Moomin Characters Announces 80th Anniversary Plans

Moomin Characters has announced its plans to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first Moomin story, The Moomins and the Great Flood, which was originally published in 1945 by the acclaimed Finnish artist, illustrator and writer Tove Jansson.

Since their debut, the Moomin books have inspired generations worldwide with their messages of inclusiveness, kindness and belonging. Under the theme “The Door is Always Open” – referring to the door of the Moominhouse, which offers shelter, comfort and security to all who seek it – new and returning fans alike are invited to join in celebrations which will include charitable fundraisers, fan competitions, new books, a film, product launches and much more.

In the UK, the brand is partnering with Counterpoints Arts and Refugee Week to commission four artists to create four public artworks inspired by The Moomins and the Great Flood.

Refugee Week is the world’s largest arts & culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary. It is run by Counterpoints Arts, a leading national organisation in the field of arts, migration and cultural change which produces a range of programmes in the UK and internationally.

The four artworks have been co-commissioned and will be co-produced by Counterpoints Arts and partners around the UK: Southbank Centre in London; Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead; Gloucester Guildhall; and Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. They have selected:

·       Southbank Centre, London: Woodland Tribe, with Nabil Amini

·       Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead: Henna Asikainen

·       Gloucester Guildhall: Dana Olărescu

·       Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture: Basel Zaraa

The artworks will appear in May and June 2025 and will be supported by a range of community programming, Refugee Week resources and activations.

James Zambra, Creative Director of Moomin Characters, said: “The shelter, comfort and security that the Moominhouse provides are all universal needs, as relevant today as they were 80 years ago when Tove Jansson penned the first Moomin story. We couldn’t think of a better partner with which to celebrate the importance of a warm welcome and a sense of belonging than Refugee Week.”

Almir Koldzic, Director, Counterpoints Arts, said: “We are so excited to be working with Moomin Characters to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first Moomin book as part of Refugee Week in June 2025. Our vision for refugees and asylum seekers to be able to live safely within inclusive communities aligns perfectly with the life and work of Tove Jansson, and this collaboration will help us reach new audiences of all ages and backgrounds. We look forward to the exciting public art commissions that we are co-producing with our partners in Gloucester, London, Gateshead and Bradford as well as the related programming and the Refugee Week resources that will be available across the UK.”

In addition, Moomin Characters, publisher Sort Of Books and retailer Waterstones are partnering on a collaboration to raise funds for the British Red Cross. Sort Of Books will publish a special anniversary edition of The Moomins and the Great Flood which will include a full-colour cut-out Moomin house designed by Tove Jansson in the 1950s plus her notes on the Moomins. The book will be priced at £9.99 with a £7.50 donation from each copy sold by Waterstones going to support the British Red Cross’ work in the UK and overseas, including support for refugees and people in need of protection. The anniversary edition will also include a foreword by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, the new Waterstones Children’s Laureate.

Mark Ellingham at Sort Of Books said: “We’re so pleased to be partnering with Waterstones and Moomin Characters – once more – on this fundraiser for the British Red Cross’s vital work with people in crisis. Waterstones have been fabulously generous, donating the full price of every book sold, which means the British Red Cross get every penny, after the print costs of the books. This makes for a perfect 80th celebration of Tove Jansson’s brilliant and profoundly humane Moomin stories.”

Gaby Lee, Waterstones Campaigns Manager, said: “It is a great privilege to be partnering with Moomin Characters and Sort Of Books on the publication of this beautiful 80th anniversary edition of The Moomins and the Great Flood, in support of the important work done by the British Red Cross. The kindness and compassion that can be found in Tove Jansson’s Moomin books have made them beloved across the globe; and we at Waterstones are utterly delighted to be taking part in celebrating their 80th birthday with such a gorgeous edition of the first Moomin story.”

Alex Fraser, Director for Refugee Support and Restoring Family Links at the British Red Cross said: “As the UK’s largest independent provider of support for refugees, we witness the remarkable strength and contribution people make, alongside the kindness and generosity of communities they have joined, across the UK. We are delighted and very grateful that Moomin Characters, Sort Of Books and Waterstones have joined forces to bring to life the beloved story of The Moomins and the Great Flood to support the work of the British Red Cross. This book contains an important message of belonging that goes beyond borders, and will help raise vital funds for people in crisis.”

Frank Cottrell-Boyce, the new Waterstones Children’s Laureate, said: “This is where it all began. The first glimpse of the world of courage, kindness, adventure and home that is Moominland.  How perfectly right that this is being sold in support of the British Red Cross.”

Other Moomin80 celebrations around the world will include major exhibitions in Finland, Sweden, Poland, China and South Korea; a raft of new publishing and special anniversary editions; and new product lines across high-end fashion, homeware, gifting and much more. Fans can look forward to director Charlie McDowell’s adaptation of Tove Jansson’s beloved novel The Summer Book, which stars eight-times Academy Award nominee Glenn Close and had its global premiere at BFI London Film Festival earlier this month, and the fourth series of award-winning animation Moominvalley, which will be available on Sky On Demand on 26th October and will launch on the Sky Kids channel from 28th October.