Finnish Arts and Culture Agency prepares composition of Pool of Experts

The appointment of the Pool of Experts is connected to the Finnish Arts and Culture Agency’s new peer review structure. The current regional and national arts councils will be discontinued at the end of June 2026, after which applications will be reviewed within Grant Assessment Panels compiled from the Pool of Experts for each call for applications. The principles of peer reviews, the autonomy of art and regional equality will be maintained in decision-making.

The Finnish Arts and Culture Agency invited proposals for members of the Pool of Experts in March-April. A total of 1240 nominations were received before the deadline.

According to the law, the agency must consult key parties in the arts and culture sector when preparing its decision, and the agency sent a request for nominations to 293 arts and culture organisations. In addition, an open channel was used to allow any arts or culture professional or organisation to submit nominations for the Pool of Experts. It was also possible to nominate oneself as a member.

The opportunity to nominate members of the Pool of Experts attracted a lot of interest, and a total of 273 communities submitted nominations. Among them were many who were not specifically invited to nominate. Approximately 800 candidates were nominated by a community, and over 400 individuals registered as candidates themselves.

“The change in the peer review structure has long been a subject of much discussion and some concern within the arts community. We have listened carefully to the feedback we have received. The new structure enables us to further expand the diversity of experts while ensuring representation among all regions and fields of the arts. I am very pleased with the interest shown in the Pool of Experts,” says Henri Terho, Director, Arts and Culture Funding.

Aiming for a balanced and diverse Pool of Experts

The Finnish Arts and Culture Agency has now begun preparing the composition of the Pool of Experts. The aim is to appoint approximately 300 members to the Pool of Experts. The agency is preparing the decision so that the Council of Arts and Culture, which will begin its term in July, can take up the matter in late summer. The Council of Arts and Culture will appoint the Pool of Experts for a three-year term no later than September..

Members of the Pool of Experts must have comprehensive knowledge of different sub-genres and professional groups within each field of the arts, as well as the diversity of the arts and culture sector. In addition, diversity in the age, gender, language and cultural backgrounds of members will be taken into account during the appointment process.

Regional representation is also an important consideration. The Finnish Arts and Culture Agency aims to appoint professionals from across regions to the Pool of Experts. Nominations were received from all the regions of mainland Finland. Altogether 53% of the candidates represent the Uusimaa Region of Southern Finland. The Finnish Arts and Culture Agency is setting an internal target for how many members of the Pool of Experts are appointed from outside the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and will monitor the achievement of this target.

Another aim is to appoint members covering a broad range of age groups. Candidates under the age of 35 and over the age of 65 account for approximately 10% of nominees each. In addition, candidates from various linguistic and cultural minorities are widely represented among the nominees.

Applications for artist grants and supplementary artist pensions will be reviewed within Grant Assessment Panels, which will also nominate prize recipients and provide opinions on grant applications by communities. The Council of Arts and Culture will decide on the awarding of grants and prizes to artists and working groups on the basis of peer reviews made within Grant Assessment Panels. The awarding of grants to communities will be decided by the Finnish Arts and Culture Agency.

The first Grant Assessment Panels will be appointed from among the members of the Pool of Experts in September. Their task is to nominate prize recipients and provide opinions on the artistic merits of applicants for supplementary artist pensions.