Funding for artist residencies

The Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Culture strengthens artistic and cultural cooperation in the Nordic region and Baltic states. The programme focuses on increasing the exchange of knowledge, contacts and interest in Nordic and Baltic art and culture. The Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme comprises three forms of funding: mobility funding, network funding and funding for artist residencies.

Read our information to funding recipients regarding the coronavirus here

Which activities are funded?

The support enables residency centers in the Nordic and Baltic countries to invite artists for a stay at the residency center. During their visits artists should be able to work on their projects undisturbed, meet other artists and create contacts with the local art and culture scene.

The application should contain plans for at least two (2) professional artists to be invited from two other Nordic or Baltic countries than the one where the center is located. The grant cannot be used for artists living in the same country where the center is located. Funding is available for all areas of arts and culture.

“Professional” means that the person has documented experience within the field of art and culture and/or has a relevant education.

The duration of the residency period is not limited, but the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Culture recommends that the duration of visits should be approximately 2-4 months. The application can cover the calendar year when the application is submitted plus two following years.

If the application fulfils the programme requirements, the residency centers can select artists based on their own criteria and invite either individual artists or small groups.

Finances

Funding for artist residencies may be granted up to EUR 50,000. The funding is administered by the residency center and should cover the direct costs arising from the Nordic or Baltic artist’s stay at the center. The budget should also include a grant/a fee paid to the artist during the residency period.

In addition to travel expenses, grants, daily allowance and other direct costs which arise in connection with the residency stay of the artist(s), the budget may contain a maximum of 15% administrative expenses (should be specified on the application).

The funding from the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Culture cannot be the only funding of the residencies’ activities.

Funding for artist residencies can be applied for once a year.

It is compulsory to use this budget template in order for us to be able to compare the application budgets.

The rates for Mobility funding can be used when calculating travel costs.

Who can apply?

Applications are welcome from residency organisations as well as organisations, institutions and groups working on new residency initiatives in the field of arts and culture.

Individual artists and other stakeholders are not eligible to apply.

The center specified in the application must be located in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Åland) or the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), but it is not necessary for the applicants to have Nordic or Baltic nationality.

The funding is available for all fields of art and culture and you can apply for funding once per year.

How is an application assessed?

The assessment is conducted based on the aforementioned criteria and depending on how well the application has managed to convey the following:

Existing regional and international dimension
The artist residency center’s experience of managing regular residency activities in professional manner will be assessed. An assessment is also made of whether the residency is a part of a current artistic and cultural context and of the residency’s aim of creating contacts between the Nordic-Baltic region and the international art and culture scene.

Capacity
The residency center should have the capacity to support the artists’ work. As a rule the residency center should also have the opportunity to have more than one artist working at the residency at a time and have documented cooperation with the local art and culture scene.

To view an FAQ about our programmes, please click here.

Please note that the language of the programme is English and that applications and reports must be submitted in English.

The application deadline is at 15:59 Finnish time. Granted projects may begin 8 weeks after the application deadline.

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