Our operating principles emphasise clear and uniform policies that ensure equal treatment for everyone. Our grant and subsidy decisions are based on peer reviews by our experts. A regular turnover of members and regional representation ensure pluralism in the decision-making process.
Taike’s grants for individuals and subsidies for communities are intended for all professional artists and communities in the arts sector, regardless of their background. When arts communities apply for operational subsidies, we assess the quality of their operations by asking how gender equality, fairness (non-discrimination) and occupational wellbeing are implemented. We also require that communities comply with the Act on Equality between Women and Men and the Non-Discrimination Act.
We also award subsidies for promoting cultural diversity and combating racism to communities. These subsidies are intended to support the artistic activities and cultural projects of immigrants and cultural minorities, to support activities and projects that combat racism, and to promote interaction between cultural minorities and the general population. We also award subsidies to special groups, such as subsidies for promoting the cultural activities of disability communities.
Members of Taike’s arts councils that decide on grants for individuals are selected on the basis of hundreds of proposals received from actors within the arts and culture sector. Taike and the Central Arts Council ensure that the members of these arts councils have expertise in cultural and linguistic diversity. In 2020, approximately five percent of Taike’s grant applicants and recipients were foreign speakers.
In addition to awarding grants and subsidies, Taike has development programmes involving special advisors, art experts, artist experts and regional artists. These include the development programme for cultural diversity and mobility, which promotes the understanding of diversity in the arts, anti-racism, intercultural dialogue and the internationalisation of artists. The programme involves collaboration between majority and minority cultures in joint projects and expert committees.
In 2022–2027, the development programme for cultural diversity and mobility is focusing on dismantling structural racism and other discrimination in the arts and culture sector, as well as further embedding the principle of cultural diversity in Taike. The focus includes, for example, internal training for our staff and councils on issues of equality and anti-racism, as well as development recruitment to be even more non-discriminatory.
