taiteilu

Taiteilu is a Finnish noun that refers to artistic practice focused on performance and expression. It is commonly translated as artistry or the performing arts and denotes the activity of creating and presenting art in live or staged forms.

The term covers a range of performing arts, including theatre, music performance, dance, circus, mime, performance art, and street performances, as well as puppetry and other forms of live presentation. In everyday Finnish, taiteilu may describe both professional performances and amateur/participatory art activities.

Etymology: taiteilu derives from taide (art) with the suffix -ilu, indicating activity or practice, thus implying the process of performing or creating art rather than a finished work.

In education and policy, taiteilu is used to describe arts education and creative performance activities. Finnish schools incorporate taiteilu as part of basic education to develop creativity, communication, collaboration, and cultural literacy. Cultural institutions and festivals provide venues for taiteilu performances, supporting accessibility to the arts.

Distinctions: taiteilu emphasizes the act and experience of performance, whereas taide more often refers to art as a product or the broader domain of the arts. The term may be used interchangeably with "performing arts" in some contexts, but its emphasis on process makes it distinct in Finnish usage.

See also: performing arts, theatre, dance, music, circus, education in the arts.