The October round is the largest of the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s calls for applications, receiving around 10,000 applications each year. Artistic work and doctoral dissertation research receive the most funding.

“One-year and multi-year working grants are the cornerstone of our funding. In the October rounds of the last few years, we have awarded on average over 450 grants that cover a period of one or more years. They are aimed at all fields of science, research and the arts and extend up to four years. We encourage artists, researchers and scientists to apply for our multi-year grants,” says Juhana Lassila, Deputy CEO of the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

The foundation’s grants are available to all fields of science, research and the arts and cover work, expenses, or both. Science grants are primarily awarded as personal working grants for doctoral dissertations or for postdoctoral research. Artists can apply for grants for their work or projects, and organisations can apply for grants to help implement their projects. 

“We also encourage longer-term productions and touring activities in the arts,” Lassila explains.

The Finnish Cultural Foundation supports both early-career and experienced individuals. Grants are available for new projects and further development of ongoing projects.

• Find more detailed grant guidelines on our website
• Read about last year’s grants

Applications in the October round will be peer-reviewed by more than fifty panels of experts from different scientific, research and artistic disciplines. These experts are located across Finland.

From autumn 2025 onwards, the Finnish Cultural Foundation will use the AI-based functions of Microsoft Azure OpenAI to process applications. Please note that the data from the applications will not be used for AI model training, nor will AI be used to evaluate the applications or decide on the grantees.

Supporting the natural resources sector and non-fiction books

In addition to general grants for research, science and the arts, the Finnish Cultural Foundation allocates funding for specific themes.

Additional Million-euro Funding to Science

In the October round of applications, funding is available for research that addresses the carbon dynamics and climate coupling of soil processes or that explores the economic links of ecosystem services in agriculture and forestry. The €1 million allocated for specific themes will be distributed between no more than five research projects.

Additional Million-euro Funding to Science

Non-fiction Books, Popularization of Science and Art

In the October round of applications, we will also award grants for popularized non-fiction books about science, research and the arts, as well as for the translation of such books. Unlike in previous rounds, the application must be accompanied by a provisional commitment provided by the publisher.

Non-fiction Books, Popularization of Science and Art

Support for Romani Language and Culture

Applications for the Support of Romani Language and Culture Grant are available for purposes such as literary work in the Romani language, translation of literature into Romani, creating teaching materials in Romani and teaching the Romani language. In addition to writing books, literary work includes writing scripts for various artistic or journalistic projects, and song and rap lyrics.

Support for Romani Language and Culture

The following special-purpose grants are also included in the October 2025 round of applications:

• Eminentia for individuals in the later stages of a long scientific, research or artistic career in any field.
• Kirpilä Art Collection Research Grant for research that may relate to art collecting, art collectors’ collections, home museums, or artists represented in the Kirpilä Art Collection. The grant is intended for post-doctoral research.
• Art for Everyone Grant, which aims to increase the opportunities of people in need of care or support to experience high-quality art and, in this manner, promote cultural equality.

Useful links

• Further information on the October round of applications and special-purpose grants
• General information about the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s grants
• Guidelines related to grants
• Online Application Service – during the application period, the SKR Bot provides advice 24/7 in the online service
• Guidance for applicants
• The Finnish Cultural Foundation’s newsletter provides tips on how to apply for grants and reminds you about important dates. Subscribe to our newsletter

The post doc grant may be used to cover all expenses to the researcher and his/her family
caused by living abroad. Instructions on how to draft a cost estimate are included in the section
“How to Apply?” on the Pool’s home page: www.postdocpooli.fi.

Online applicant info will be held on 28 Aug at 9-10 AM.

Säätiöiden post doc -pooli has two application rounds each year and awards some 35 post-
doctoral grants in each round. The spring 2026 application round will take place from 1 Jan
until 31 Jan 2026.

The Säätiöiden post doc -pooli consists of thirteen foundations allocating altogether 3.2 million
euro annually to the pool. The Pool’s foundations are now Ella and Georg Ehrnrooth
Foundation, Emil Aaltonen Foundation, Alfred Kordelin Foundation, the Foundation for
Economic Education, Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation, the Finnish Academy of
Science and Letters, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Finnish Medical Foundation, the
Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, the Society of Swedish Literature in Finland, the
Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion, Ulla Tuominen Foundation and Jenny and Antti
Wihuri Foundation.

The Pool aims to make Finnish research more international by offering young scholars flexible funding from one source that covers all expenses of a research period abroad.

The Finnish Foundations’ Post Doc Pool was founded in 2009 to support researchers and
Finnish research in becoming more international. During this time, the Pool’s foundations have
granted over 40 million euros to post doctoral researchers heading abroad from Finland. After
31 application rounds, already some 800 scholars have received funding through the Pool. Over
one third of the grants have been awarded for two-year periods.

E2 Research conducted the study on behalf of the Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland. It examined Finnish identities and attitudes towards language learning, multilingualism, and the future language landscape. It also mapped practices related to multilingual interaction across various regions of Finland. Survey and interview data were gathered in February and March 2025.

More than half accept care from healthcare personnel who are still learning Finnish

A little over half (56%) of Finns are willing to receive care from a doctor or nurse who is still learning Finnish or Swedish. Swedish speakers are, on average, more positive about this than others. However, a majority of Finns (75%) are not willing to receive government services in any language other than their mother tongue.

“Finland needs skilled personnel in many sectors. For international recruitment, it’s good news that developing language skills—for example among nurses or doctors—is met with a positive attitude. While the study confirms that mother tongue is a central part of Finnish identity, we are open to multilingualism. This is especially visible among young people and those over 75. Diverse use of languages fosters hope for the future,” says Susanna Pettersson, CEO of the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

Majority of Finns want to help immigrants learn Finnish or Swedish

Most Finns (93%) hope that foreigners moving to Finland will learn either Finnish or Swedish. This aspiration is supported by the fact that a majority (68%) are willing to assist immigrants in learning our national languages. Among Swedish speakers, a significant majority (84%) are also prepared to help Finnish speakers learn Swedish. Similarly, most Finnish speakers (67%) are willing to help Swedish speakers learn Finnish.

Äidinkielenään ruotsia puhuvista suomalaisista valtaosa (84 %) on valmis auttamaan myös suomenkielisiä oppimaan ruotsia. Enemmistö suomenkielisistäkin (67 %) on valmis auttamaan ruotsinkielisiä suomen kielen oppimisessa.

“There are many encouraging results in E2 Research’s report. For example, the clear majority’s positive attitude toward learning foreign languages and the willingness of both Finnish and Swedish speakers to help one another learn the other language. At the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, we also find many benchmarks in this report. It clearly shows how important it is to meet across language borders, to dare to use each other’s languages, and also that more and better language education is needed in Finland,” says Sören Lillkung, CEO of the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland.

Mother tongue is a big part of identity, but most still enjoy speaking foreign languages

Finnishness is a significant aspect of identity for nearly everyone (87%). Nordic identity (68%), European identity (68%), and mother tongue (75%) also strongly shape how Finns perceive themselves.

Although mother tongue plays a central role in identity, language learning is greatly esteemed. The most substantial motivator for language study is the belief that broad language skills contribute to a well-rounded education. Nearly half (49%) of Finns agree with this.

A large majority (85%) wish to be understood in their mother tongue; nonetheless, two-thirds (65%) are content to speak a foreign language, even if their skills are imperfect. This willingness is particularly pronounced among Swedish-speaking Finns.

Dialects are valued, but speaking standard language is seen as a sign of education

Nearly 90% of Finns appreciate the diverse dialects spoken throughout the country. However, 70% believe that the ability to speak standard language indicates education and prefer its use in official contexts.
Respondents described their language use in various situations:

“Pori dialect. But at work, standard Finnish.”

“‘Mie’ and ‘sie’ slip in, otherwise I speak near standard Finnish.”

“A mix, depending on grandparents and where I’ve lived.”

“Western Nyland dialect, more precisely the Ekenäs dialect.”

“Probably youth slang and so-called ‘Finglish.’”

“A mix of Finnish dialects, but mostly Meänkieli.”

A majority supports strengthening the status of Sámi languages

Two-thirds (65%) of Finns hope that the status of Sámi languages will be strengthened in the future. Among Swedish-speaking Finns, nearly three-quarters (73%) concur.

The idea of strengthening Sámi language status divides supporters of political parties. Approximately half of the supporters of the National Coalition Party (50%) and the Finns Party (52%) endorse this aim. Supporters of the Left Alliance (83%), the Greens (82%), the Swedish People’s Party (76%), the Social Democrats (71%), and the Centre Party (68%) are more decisively in favour.

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“Dare to speak, take time to listen” – A study on Finns’ language attitudes and identities

The study was conducted by E2 Research, an independent, multidisciplinary research institute. Two survey datasets were collected for the study. The mainland Finnish dataset was gathered via Norstat’s online panel between 19 February and 9 March 2025, involving 1,069 respondents. The data was weighted to reflect population statistics for age, gender, and location.

A second dataset, collected from Swedish-speaking Finns, included 84 telephone interviews and 409 online panel responses (N=493). This data was collected between 19 February and 7 March 2025. The Swedish-speaking respondents primarily reside in Ostrobothnia, Helsinki-Uusimaa, and Southwest Finland. This dataset allows for a more reliable examination of Swedish-speaking identities and attitudes than is typically possible.

The survey data was supplemented by three qualitative, thematic group interviews conducted in March 2025. These interviews explored effective everyday multilingual practices in Ostrobothnia and the capital region. Participants included city officials, university staff, company employees, and representatives from NGOs. Interviewees comprised individuals born in Finland and abroad, representing a variety of mother tongues.

The Mirjam Helin Competition counts among the most prestigious contests of its kind in the world. Many of the young singers who have found success in the competition have gone on to launch successful careers and reach the top tier of the international music industry. The Finnish Cultural Foundation has increased the frequency of the event to once every three years.

Until now, the Mirjam Helin Competition has always been held in Helsinki. In June 2027, the event will take place in Turku, bringing festival cheer to the whole city. The preliminary round will take place at Sigyn Hall, while the semi-finals and finals will be held at the newly built Music Hall Fuuga. The main partner of the competition is the City of Turku. The Turku Philharmonic Orchestra will perform in the final under the baton of its chief conductor John Storgårds.

“Turku is blazing the trail as a city that promotes and invests in cultural events. We want to play a part in building an international music programme in Turku. The finalists of the Mirjam Helin Competition are among the top talents of the future, and we want to give them the opportunity to perform in the brand-new Music Hall Fuuga,” says Susanna Pettersson, CEO of the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

The singing competition aims to attract 500 applicants from across the world, from which around 40 promising singers will be selected to participate. Thousands of people are expected to attend the competition concerts alone, and many times more are expected to attend other events in the city, listen to the performances on the radio and watch them on TV and streaming services. Streaming will reach lovers of vocal classical music and opera around the world.

The Mirjam Helin Singing Competition will give Turku’s cultural life a new international boost as the event expands beyond concert halls to reach a wider audience in the city and its surrounding areas. Those who enjoy singing can participate in community singing events, and the accompanying programme also includes masterclasses, opera karaoke, and public discussions. In addition to the City of Turku, partners include the Turku and Naantali Music Festivals.

According to Turku Mayor Piia Elo, the Mirjam Helin Competition will further strengthen Turku’s position as a diverse and international city of culture.

“Music Hall Fuuga, which is under construction on the banks of the Aura River, boasts excellent acoustics and architecture, providing a unique setting for the competition. What’s more, the vast array of side events means that people can enjoy the cultural experiences throughout the city,” says Elo.

For a taste of what the Mirjam Helin Competition has to offer, music lovers can attend the concert of the 2024 winner, the captivating mezzo-soprano Jingjing Xu, at the Turku Music Festival on 22 August 2025. The Finnish Cultural Foundation’s new initiative, the Mirjam Helin Academy, which offers further training for talented singers, will also launch in Turku. Seven promising singers who are aiming to succeed on the international stage have already been chosen as the Academy’s first students. They will start their first study period in August 2025 at Linnasmäki College. In the future, study periods will be organised in different parts of the country.

The funding for the Mirjam Helin Competition comes from the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s Mirjam and Hans Helin donor fund. Professor Mirjam Helin (1911–2006) was a vocal artist and beloved singing teacher who made a major donation to the Finnish Cultural Foundation with the ambition to make the singing competition the most prestigious in the world.

Mirjam Helin Competition

• This long-standing competition will be held for the first time in Turku from 7 to 17 June 2027.  
• A total of approximately €200,000 in cash prizes and scholarships will be awarded. The winner will receive a sum of €60,000, which, as far as we know, is the largest prize of any international classical singing competition. 
• The preliminary round will be held at Sigyn Hall, while the semi-finals will take place in the chamber music hall and the finals in the concert hall of Music Hall Fuuga. Around 40 applicants will be selected to compete in the preliminary round. 
• John Storgårds will conduct the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra in the finals.  
• The side events will be widely spread across Turku and the surrounding area. 

Nearly 300 applications received highlight the wealth of talented composers, writers, directors, and other creative professionals in Finland who are eager to collaborate in shaping opera.

The selected artists share a strong interest in socially engaged themes that reflect current societal issues and structural injustices. These include gender equality and feminism, the rights and visibility of minority groups, economic and social inequality, the effects of poverty, and both local and global conflicts. Through their art, the participants aim to spark dialogue, raise awareness, and challenge prevailing norms.

At the heart of The Sugar Factory are the values of diversity and inclusion. The programme seeks to introduce fresh voices and perspectives into the opera world. Participants are supported throughout the process by experienced international opera professionals. Previous experience in opera was not required to apply, encouraging artists from a broad range of backgrounds to take part.

Creativity, curiosity, and courage give rise to a rich diversity of artistic voices

The artists selected for the 2025–2026 programme are: writer Carmen Baltzar, director Bálint Barcsai, composer Sid Hill, composer Miika Hyytiäinen, composer Eeva Kontu, director Anna-Maria Lipponen, director Sara Melleri, writer Ilmari Nera, writer Susi Siriya Orenius, director Pelzi Piia Peltola, writer Jenna Viro and composer Stephen Webb.

What unites these artists is their courage to tackle complex themes through art and their shared curiosity to explore opera as a contemporary form of expression collaboratively. All are interested in how opera can speak to modern audiences. Over the course of a year, the artists will work in four groups to explore the process of creating new short works that will then premiere in the autumn of 2026.

The New Opera Stage is a concept developed by Thomas de Mallet Burgess, Artistic Director of the Finnish National Opera.

“The response to our open call has been really affirming. The way applicants engaged with the idea of a developmental programme connecting opera to our time and place reinforces the interest by artists from different backgrounds at the opportunity opera presents. In the end the panel reviewing the applications found it challenging to select the final invited group and wish to underline that applicants not successful this time around are welcome to apply again. As ever huge thanks to the Finnish Cultural Foundation for supporting this initiative.”

The Sugar Factory is a three-year project, with the next open call scheduled for spring 2026. The project’s name refers to the sugar factory that operated on Töölönlahti in Helsinki until 1965, on the site where the Finnish National Opera and Ballet now stands.

“The name captures the essence of the project: playful and inviting. It holds a connection to opera’s history while looking toward its future”, describes project manager Tinja Salmi.

The Finnish Cultural Foundation awarded €1 million for science education initiatives that are aimed at children and young people and that support basic education. In the coming years, the grants will be used to organise science events, workshops and distance learning programmes, allowing children and young people to explore different branches of science, meet scientists and carry out scientific research. Applications for the Discover Science grants were welcomed in January during the application round of the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s regional funds.

The disciplines represented include educational and social sciences, history, archaeology, futures studies, philosophy, natural sciences, humanities, technology, mathematics and sports science. Discover Science projects are organised in almost every region of Finland, making science education accessible to children and youth across the country. They also include projects that offer distance learning, aiming to reach even more children and young people nationwide.

The Discover Science grant aims to spark the curiosity of school-aged children and youth to engage with science. “We also want to help children and young people develop the skills to acquire, process and evaluate new information. Discover Science projects provide them with opportunities to follow science and keep up with scientific developments in an age-appropriate way,” says Päivikki Eskelinen-Rönkä, Senior Advisor at the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

The foundation awarded a total of 16 Discover Science grants. One of them went to the joint project of the Lastu School of Architecture and Environmental Culture and Savonia University of Applied Sciences, to be implemented in schools in the rural areas of North Savo. The Oivaltajat project combines natural sciences, the arts and environmental education, giving pupils the opportunity to explore the biodiversity around their school environment in a scientific and creative way. The participants will learn about biodiversity, for example, through the study of ecosystems, microscopy and water quality analysis. The results and findings will be expressed through art in various forms such as scale models, digital animations and dance choreographies for robots.

In a society where knowledge and skills are increasingly fragmented, we need Renaissance people who not only understand a specific branch of science but also have skills in the arts and crafts. The University of Turku received a grant for the Future Renaissance project that involves organising multidisciplinary scientific and gastronomic food clubs, with food providing the learning opportunities. Food is about nutrition and health, but also about economics, technology, history, culture and psychology. By combining natural sciences and the humanities with children’s science education, it is possible to provide a multidisciplinary learning experience that promotes creativity and critical thinking.

The Innokas Network’s project, Exploring AI, aims to introduce children and young people to the world of artificial intelligence, while highlighting children’s participation and the importance of children’s rights in the development and use of digital technologies. AI will be examined as a tool, a subject of study and a social phenomenon. The activities of the Innokas Network are coordinated by the University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Educational Sciences.

All Discover Science projects 2025 (in Finnish)

Awarded grants 16, total on €1 003 000.

• Alajärven kaupunki Tiede-etsivät-hankkeen toteuttamiseen Alajärven, Evijärven, Lappajärven ja Vimpelin alakouluissa
• 55 000
• Arkkitehtuuri- ja ympäristökulttuurikoulu Lastu ry OIVALTAJAT-hankkeen toteuttamiseen Pohjois-Savon maaseutualueiden kouluissa 
• 90 000
• Etelä-Karjalan kesäyliopisto Oy Aikahyppy-tapahtuman järjestämiseen Parikkalassa, Ruokolahdella, Luumäellä ja Lappeenrannassa
• 30 000
• Helsingin yliopisto Pöllö-akatemia, monitieteisten etätyöpajojen toteuttamiseen
• 40 000
• Helsingin yliopisto Innostu tutkimaan -etäiltapäiväkerhojen järjestämiseen, maakuntarahastojen haussa Tiede tutuksi -apurahana      
• 60 000
• Helsingin yliopisto, Innokas-verkosto Tutkitaan tekoälyä -hankkeen pilotointiin Turussa, Oulussa, Lappeenrannassa, Vaasassa ja Helsingissä            
• 80 000
• Itä-Suomen yliopisto STEAM-koulutuksen ja -työpajojen toteuttamiseen Pohjois-Karjalan, Etelä-Karjalan ja Etelä-Savon alakouluissa    
• 90 000
• Jyväskylän kesäyliopistoyhdistys ry kaupunkiympäristöä monitieteisesti tutkivien tiedetyöpajojen järjestämiseen ja opetusmateriaalien tuottamiseen
• 58 000
• Jyväskylän yliopisto Utopian arkkitehdit -filosofiatyöpajojen toteuttamiseen Keski-Suomessa                  
• 65 000
• Kansanvalistusseura sr kasvatus- ja yhteiskuntatieteiden tiedetyöpajojen valmistamiseen ja toteuttamiseen kouluissa
• 45 000
• Lapin yliopisto kestävyysmurrosteemaisen kilpailu- ja tiedetapahtuman järjestämiseen Lapin alueen 3.–9.-luokkalaisille                            
• 90 000
• Satakunnan ammattikorkeakoulu Tiedekylä-toiminnan järjestämiseen Satakunnan kouluissa
• 30 000
• Sodan ja rauhan keskus Muisti Oy Mennyt ja manipuloitu, historialliset kuvat ja nykyajan mediakriittisyys -hankkeeseen kuuden maakunnan 8.–9.-luokkalaisille
• 65 000
• Tampereen yliopisto Lasten ja nuorten vertaishistoria tutuksi -hankkeen etä- ja lähityöpajojen toteuttamiseen
• 90 000
• Turun yliopisto Tulevaisuuden Renessanssi – tieteellisgastronomisten ruokaklubien järjestämiseen 7–12-vuotiaille Varsinais-Suomessa ja Etelä-Pohjanmaalla
• 70 000Yhteiskunnallisen ja kulttuurisen eläintutkimuksen seura ry Elonkirjon bussikiertueeseen Etelä-Pohjanmaan, Pohjois-Savon ja Kainuun kouluissa
• 45 000

The aim of the Translating World Literature into Finnish – A Grant for Publishers is to bring world literature into the hands of Finnish readers, especially books written in languages that are rarely translated into Finnish.

The range of source languages within the scheme is expanding. In the coming years, Finns will be able to read books translated from languages such as Chinese, Hungarian and Japanese.

This goal is already well underway, with 24 books that have been translated into Finnish from 13 different source languages having been published so far. The Translating World Literature into Finnish grant has been available since 2022. Over ten years, the Finnish Cultural Foundation will award grants totalling €1 million for the translation of contemporary fiction.

The most recent books published include Tuulia Tipa’s translation of Daniel Kehlmann’s German novel Lichtspiel (The Director) and Tuukka Tuomasjukka’s translation of Moldovan Nicoleta Esinencu’s play Simfonia progresului (Symphony of Progress).

Eleven new books on the way

The grants awarded after the last round of applications will bring eleven new books to Finnish readers, including two Japanese modern classics. Fumiko Hayashi is considered a key figure in the development of contemporary Japanese literature. She rose to fame with her novel Hōrōki (Diary of a Vagabond). Hayashi’s works often deal with the themes of women’s independence, social inequality and the realism of everyday life. The book will be published by Reiwa Suomi Japani Oy and translated by Antti Valkama. The partly autobiographical Kamen no Kokuhaku (Confessions of a Mask) is Yukio Mishima’s breakthrough work. It is a novel about a homosexual man who is forced to hide his true nature because of the demands of society. The book will be published by Sammakko and translated by Raisa Porrasmaa.

The publishing house Punainen Silakka also received a grant for the translation of Hong Kong-based Chan Ho-kein’s detective novel 13.67 (The Borrowed). The book is being translated from Chinese to Finnish by Rauno Sainio.The Finnish-Hungarian Society (Suomi-Unkari Seura) received a grant for the translation and publication of short stories published in Hungary in recent years. There will be 20 translators working on this collection of short stories, ranging from those with many book translations under their belt and to those who are still making a name for themselves. The grant was awarded as a Kopiosto grant, named after the donor, the copyright organisation Kopiosto, from its national funds.

Recipients of Translating World Literature into Finnish – A Grant for Publishers in 2025

The name of the translator is given if known at the time of application. (Text is in Finnish.)

• Gummerus Kustannus Oy ukrainalaisen Sofija Andruhovytšin Amadoka-romaanin ensimmäisen osan kääntämiseen. Suomentaja Riku Toivola.
• Kirjallisuus- ja kulttuuriyhdistys Särö ry puolalaisen Malgorzata Lebdan romaanin Lakome kääntämiseen ja julkaisemiseen. Suomentaja Tapani Kärkkäinen.
• Kustannusosakeyhtiö Kairaamo Oy romanialaisen Tatiana Tibuleacin romaanin Vara in Care Mama a Avut Ochii Verzi julkaisemiseen ja näkyvyyden edistämiseen. Suomentaja Tuukka Tuomasjukka.
• Kustannusosakeyhtiö Sammakko japanilaisen Yukio Mishiman romaanin Kamen no Kokuhaku (Erään naamion tunnustuksia) kääntämiseen ja julkaisemiseen. Suomentaja Raisa Porrasmaa.  
• Lector Kustannus Oy virolaisen Karl Ristikivin 1400-luvulle sijoittuvan historiallisen romaanin Nõiduse õpilane (Noituuden oppilas) kääntämiseen ja julkaisemiseen. Suomentaja Antti Salo.
• Osuuskunta Kirjasin osk (Kustannusliike Parkko) ranskalaisen Paul Eluardin Tuskan pääkaupunki -runokokoelman suomentamiseen ja julkaisemiseen.
• Osuuskunta Kirjasin osk (Kustannusliike Parkko) meksikolaisen Octavio Pazin Salamanteri-kokoelman suomentamiseen ja julkaisemiseen.
• Reiwa Suomi Japani Oy japanilaisen Fumiko Hayashin pääteoksen Hōrōki (Kulkuripäiväkirja) kääntämiseen ja julkaisemiseen. Suomentaja Antti Valkama.
• Suomi-Unkari Seura – Finn-Magyar Társaság ry unkarilaisten 2020-luvulla julkaistujen 27 novellin kääntämiseen ja julkaisemiseen. Useita suomentajia.
• Tammi (Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö) ruotsalaisen Elin Anna Labban romaanin Far inte till havet (Älä astu mereen) kääntämiseen ja julkaisemiseen. Suomentaja Outi Menna.
• Well Known Ingredient Oy (Kustantamo Punainen Silakka) hongkonglaisen Chan Ho-kein rikosromaanin 13.67 (Lainattu kaupunki) kääntämiseen ja julkaisemiseen. Suomentaja Rauno Sainio. 

The Finnish Cultural Foundation’s residency programme was launched in its current form in 2017 and has since become one of the largest in Europe, both in terms of the number of residencies and their geographical locations. Many residency programmes aimed at Finnish artists take them to the United States or Europe. The Finnish Cultural Foundation’s programme has taken artists to Asia, South America and Australia, and from 2026 also to Africa.

The locations currently include major international centres for art such as New York, Tokyo and Copenhagen, and a new destination, London. The foundation also has strong northern ties that take artists to places such as Iceland and the Lofoten Islands of Norway. Africa and the Global South are some of the programme’s future focus areas.

In the last few years, the programme has had around ten international residency locations, and 2026 will see the addition of its first location in Africa: the Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) residency in Lagos and Ijebu Ode, established by artist Yinka Shonibare in 2019. The Acme residency in London with its rich traditions will also be included in the programme in 2026. The call for applications for these locations will open in August 2025.

The G.A.S. residency focuses on materiality, identity, cultural heritage, food security and the ecological crisis. In addition to visual artists, curators as well as artists and writers from other disciplines whose work has geographical or thematic links to the residency are eligible to apply. The other new location, Acme in East London, offers excellent networking opportunities for visual artists as well as individual support, for example, through mentoring.

“I couldn’t be happier with the high quality of the new partners we have attracted to the programme.  London’s importance as a centre for the arts is indisputable, and Lagos is an enthralling and vibrant city for the visual arts. However, location alone is not enough. Residencies must also be able to provide artists with networking opportunities and support, which G.A.S. and Acme both do,” says Development Director Johanna Ruohonen, who runs the Finnish Cultural Foundation’s residency programme.

In the photo, the Acme residency Fire Station building  ©Acme archives

Of last year’s locations, Filba in Buenos Aires is not included in the August round of applications. Some of the locations will continue to change each year, allowing the continuous development of the programme.

Supporting mobility in the arts

The Finnish Cultural Foundation’s residency programme combines top-quality locations with sufficient funding for artistic work during the residency. Longer residencies lasting between 2 to 5 months promote the development of artists’ work, contribute to lasting networks and increase appreciation for cultural diversity. The effects achieved will gradually radiate more widely into Finnish art. The next call for applications for the residency programme will be open in August 2025. A webinar with information about the application process will be held on 19 August 2025. More detailed instructions will be provided on the residency programme’s website in August.

Another type of grant open for applications in August is the mobility grant, which is intended to cover the costs of artists’ and art critics’ international collaboration projects, residencies, exhibition projects or festival participation. Mobility grants are awarded for stays of at least two weeks in the target country.

Read more

Residency alumni

Read an article about Panos Balomenos’ experiences at experiences at a residency offered by Triangle in New York.

 

New memories of New York's past

• Read interviews with other residency alumni
• Read more about the residency programme and the application process