Master’s programme in music theatre to be established in Finland – made possible by a large pot of support from foundations

The picture shows a theater performance where the Actors perform on stage in colorful lighting and in different outfits. — In future, you can study to become a professional musician at Master’s level. The photo shows a rehearsal of New Eden at Helsinki City Theatre.

The University of the Arts received €600 000 from two foundations early this year to train musical theatre actors at Master’s level.

At the same time as the government is cutting back on culture, there is also positive news for the sector: the University of the Arts is launching a master’s programme in musical theatre.

The new Master’s programme will graduate singing and dancing actors who will work in, for example, musicals.

The programme is bilingual and new students will be selected in spring 2026, with 10 students admitted every two years. The programme will last two years and the first students will graduate in spring 2028.

The program is a joint of the Theater Academy and the Sibelius Academy. It includes acting, dance, musical song, sound and Ensemble song.

The only training of its kind in Finland

Finland has previously lacking a higher university degree in the field, and music theater has only been able to study as a minor. According to the University of the Arts, the same Master’s degree training is not even in the other Nordic countries.

Starting training would not have been possible without the support of the foundations. Svenska Kulturfonden today awarded the University of the Arts EUR 300,000. In February, Opinahjo received the same amount from the Finnish Cultural Foundation, EUR 300,000.

The Master’s program has also been supported by the Svenska Litteratursällskapet Pacius Fund and the Waldemar von Frenckell Foundation.