In 2020, the Cultural Foundation will award a total of 44 million euros in grants, of which 24 million euros in the Central Fund October round of applications and 1.2 million in the March and August rounds. A further 2 million will be awarded through pools and 4 million earmarked for other special targets. The regional funds will award 13 million euros in the January round of applications.

– All Finnish nationals, people and organisations residing or operating in Finland are eligible to apply. Clear, strong ties to Finland or Finnish culture demonstrate adequate grounds for applying, as well, encourages Director Juhana Lassila from the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

The full-year grant sum has been increased to 26 000 euros in both science and arts, while the post doc -grant stands at 30 000 euros. For the first time the application round includes four- and two-year grants in addition to earlier working grants.

Both grant flexibility and its range of uses are being expanded. For example, unlike earlier, a grant can now be awarded for a scientific or artistic project to be carried out in addition to full-time gainful employment, provided the project is not related to the full-time employment. The scale of the project is not specified, but a single so-called passion grant is limited to 3 000 euros.

The science grants are aimed particularly at doctoral dissertation work and post doc scientific research. For PhD students, the Finnish Cultural Foundation offers an opportunity to combine a grant with 50-56% gainful employment with a university or other research institute so that these together enable full-time post-graduate studies. During the application process, there need not be a standing contract with the university; the grant may be applied for full-time work and then retrospectively changed to part-time, which doubles the duration of the grant.

Special targets and large-scale projects in Arts

Artists are eligible to apply for grants for work and projects, and, in addition, organisations can apply for grants to carry out cultural projects. The October round of applications features the Eminentia and Art for Institutions grants. The Eminentia grants are intended for reflection on experiences gained in the course of one’s career, for sharing one’s life’s work in popular form, or for work showing initiative in increasing the social significance of culture. The purpose of Art for Institutions grants is to promote cultural equality and improve the quality of life of people in need of special care or treatment through arts.

– In arts, we also encourage grant applications for larger-scale, multi-year projects. The Cultural Foundation does not determine actual emphases for large-scale projects but hopes for high-quality projects in all fields of art as well as between different fields, reminds Jari Sokka, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

The Central Fund of the Cultural Foundation’s October round of applications will be open between October 1 and 31 2019. An application can be submitted here. The Online Application Service closes on the deadline date at 4 pm Finnish time (Eastern European Time). References connected with applications must also be submitted before this deadline.

Additional funding for research focusing on future energy markets or the technological revolution

The October round of applications includes ca. one million euro additional funding for research concentrating on future energy markets and/or the technological revolution. This additional funding will support between one and five research projects. The funding will be awarded for a maximum of three years and can be used for doctoral dissertation students and post doc researchers’ working grants and other expenses arising from the research. You can find more information here.

Sign up for the Ask and Apply Info Session

Applicants are welcome to an Ask and Apply Info Session, where help is available for drafting applications and any possible questions can be answered. These sessions are held in the Seminar Room of the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma on Tuesday October 22 and Wednesday October 23 at 2-4 pm. Registration is mandatory for either session and 30 places are available on a first come, first served basis. Applicants should bring their own laptops or tablets. Registrations are binding and can be found at skr.fi/klinikat.

You can find detailed guidelines on how to apply and further information here.