What is eligible for funding?
The programme grants support to projects within all areas of art and culture, in all project phases: preliminary work, production, presentation and dissemination. However, you cannot apply for funding for activities which have already been conducted.
You can apply for support for projects that invest in cultural and artistic productions and creative work as well as to organise and implement projects that develop skills within the field of art and culture. Support can be granted for all types of costs that are directly associated with the project.
Application periods
For example, the projects may entail:
- creation or dissemination of works, projects and initiatives that require a creative process
- creation of meeting places between artists/cultural bodies and the public
- development and dissemination of knowledge and/or work methods
- organising discussions and debates, as well as seminars and workshops.
You cannot apply for funding for:
- tours with already existing works or productions
- running costs of institutions or other activities
- basic financing of projects which run for several years – such as ongoing costs for an annual festival
- productions of works without the active involvement of partners other than artists themselves, e.g. solo performances or album recordings.
- film and TV productions, productions of computer games nor book publishing.
- projects that are part of an education or training course
- commercial activities that aim to generate a financial profit
- projects outside the artistic or cultural area, for example, sports events.
- projects which have already started before the decision on support by us has been approved and dispatched
- activities that have already been completed. At the earliest, activities that are supported by the programme may begin 10 weeks after the application deadline.
In 2022 and 2023, there is a particular emphasis on the promotion of Arctic cultural co-operation. Although funding for Arctic cultural collaborations can be applied for in any application round of the Arts and Culture Programme, in the second application round of 2022 and the two rounds in 2023, part of the funding is reserved especially for collaborative art and culture projects in the Arctic.
In this context, Arctic cultural co-operation refers to co-operation between Arctic actors in the Nordic countries, Canada, and the US. This emphasis includes a focus on indigenous peoples and their culture in the Arctic. In addition, projects that follow up on or are born out of Nordic Bridges shall be given priority insofar as they cover the Arctic.
Who is eligible to apply?
Anyone active in the field of art and culture can apply, as long as the project meets the programme criteria and is realised by way of co-operation with partners from at least three countries, at least two of which must be Nordic. In this context, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Åland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland are considered as Nordic countries.
Country affiliation is assessed according to the partners’ registered addresses, not nationality. The person submitting the application does not need to be resident in the Nordic Region, as long as the Nordic dimension of the project is met in terms of its partners and content.
Example: An applicant from Lithuania or Canada can submit an application for a collaborative project if there are also partners from Finland and Åland.
How much money can you apply for?
You can apply for funding for all phases of a project, starting with preliminary work to the implementation of a complete project. The amount applied for must be realistic in relation to the size of the project. The larger the amount applied for, the larger your own funding contribution must be, e.g. by way of funding from other contributors. Co-funding is seen as an important part of the project’s prerequisites.
A project can be granted
- up to EUR 7,000 without other sources of funding
- up to EUR 40 000 with at least 30% co-funding
- up to EUR 100 000 with at least 50% co-funding
This means that the contribution from the Culture and Art Programme can cover between 50% and 100% of the project’s total costs, depending on the amount applied for.
Co-financing can include “funding in-kind”. Funding in-kind consists of goods or services rather than money. An example of this can be working hours. The way you value working hours must be specified in the budget and the sum must be reasonable in relation to the tasks and their length.
We recommend that all costs within the project are collated in a single application to Nordic Culture Point. For instance, all travel costs can be included in the application to the Culture and Art Programme.
Example of budget appendix for editing (Excel)Funding from other Nordic organisations
The maximum amount of funding from organisations within Nordic co-operation (e.g. Nordic Council of Ministers, Nordic Culture Fund, NAPA, Nordplus, Nordisk Film og TV Fond and Nordic Culture Point) may not exceed 85% of the project’s total budget. Bilateral or national funding does not count as pan-Nordic in this context.
How are applications assessed?
The project application is assessed based on the following criteria:
Collaborative dimension
The project must be collaborative with partners with addresses in at least three different countries, at least two of which must be Nordic. The application must state why it is important to carry out the project as a collaboration between the participating partners. What are your expectations of the collaboration? Are experiences and knowledge disseminated between the project participants and/or organiser? Is the collaboration innovative or does it promote expertise?
Nordic dimension
The programme is financed with Nordic tax funds, so the project must develop cultural and artistic fields in the Nordic Region, regardless of where it will be implemented. The Nordic dimension can be found in the form or content of the project, in a special theme or as a special need that the project wants to address.
The Nordic representation is determined based on the participants’ country of residence, not nationality. It is beneficial for the project to promote language comprehension in the Nordic Region and mobility between the countries, as well as to strengthen the experience of solidarity between the inhabitants of the countries.
Quality
The expert group examines the artistic quality of the project and how realistic and feasible the project plan is in practical terms. For that, clear descriptions of the collaborative partners and objectives, timetable, financing plan and budget are needed.
The questions asked in the application are how the project can develop and raise the quality of art and culture in a wider perspective? Is the project innovative or does it develop expertise? Are the results of the work long-lasting?
Sustainability
The sustainability of the project is assessed from a social, economic and ecological perspective. Does the project promote an inclusive and diverse art and culture scene in the Nordic Region? Is the project ecologically sustainable? Does the content promote the competitiveness of Nordic cultural and artistic fields?
More information about the Nordic Council of Ministers’ view on sustainability within cultural-political co-operation can be found in the co-operation programme below.
Nordic Council of Ministers’ strategic steering document for cultural co-operation
The assessment of applications to the Culture and Art Programme is also governed by the following two documents:
Cultural-political co-operation programme 2021–2024:
Arts and culture – driving force for sustainable development in the Nordic Region.
The strategic priorities of the co-operation programme are:
• A green Nordic Region:
A green cultural scene for current and future generations
• A competitive Nordic Region:
Innovative art and culture cements the Nordic Region as an attractive and visible cultural region on the world map
• A socially sustainable Nordic Region:
An equal and inclusive art and culture scene that is accessible to everyone throughout the Nordic Region
Please note that the application deadlines for all programmes is at 15:59, Finnish time. The applications are then assessed by a group of experts and the decision will be announced ten weeks after the deadline. Projects which are granted funding may begin after the decision has been made.
Frequently asked questions about the funding programmes Preview application form Go to the application portal
