Values and strategy

The Finnish Cultural Foundation is a private organisation whose activities cover the whole of Finland. We foster a pluralistic and sustainable society, promote science, research, art and culture, and encourage future talents to strive for breakthroughs.

The Finnish Cultural Foundation’s assets come from donations and investment income received over decades.

Every year, we award over €50 million in grants to science, research and the arts. We also organise various activities to promote science, art and culture.

Our seventeen regional funds cover the whole country. We also maintain the Kirpilä Art Collection, a residency programme for artists, the international Mirjam Helin Singing Competition and the Mirjam Helin Academy. Our voice can be heard and the fruits of our labour can be seen all over Finland.

We want to strengthen the role of science, research and art in society as well as what they mean to people – that is why we stand for science and art.

Our values and strategy were approved by the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s Board of Directors in April 2024. The strategy process involved the entire staff, trustees and stakeholders.

The Finnish Cultural Foundation is a national force for change. We stand for science, art, and culture – fostering a pluralistic and sustainable society.

• Without prejudice
  We are open to new ideas and creative thinking. We are present, listening, and outward-looking. If necessary, we are ready and able to challenge and question our own ways of working. We encourage boldness and the willingness to take risks.
• Expertly
  We collaborate with the best experts and value quality and expertise, whilst actively developing our own competencies. We show appreciation for others both internally and externally.
• Impactfully
  Our work is insightful, our vision is long-term, and we are able to react to different needs. We tap into our extensive networks and use our voice in support of science and art.

Our tools include funding, action, discussion, and influencing.

Our strategy has three priority areas: All of Finland, The best of the future, and Strong science and art. Our overarching goal is to strengthen resources and expertise within the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

Building a sustainable, pluralistic, and multivoiced society.

We want to take responsibility for sustainable living, a pluralistic and democratic society, and opportunities to make and experience science, art, and culture in the whole of Finland. Therefore, we

• support cultural equality, inclusion, communality, and dialogue in society
• support and implement projects that promote reading and literature as well as critical media literacy and digital education
• support the vitality of culture, especially in sparsely populated areas
• support minority cultures and endangered cultural capital
• develop the Kirpilä Art Collection as a pioneer in ways of encountering and experiencing art

Supporting talent in making breakthroughs.

We want to work persistently to help future talent renew Finnish science and art and make breakthroughs nationally and internationally. Therefore, we

• support and implement talent programmes
• support the upskilling and operational development of producers and mediators
• fund and develop mobility and residency programmes for artists and researchers
• strengthen the profile and exposure of the foundation’s prizes
• make the Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition one of the leading competitions internationally and establish a singing academy as a platform for breakthroughs

Influencing the role of science and art in society.

We want to strengthen the role of science and art in society and across its various value chains as well as promote the importance of science and art in the lives of people. Therefore, we

• defend the open pursuit of science and art
• use our voice to boost funding for science and arts in all of Finland whilst building a strong Tiede & Taide (“Science & Art”) brand
• promote culture as a building block of psychological resilience
• work with stakeholders nationally and in the Nordic countries, and increase our international presence by being involved in relevant networks, platforms, and discussions
• promote and support science and art journalism

We want to do far-reaching work to consolidate our role as a funder of science and art and as a major actor in society. Therefore, we

• reinforce resources and skills
• take care of our finances
• ensure our visibility to our donors
• increase cross-sector financing and collaboration with different actors
• evaluate and develop our forms of support and our ability to react
• promote the role of the Finnish Cultural Foundation as a national voice and trailblazer, and increase our strategic communication and public affairs activities
• boost our own skills and expertise and increase diversity within our organisation
• add resources and skills to promote the principles of sustainable development