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, presence and interest in Nordic and Baltic art and culture. The Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme comprises three forms of funding: mobility, network and funding for artist residencies.

Which activities are funded?

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

The application should contain plans for at least two (2) professional artists to be invited from another Nordic or Baltic country than the one where the centre is located.

“Professional” means that you have documented experience of work within the field of art and culture and/or have studied art or culture.

The duration of the stay is not limited, but the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Culture recommends that the duration of visits should be approximately 2-4 months.

If the application fulfils the aforementioned requirements, the residency centres can select artists based on their rules. It may be individual artists and small groups.

Finances

Funding for artist residencies may be granted up to EUR 50,000. The funding is administered by the centre and should cover costs arising from the Nordic or Baltic artist’s stay at the centre.

In addition to travel expenses, 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.

You can apply for funding for artist residencies once per year.

For an example of how to make a detailed budgetary appendix, please see here.

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 the arts and culture.

Individual artists and other stakeholders are not eligible to apply.

The centre specified in the application must be 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 open for all art and culture areas 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 work – regional and international
The artist residency centre’s experience of managing regular residency activities for professional artistic and cultural bodies. 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 centre should have the capacity to support the artist’s work. As a rule the residence should also have the opportunity to work with more than one artist 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 15:59, Finnish time. Granted projects may begin 8 weeks after the application deadline the funding of artist residencies.

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