Notably, in 1953 he was one of the founders of 'Kivi-juhlat’ (a theatre festival based in the childhood town of Aleksis Kivi) and was its first director in 1977.
He co-founded the 'Kivi-juhlat' theatre festival, which is based in his hometown of Aleksis Kivi, in 1953. He then became its inaugural director in 1977.