AGP Executive Report

Finnish Metal: Lost Society frontman Samy Elbanna says the only Children of Bodom shows he knows about are the already announced 2027 festival dates. Finnish bands Sara and Dawn of Solace have also announced new albums, with Sara releasing a track and Dawn of Solace sharing its title song. Nordic Folk: Wardruna has released “Helvegen II,” a new recording of its signature song shaped by years of performances and fan connection. Finnish Gaming: Two-person studio Fake Moon’s new co-op game, Totally Safe Moon Project, is out on Steam, challenging players to build—and climb—a tower to the Moon. National Culture: Finnish nature will be the theme of this year’s Independence Day gala.

Finnish Music: Alternative band Sara has announced a new album and released a track, while Dawn of Solace has unveiled its album Skeletons with a video for the title song. Media: Finland’s news agency STT will end its news services in 2027, closing a 139-year chapter in Finnish journalism. Live Music: Carlos Santana’s 2027 global tour will include Finland, alongside dates across Europe and North Africa. Books: Finnish author Enni Amanda’s romantic comedy The Holiday Grump earned a recommendation on NBC’s TODAY, drawing a sales surge and publishing deals in Finland and the UK. Visual Arts: Finnish artist Emma Sarpaniemi’s self-portraits are drawing attention for the emotions they evoke.

Finnish Metal: Lost Society frontman Samy Elbanna praised Finland’s orchestral Children of Bodom showcase as a standout moment for the country’s music scene. He also says the upcoming Children of Bodom performances can fit around Lost Society’s schedule. New Music: Finnish symphonic metal band Rose Heaven have released “Tales For Us,” a heavier, progressive preview of their album due in February 2027. Live Music: Carlos Santana’s 2027 European tour will include Finland, alongside dates in Norway and several other countries. Finnish Film: A new documentary, Minä ja Riikka Purra, follows filmmaker Liisa Akimof’s effort to understand the Finns Party and its leader; a review says it reveals little beyond a rare emotional moment. Media: News agency STT plans to end its news and photo services in March 2027 after 139 years, with 89 jobs expected to go.

Finnish Art: Helsinki-based artist Tuomas Laitinen’s Siphon brings octopus-inspired projections, glass forms and immersive sound to New York’s Pioneer Works. Eurovision: Finland’s Yle is among 36 broadcasters confirmed for the 2027 contest in Bulgaria, set for May 11–15. Finnish Media: News agency STT will end its news and photo services on March 31, 2027, with 89 jobs expected to go; its press-release service will continue. Hockey: The NHL’s European slate includes two Finland games next month, with the Carolina Hurricanes facing the Seattle Kraken. Music: Finnish punk-rock pioneer Gary Heffern has died at 72.

Children of Bodom: Finnish singer Samy Elbanna says the focus is celebrating Alexi Laiho’s songs, not making new music, pointing to an orchestral performance as proof their melodies endure. Metal Farewell: Ministry has set its final concert for October 30, 2027, at California’s Kia Forum; the band’s last album is due out a year earlier. Eurovision 2027: Finland’s Yle is among 36 broadcasters confirmed for next year’s contest in Bulgaria, set for May 11–15. Finnish Media: MTV Oy has adopted QuickLink StudioEdge to bring remote guests into its live shows through platforms including Zoom and Teams. Punk Legacy: Finnish-born musician Gary Heffern, a punk-rock pioneer whose influence reached beyond Finland, has died at 72. TV Hit: Finland’s round-the-clock puppy cam has drawn millions of viewers, becoming an unlikely public-broadcasting success.

Eurovision 2027: Finland’s Yle is among 36 broadcasters listed for next year’s contest in Burgas, Bulgaria. Canada will make its debut, while North Macedonia returns. Film in Finland: Filipino drama Buddy, starring Michael de Mesa, follows a retired seaman travelling to Finland to reconnect with his estranged children. The film explores the emotional cost of years spent working abroad. Finnish Film Projects: Director Mikko Myllylahti’s Mystery of the Autumn Killer has been selected for the Les Arcs Coproduction Village. Visual Arts: Finnish artist Emma Sarpaniemi’s self-portraits are drawing attention for their emotional impact. Music: Finnish-born punk pioneer Gary Heffern, whose influence reached far beyond his home country, has died at 72. TV: Finland’s round-the-clock puppy show has become a hit, attracting millions of viewers.

Film: Filipino drama Buddy, unveiled in a premiere on Oct. 27, follows a retired seaman who travels to Finland to reconnect with his estranged children—and asks whether financial sacrifice can make up for years of absence. Music: Finnish punk-rock pioneer Gary Heffern has died at 72. Heavy-metal veterans Saxon have also released “Medusa,” ahead of a Helsinki show at Kulttuuritalo on March 6, 2027. Visual Arts: Finnish artist Emma Sarpaniemi’s self-portraits are drawing attention for the emotions they evoke. TV: Finland’s round-the-clock puppy livestream has become a hit, attracting millions of viewers.

Music: Gary Heffern, the Finnish-based punk pioneer whose performances inspired musicians including Eddie Vedder, has died at 72. Heffern led San Diego band The Penetrators before moving to Finland. Finnish Art: Photographer Emma Sarpaniemi’s playful self-portraits explore identity, femininity and gender roles. She says their colour and humour can offer comfort amid troubled times. Metal Scene: Finnish band Crownshift has named Kevin Apostol its new bassist, ahead of a single due October 29. Beast in Black has released the power ballad “Lost Children,” while Saxon’s newly announced Helsinki show is set for March 2027. TV: Finland’s round-the-clock puppy livestream has become a hit, drawing millions of viewers.

Royal Visit: Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie are in Finland this week, with stops celebrating Finnish art and culture. Edward is due in Oulu to visit the Kuuttare Garden media-art exhibition. Online Culture: Menacing Cat in the Hat videos have spread to Finland, prompting concern among children and calls to police, who found no costumed figure. Live Music: Bruce Dickinson’s 2027 European tour includes a Helsinki show at Black Box Jäähalli on November 12. Finnish drummer Kai Hahto also says his reunited band Misantropia is discussing recording songs that were never officially captured. Finnish Arts: Helsinki-born museum director Janne Sirén is leaving Buffalo’s AKG Art Museum, reflecting on his years leading the institution and its community-focused work.

Royal Visit: The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh began a three-day visit to Finland, with stops in Helsinki and Oulu. Prince Edward is set to visit the Kuuttare Garden media art exhibition. Finnish TV: A round-the-clock puppy livestream has become a hit for Finland’s public broadcaster, drawing millions of viewers. Series Spotlight: Finnish project Dangerous Woman, to be directed by Zaida Bergroth, received an honorable mention at Barcelona’s Serielizados industry pitch. Music: Gary Heffern, frontman of San Diego punk band The Penetrators, has died at 72 at his home in Rovaniemi, days after the band’s induction into the San Diego Music Hall of Fame.

TV: Finland’s MTV Oy has acquired the Irish comedy-drama The Walsh Sisters, which will also stream on Disney+ in the UK after its BBC run. Viral Viewing: Finland’s round-the-clock puppy livestream has become a TV hit, drawing millions of viewers to its slow-TV charm. Finnish Drama: Laura Birn will lead Disqualified, a sports-doping thriller series from Banijay Finland and journalist Johanna Aatsalo. Film: Production has wrapped on Juho Kuosmanen’s Dream Come True, while one critic has hailed Lapin sota as Finland’s best war film. Music: Nightwish and Floor Jansen are parting ways, marking a new chapter for the Finnish metal band.

Music: Finnish metal giants Nightwish and vocalist Floor Jansen have parted ways after 14 years. The band plans a new album in 2027, while Jansen’s solo album is due in January. Screen: Finnish director Juho Kuosmanen’s new film, Dream Come True, has wrapped production across Europe, with sales company Charades on board. TV: Finland’s all-day puppy livestream has become a hit, attracting millions of viewers. Heritage: A preservation effort is underway to save the Tom of Finland House. Live Music: Footage has surfaced of Blaze Bayley performing an Iron Maiden-era set; he is booked for Kaaos Festival in Vaasa next July.

Television: Finland’s all-day puppy livestream has become a hit, drawing millions of viewers to the public broadcaster’s slow-TV experiment. Cultural Heritage: A new report spotlights efforts to save the Tom of Finland House, a landmark of the artist’s legacy. Music: Finnish punk pioneer Gary Heffern has died at 72. Elsewhere, guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari joined Megadeth for a Grammy Museum Q&A about the band’s new album and history. Finnish Design: Marimekko’s “Seven Flowers” pattern has resurfaced in Stranger Things, stirring childhood memories for fans of the iconic print. Film: A new review calls Lapin sota the best Finnish war film to date.

Finnish Music: Megadeth’s Grammy Museum Q&A is online, with Finnish guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari discussing the band’s new album, songwriting and history. TV Hit: Yle’s 24-hour puppy livestream has drawn more than a million viewers. Now in its sixth year, the feel-good show is expanding abroad, with Sweden’s SVT streaming it and a Dutch spin-off in the works. Finnish Design: A former Wildwood boardwalk “spaceship” was actually a Futuro house, designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen in 1968. The building was moved for restoration, though its current location hasn’t been confirmed. Screen and Style: Marimekko’s “Seven Flowers” pattern has resurfaced in Stranger Things, bringing the Finnish design classic into the spotlight for a new generation.**

Television: Yle’s 24/7 puppy livestream has become a Finnish hit, drawing more than a million viewers. Now in its sixth year, Puppy Live is expanding abroad, with Sweden streaming the show and a Dutch spin-off in the works. Online News: Finnish influencer Iida-Sofia Heimonen, 23, has died. Reports said viewers sought help after a livestream incident, but her cause of death and the circumstances have not been confirmed. Metal: Insomnium’s new album, Netherworlds, brings the Finnish band’s melodic death metal into darker, more atmospheric territory, with new guitarist and vocalist Tom Laisto adding to the sound. Live Music: The 69 Eyes drummer Jussi 69 is sitting out upcoming shows after a viral meningitis diagnosis; drum tech Vilho Rajala will fill in as the band continues its tour. Punk: Gary Heffern, the Finnish-based former frontman of San Diego punk pioneers The Penetrators, has died at 72. His raw stage presence and solo work influenced musicians including Eddie Vedder.

Yle Hit: Finland’s 24-hour puppy livestream, “Pentulive,” has drawn millions of viewers, and Yle has sold the show’s format to a Dutch broadcaster. Tom of Finland House: The Los Angeles foundation preserving Touko Laaksonen’s legacy has cancelled programming, laid off staff and plans to move its collection, prompting concern among artists about the archive’s future. Music: The 69 Eyes drummer Jussi 69 is sitting out upcoming shows while recovering from viral meningitis; drum tech Vilho Rajala will fill in. Finnish Screen: Juho Kuosmanen’s new film “Dream Come True” has wrapped production across Europe, while Laura Birn is set to lead Finnish sports-doping thriller series “Disqualified.”