He has played in several Finnish folk groups, still present JPP, Ampron Prunni, Pinnin Pojat, The Helsinki Mandoliners, Nordik Tree, WAO, Arto Järvelä & Duo Vitare, Anssi Känsälä Quartet and Erik Hokkanen & Lumisudet. Arto is also a teacher at Folk Music Department in University of the Arts Helsinki. As a very talented folk musician Arto has been representing Finnish culture in more than 40 countries.

1980 Arto wrote his first composition Tango a-mollissa (in a minor). Thereafter he has composed over 80 tunes and most of them appears on domestic albums, some of them recorded Internationally like Alice au pays d'Arto, which one Quebecuoise band LaBottine Souriante recorded in their album X-ieme 1998.

Arto has been active in the studio and recordings too. Over the years he has recorded over 50 albums with his bands. He has been wanted to side kicking other albums too, both domestic and internationally, and appearances goes over 70 albums.

1994 Arto was ready to do his first solo Polska Differente (OArtCD1). There Arto shows his fingernails as fiddler, nyckelharper, mandoliner, composer, arranger and writer. With more than 20 of his musical friends he creates moods from lowest grawe to highest sky. Arto Järvelä plays fiddle (OArtCD2) is a cap lift to all his old-time heroes. Including 21 tracks of all tradional finnish fiddle tunes of highest class. Available also an accompanying book of transcriptions of the tunes. Arto Järvelä Far In! (OArtCD3) is his newest solo. This one is mixing old modes and modern musical thinking, not to mention all 20 or so instruments Arto is playing by himself!

2011 Arto released his 4th solo CD 'Plays fiddle Vol. 2 cross-tuned'(OArtCD5).

It includes traditional and original finnish music with 9 different scordatura + 2 vocal tracks. 2012 the serie of Arto CD's grows with two albums: Arto Järvelä Plays fiddle Vol. 3 - on the coast (OArtCD6) (including traditional music from Finland's swedish speaking areas on the coast) and collaborating with American Finnish duo Kaivama; Arto Järvelä & kaivama (OArtCD7). New duo with cousin Antti is reality, new CD 'Os fear liluli' by Arto & Antti Järvelä saw daylight in September 2013. Newest OArt release (2016) is called Rauland Rambles (OArtCD9), great works by Ånon Egeland, Bruce Molsky and Arto.