Academic year 2025-26
August 18th 2025 – May 23rd 2026
Application period
Application for the academic year 2025-26
opens 1.2.2025
Do you dream of becoming an actor? Do you want to focus on developing your skills for a full year?
Then a year at Nyland’s theater line is for you! The program is a collaboration between Borgå folkakademi and Västra Nyland folkhögskola. The teaching primarily takes place in central Helsinki, where the program is based. Parts of the program take place in Karis and Borgå.
Both VNF and Akan have extensive experience in theater education. We’ve gathered the best parts to offer something unique for Swedish-speaking Finland!
The studies at Nyland’s theater line are aimed at people of all ages who want to deepen their knowledge in performing arts and also at those who want to develop completely new skills. The program is designed so that you get a broad education in various parts of acting and other parts of the performing arts. You can use this study program as a springboard for further studies in, for example, theatre, film acting and musical theatre.
During the academic year, you will develop your knowledge and skills mainly in theatre, but also dance and singing in a safe environment under the guidance of professionally experienced teachers and instructors from the field. The studies consist of a basic course in acting as well as workshops and longer modules in other subjects.
At the end of each semester, we will work on a larger production. We stage the autumn semester’s production at Grand in Borgå. This spring’s production is played on TryckeriTeatern’s stage in the cultural center Fokus in Karis.
In the studies, we learn from professionals in the industry. The topics we cover include improvisation, physical theatre, text work, comedy, musical theater and film acting. In addition to this, we invite specialized workshop teachers who work in different parts of the theater industry.
Our students also get the opportunity to participate in various kinds of productions from film and theater to other forms of performing arts. We have a good collaboration with several large and small theaters in Helsinki. These collaborations give you the opportunity to experience performances and to meet the actors, both on and behind the stage.
The studies are full-time (25 hours/week)
From August to February, the teaching primarily takes place in Helsinki. From March to May, it moves to Karis, at VNF and TryckeriTeatern.
Goals for the education
- To develop as an actor, dancer and singer
- To gain a stronger self-awareness and self-confidence on stage
- To increase their knowledge of the theater industry, and make new contacts
- Find security in various forms of stage expression
Contact and further information
Programme Director:
Martin Paul | Phone +358 (0)40 722 3925 | martin.paul@akan.fi
Place:
- The teaching is primarily based in central Helsinki (Annegatan 26).
- The fall semester’s final production is performed at Grand in Borgå.
- During the spring semester (March–May), studies take place at VNF in Karis, where the main spring production is staged at TryckeriTeatern.
Language of instruction:
The program is taught in Swedish and also Finnish. Some lessons are also taught in English, based on the teacher and the students. We are happy to take students from other Nordic countries and from other countries. Everyone is welcome!
Study fees:
400 €/month including teaching, lunch & afternoon coffee
(The fees apply to the academic year 2025-26)
Accomodation:
If you need accommodation, you can board in the school’s dormitory connected to the school in Porvoo (Borgå folkakademi Runeberginkatu 16-18, Porvoo). You are responsible for the travel costs between Porvoo and Helsinki.
Cost 200 €/month in a shared double room or 260 €/month for a single room, including breakfast Monday-Friday and supper Monday-Thursday. Further information about accommodation and costs can be found here.
During the study period in Karis, accommodation is arranged at VNF’s dormitory. Read more here.
Application periods and entrance exams:
First application period: 1.2–30.4.2025 (entrance exam is arranged 5.5)
Second application period: 6.5–3.8.2025 (entrance exam is arranged in the beginning of August).
Note the following:
- Everyone who applies for the course will be asked to attend an entrance exam.
- It is also possible to be admitted in other ways, if for some reason you are prevented from taking the entrance exam.
The studies
The school year is split up into five main modules:
- The work of the actor
- Body and communication
- Text analysis
- Improvisation
- Movement
- Scene studies
- Speech technique
- Direction
- Physical theatre
- The fundamentals of physical theatre
- Acrobatics
- Dance theatre
- Mask and mime
- Stage combat
- Devising
- Improvisation
- Musical theatre
- Musical theatre
- Music theory and note reading
- The history of musicals
- Singing and expression
- Choir and harmony
- Audition technique
- Movie acting
- Movie acting (in the class room)
- Camera work (in front of the camera)
- Script work
- Post work (editing and directing)
- Voice acting and dubbing
- Casting workshops
- Production
- Text work
- Repetition process
- Role work
- Work with the director
- Performance work
- Ensemble
Extent
The studies are generally full-time folk high school studies, 25×45 min per week.
We withhold the right to change the contents and offers in our courses and educational programmes.
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