmas market or The Queer Art Fair format gave the event an intimate, playful energy. You could wander from ceramics to illustrations, from queer literature to homoerotic photography, from postcards, tiny sculptures to bold graphic design—all created by LGBTQ+ artists shaping a culture that’s both local and deeply universal.

Small sculptures made by the artist Makla Laine and presented last December 5th at HOMOTAIDEMARKKINAT

“In every piece of queer art there’s a lived story, a point of view, and a reminder that our creativity moves economies.”

A VIBRANT QUEER ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM

©QueerlandMedia

One thing was clear: this Fair is not just about selling art. It’s about building a sustainable “QUEER BUSINESS” ecosystem in Finland. It’s about connection, visibility, and the simple but powerful act of choosing to support LGBTQ+ creators directly. You can read more about one of our previous articles here at Queerland Media about: Queer Business Ecosystem in Finland.

Visitors like Johanna, who attended with her husband, summed it up perfectly:

“I think it’s great that there’s a market focused on the LGBTQ+ community and that it’s part of a broader program of activities in the city, to further promote equality in Helsinki—especially for small queer entrepreneurs.”

That’s the magic: a space where creativity and community meet a growing economic movement.

THE ARTISTS AT THE HEART OF IT

Some of the artists featured at the recent HOMOTAIDEMARKKINAT – The Queer Art Fair at Hobo Helsinki. Explore their work on social media, follow them, support them, and help fuel the creative economy that keeps our LGBTQ+ community thriving.

Among the talented Queer Artists who shaped this edition were: Aatos Juho Saari, Kristoffer Ala-Ketola, Joakim Juvelen with Ugly Monsters, Jussi Ulkuniemi, Eino Nurmisto, Flame Soot, Helmi Padatsu, Mikko Rasila with Make Gay Great Again, Piiti Blomqvist, Frans Paldanius, Kissing Booth, Kallion Perhonen, Horopiiri X Jannika, Femidistro, Säde Rinne, Moe Mustafa, Jalo Mäntylä, Peter Juhan, Homokortti, Tristor Blue, Tero Puha, Patrik Polvi, Viljami Nissi, Thunderdog Tattoo, Makyla Laine, Jani Lamminmäki, Onerva Söderholm, Aleksi Kolmonen.

Promotional video of the homotaidemarkkinat event featuring Finnish queer artists promoting their work at HOMOTAIDEMARKKINAT, which took place in Helsinki on December 5, 2025, at the Hobo Hotel in Helsinki.

Each booth was an open invitation to talk, connect, and understand the story behind the work—because queer art is never just decoration. It’s voice, presence, and lived experience.

Art in Photography by Finnish Artist Jussi Ulkuniemi

WHY QUEER CHRISTMAS MARKETS MATTER

@TristorBlue

Queer Christmas markets are more than festive shopping. They create emotional safety, cultural visibility, and economic opportunities that often don’t exist in traditional holiday settings. They give the LGBTQ+ community a place to gather, to breathe, to celebrate, and to be fully seen.

They matter because:
• They create safer, welcoming holiday spaces.
• They offer vital visibility for queer creators.
• They strengthen the local LGBTQ+ economy.
• They mix celebration with culture, activism, and pride.
• They normalize inclusion within broader society.

“When queer people thrive in business, creativity, and community, the whole city gets stronger.”

A VENUE THAT EMBRACES COMMUNITY

©HotelHoboHelsinki

The Hobo Hotel was the perfect home for this edition. After serving as Helsinki’s official Pride House last June, the hotel has become a known hub for queer-friendly events. At Hobo, you don’t just show up—you belong.

CLOSING THOUGHT

But beyond the smiles, the music, and the festive sparkle, HOMOTAIDEMARKKINAT represents something bigger. Queer Christmas markets matter because they are acts of inclusion, joy, and resilience. They offer safer spaces, raise queer visibility, support local artists, normalize queer presence in public life, and reinforce the idea that parties belong to everyone.

In the end, the Queer Art Fair wasn't just a market. It was a reminder that queer creativity thrives on community, collaboration, and the courage to be proudly visible. And if the energy of this year's edition is any indication, the queer business and art ecosystem in Helsinki, as well as in the rest of the country, is growing.