Story
Funk On’s story began in August 2009 in Riihimäki when a small group of subculture influencers joined forces and built the first legal graffiti wall in Häme at the youth center in Riihimäki.
From the start, Funk On committed to doing socially significant work, reflecting the deeply rooted values that still guide all operations.
Later, many of the founders of Funk On ended up working professionally in youth work, child protection, and education. Funk On’s operations were based 15 years ago on positive collaboration between good people, which is still evident in the work today.
In its early years, Funk On carried out a wide range of projects, from youth work to large festival paintings. In 2010, Funk On was involved in painting at Finland’s leading street culture events, such as Pipefest in Vuokatti, Summer Up in Lahti, and Boombox Festival in Helsinki. National reach has always been important to Funk On. The operations have never been limited to just the Helsinki metropolitan area, but youth work and commissioned projects have been carried out from Helsinki to Rovaniemi, and nowadays even beyond Finland’s borders. Funk On’s operational principles have always included that every project is carried out with honor and passion. Whether it’s painting stock cars in Central Finland or graphic design for international brand advertisements, the projects are always executed with passion and a positive attitude toward achieving the goal.
today
Over more than ten years, most of Funk On’s original team has been replaced by a new generation. The association has transformed into a company, with the core team also changing. The current CEO of Funk On, Aarni Somerharju, was involved in Funk On’s youth activities as an assistant when the association was founded until he was chosen to lead the organization in 2016. In recent years, Funk On’s core team has also expanded beyond Finland’s borders to Stockholm, of which we are very proud. Our international core team offers numerous new opportunities for projects, but also a new perspective on artistic creation.
In 2024, Funk On completed a record number of facade paintings in the company’s history. At the same time, Funk On was also Finland’s leading organization in organizing street art activities for youth. During the 2023–2024 school year, Funk On organized over 400 hours of street art activities in 8 different cities in Southern Finland, which is a staggering amount in the scale of subcultures. In the coming years, the company’s action plan includes expanding street art-related youth work to Sweden.
Although the scale of Funk On’s operations has grown, the Funk On team remains a close-knit group of professionals who combine innovative and passionate work with genuine friendship. The feeling in the work cannot be faked, and it is this authenticity that has driven Funk On’s operations for over a decade.
