ABOUT US

Sideways is an enchanting, three-day festival that opens the Helsinki festival summer with a special and surprising twist. Every year, the event features an unpredictable and surprising music line-up, diverse and fun side shows, and high-quality food and drinks. At Sideways, you can experience the best of Helsinki in one weekend!
 

Over three days, Sideways hosts performances by dozens of artists, along with a wide range of other activities. In addition to the concerts experienced outdoors and in the depths of the ice hall, Sideways has offered festival-goers for example immersive house parties, Japanese arcade games, karaoke, arts and crafts, quizzes, and much more.  

Since 2018, our venue has been the urban and gritty Nordis, which turns into a cozy festival area created around the Nordenskiöldinkatu Ice Hall in Töölö. When the music stops on the outdoor stages, the program continues into the early hours of the morning inside the ice hall.   

It is particularly important to us that our visitors feel comfortable in our festival area, and that's exactly how we want to keep Sideways: as a medium-sized and grand-feeling festival where the service is smooth, and every visitor can spend a relaxed and memorable festival with old and new friends.    

Welcome to Sideways! 

Sideways aims to be a fully equal festival and we welcome every visitor to the event as they are.  

We are committed to promoting the principles of equality, environmental and social responsibility, equity, and safety, which effect the event production, recruitment, staff training, and program planning. We require commitment to these same values from the event's staff, performers, partners, and subcontractors.  

EQUALITY

- Sideways acknowledges the diversity of individuals and treats everyone equally regardless of factors such as ethnic background, gender, sexual orientation, or religion.
- Every Sideways employee, partner, and subcontractor signs a contract committing to these values.
- In booking the Sideways program, we strive to promote equality in the music and event industry by considering a diverse range of factors in the lineup.
- In Sideways communication, people are not categorized by gender: we have only artists, not male or female artists.
- At Sideways, every festival-goer is equally valued. There are no VIP tickets for sale, and money cannot buy a better festival experience.
- Sideways toilets are unisex.
- Accessibility is emphasized in every stage of production. The entire festival area is built to be as accessible as possible, and partners are expected to prepare for accessibility in production and customer service.
- Sideways is involved in the Equal Music Industry project, through which we are committed to making an equality plan and adhering to it.  
 


ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

- We are aware that organizing a festival burdens the environment, but we do our best to minimize this burden.
- We focus on recycling and reusing materials.
- We responsibly comply with official regulations and Finnish legislation concerning event organization and its environmental impact and social responsibility.
- We use the EcoCompass environmental program as a support for environmental work, for which we received certification in 2019.
- All food served to the audience, staff, or artists at Sideways is vegetarian or vegan.  
 


SAFETY

Sideways is organized with strong professionalism and experience, and quality and safety are not compromised at any stage of production. We also focus on cleanliness and health safety.

Sideways respects the physical integrity of every festival-goer and performer and takes care of each other.

Violence and offensive speech are never tolerated at Sideways, and offensive behavior is addressed immediately.

We follow the safer space principle at Sideways. Everyone has the right to participate in the event as themselves and feel safe as themselves. The principles of safer space are formulated by the UN, and we recommend familiarizing yourself with them in advance at: https://www.una.fi/turvallinen-tila

Event staff and security guards are instructed to pay special attention to promoting integrity and non-discrimination.   

Together, we create an event where everyone is welcome as themselves, and where it is safe and good to be!   

As a volunteer, you will help organise a successful and memorable festival, with tasks ranging from wristband exchange to preparing the festival area, guiding guests, unloading and photography. You'll also get to see what goes on behind the scenes, gain valuable work experience and meet new people.

Read more about volunteer tasks and how to apply here: https://www.tiketti.fi/sideways-2024-volunteers-en-akkreditointi/1915483

We will be reviewing applications throughout the application period and filling positions as soon as suitable candidates are found. The application form is open until May or until all positions are filled.

The application period for internships for the 2024 festival has ended.