PROTO – The Designers' Association of Northern Finland PROTO (registered association), founded in 1987, is a design organization whose members work in different fields of design and arts and crafts in the North of Finland. The basic idea of PROTO is to make design better known in the North of Finland, for example by organizing high-quality exhibitions, seminars and lectures. At the same time PROTO acts as a link between its members and supports their professional activities by informing of current matters and by arranging group exhibitions, study trips and training events. PROTO works in close cooperation with the other actors in the fields of design and culture. PROTO and the Artists’ Association of Oulu maintain Gallery 5 — The Visual Art Centre in Oulu in Hallituskatu 5. In addition to a gallery there is also a Art Lending Service and a small design and craft shop. Every year 5 – 8 design expositions are arranged in the Visual Art Centre. At the moment some 100 professionals in the field of design belong to PROTO. The association accepts as members designers working in the provinces of Oulu and Lapland who have a high school or polytechnic degree in crafts and design or who have acquired corresponding high quality skills some other way.