Call for applications 2023: Special Subsidies for art forms

Application period

Begins: 2 October 2023 at 8.00
Ends: 31 October 2023 at 16.00

The deadline for submitting applications is 16:00 (4:00pm) on the last day of the application period. This is the absolute deadline by which time Taike must receive the application.

Applications should be submitted online during the application period.

The Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) requires that applicants familiarise themselves with the call for applications before filling in the application.

Intended recipients

Special subsidies (project subsidies) are intended for legal communities, such as associations, cooperatives and companies. Organisations run by municipalities and foundations may also apply. However, unregistered communities and private traders are not eligible for special subsidies. Special subsidies are intended for projects implemented by professional artists and not for recreational activities.

Subsidies can be applied for with one application only. Select the artform that your project most closely involves. If your project combines different artforms in such a way that established artforms no longer adequately describe the project, you should select multidisciplinary art.

Who decides

Applications and the operations of applicants are evaluated by Taike’s experts. Decisions are taken by the Director of Taike based on a presentation by a special advisor.

Purpose and amount

Special subsidies are intended for individual projects in different fields of the arts to be realised in Finland or abroad in 2024.

Special subsidies may be awarded if considered necessary in relation to the quality and scope of the project. Other state support shall be taken into consideration.

Special subsidies may cover only a portion of the total funding of the project and not all expenses. If the project generates a profit, the recipient may be asked to return the subsidy in full or in part.

The minimum amount of each subsidy is 5000 euros. Special subsidies are not awarded to cover the costs of a community’s regular operations, for which operational subsidies (general subsidies) are available.

Previously awarded subsidies are listed on the Taike website here: Awarded grants and subsidies.

Evaluation criteria

The awarding of subsidies is based on an evaluation, comparison and overall assessment of applications. When evaluating applications, the following three criteria and questions are used, not all of which need to be fulfilled. There is no weighting in the evaluation criteria. The regional distribution and language of applicants are taken into consideration, as is the amount of available funding. Equality and fair treatment are also taken into account.

These subsidies are discretionary and are awarded on an annual basis on condition that Parliament allocates the required appropriations in the annual state budget.

Quality of the project

• What is the quality of the project’s artistic content?
• Is the project plan well prepared?
• What does the project offer to the field of the arts, artists and audiences?
• How noteworthy is the community implementing the project in its field of the arts?
• Are the community’s staff members and project implementers professionals?
• How realistic is the project in terms of its implementation?
• Does the community pay wages and fees in accordance with fair remuneration practices?

Impact of the project

• What is the impact of the project regionally, nationally or internationally?
• What is the social impact of the project?
• How does the project encourage a discussion about art?
• What kinds of cooperation partners does the project have?
• How is accessibility implemented?

Project financing

• How have the community’s finances been managed in previous years?
• How realistic is the project’s budget?
• Is the amount of the subsidy that has been applied for in relation to the scope of the project?
• What is the need for the subsidy in relation to the community’s financial situation?
• What other funding does the project have?

General terms and conditions

• Subsidies awarded by other parties are taken into consideration when awarding subsidies.
• A community that receives an operational subsidy may not receive a special subsidy within a specific field of the arts from the Arts Promotion Centre Finland.
• The subsidy must be used during the year in which it was awarded. New subsidies shall not be awarded if previously awarded subsidies for the same purpose have not been used.
• Recipients of subsidies must submit written clarification and a financial statement of how the subsidy was used.

What to include with your application

• It is mandatory to include the community’s audited financial statements (signed) for the previous financial period (income statement and balance sheet) or a report on the financial situation of the community (dated) confirmed by the signature of a person authorised to sign the name of the company if no financial statements have yet been drawn up.
• In addition, you may also include up to two attachments that are relevant to your application. The file names should describe the content. The maximum file size for each attachment is 4Mb.

Attachments may not be sent by e-mail. Applications and attachments are not returned.

Grounds for disqualification

• If the application arrives after the application deadline. Applications must be received by Taike by 16:00 (4:00pm) on the last day of the application period.
• If the application is incomplete (if the required information has not been delivered to Taike following a request for such information).
• If the applicant has not submitted written clarification of previously awarded subsidies before the given deadline.

Subsidies are subject to the Act (657/2012) and Statute (727/2012) on Taiteen edistämiskeskus (only in Finnish); Discretionary Government Transfers (688/2001); Administrative Procedure Act (434/2003). Taike monitors the use of subsidies and is entitled if necessary to review the finances and activities of recipients.

How to apply

Log in and fill in the application online (user interface in Finnish)

You can log in using Suomi.fi e-identification.

Instructions for using online services

If you are unable to use our online services, please contact Taike’s customer service.

Guidelines for subsidy applicants

Notification of decision

All applicants will be notified of the decision in writing by the end of February. Applicants will be informed by e-mail when the decision can be accessed from our online services. If you do not receive the e-mail to your inbox, remember to check also your junk mail folder. Applicants are responsible for checking their e-mail messages on the address supplied in the application.

Applications are public documents

Applications submitted to Taike are public documents, about which everyone is entitled to receive information according to Finnish law (Act on the Openness of Government Activities 621/1999). For example, the media can request to view

applications. The project plans of communities are confidential to the extent that they contain information considered to be business secrets, such as artistic ideas or information about private individuals. Information about subsidies awarded to communities is published on the Taike website.

Taike submits information about all state subsidy decisions for publication on the tutkiavustuksia.fi website (Act on Discretionary Government Transfers 688/2001).

Further information

Customer Service, t. 0295 330 700, [email protected]