Deadline: 15-Sep-2026
The New Classics Fund provides grants to professional visual arts organisations in Finland to strengthen the position and societal significance of art while increasing the life cycle, audiences, circulation, and visibility of visual arts works and productions.
For the 2027–2029 funding period, the programme focuses on visual arts organisations and offers a combination of a basic grant and additional funding calculated according to artwork sales.
The total grant can reach up to €250,000 over three years. The funding period runs from January 1, 2027, to December 31, 2029, and the application deadline is September 15, 2026.
About the New Classics Fund
The New Classics Fund was established to strengthen the role of art in Finnish society and improve the position and visibility of the visual arts sector.
The fund places particular emphasis on extending the life cycle of visual arts works and productions, reaching new audiences, encouraging circulation, and increasing public visibility.
The programme operates on a biennial basis, alternating between support for the performing arts and visual arts. This funding round specifically focuses on professional organisations working in the visual arts.
What Are the Objectives of the Fund?
The New Classics Fund aims to support the long-term development and societal relevance of art in Finland.
Its objectives include:
- Strengthening the role and relevance of art in society
- Increasing the visibility and circulation of visual arts works
- Expanding audiences for visual arts
- Supporting cooperation across administrative boundaries and funding forms
- Improving the cost-effectiveness of artistic production
- Increasing public awareness of artistic production
- Supporting the work and growth of artists already established in the Finnish art field
The programme therefore combines financial support with broader goals related to the sustainability, visibility, and development of professional visual arts activity.
How Does the New Classics Funding Model Work?
The funding model is distinctive because it combines a basic grant with an additional calculated share linked to artwork sales.
The basic grant is determined through a means test and ranges from €30,000 to €100,000.
In addition, eligible organisations may receive a calculated share corresponding to their sales revenue, subject to specified limits.
This structure is intended to recognise organisations that actively contribute to the circulation and sale of visual arts works.
How Much Funding Is Available?
The total grant can reach up to €250,000 for the full three-year funding period.
The funding consists of two main components.
Basic Grant
The basic grant:
- Ranges from €30,000 to €100,000
- Is determined through a means test
- Is paid in a single instalment
Calculated Sales-Based Share
In addition to the basic grant, organisations may receive a calculated share equal to their sales revenue.
The additional amount is subject to these limits:
- Up to €10,000 per individual work
- Up to €50,000 per year
- Up to €150,000 over the entire three-year funding period
When combined, the basic grant and calculated sales-based share can result in a maximum total grant of €250,000.
Funding Period
The New Classics Fund covers a three-year funding period:
January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2029
Organisations applying for support should therefore consider how their activities, exhibitions, artwork sales, audience development, and broader organisational growth fit within this period.
Who Can Apply?
The fund is intended for professional visual arts organisations operating in Finland.
Eligible applicants include:
- Professional galleries
- Art lending libraries
- Other visual arts organisations registered in Finland
Applicants must organise exhibitions and sell artworks to the public.
Their operations must also be:
- Professional
- High-quality
- Year-round
The programme is particularly intended to support organisations contributing to the development, circulation, visibility, and public reach of visual arts in Finland.
Who Is Not Eligible?
Several categories of organisations are excluded from the New Classics Fund.
The following are not eligible to apply:
- Public entities
- Operators receiving state subsidies for culture
- National art institutions
- Organisations with an active New Classics funding period after January 1, 2027
- Organisations whose de minimis grant would exceed €300,000 over the three-year period
Applicants should carefully consider these exclusions before preparing an application.
Supporting Established Finnish Artists
The New Classics Fund specifically aims to support the work and growth of artists who are already established in the Finnish art field.
This focus distinguishes the programme from funding schemes primarily aimed at emerging artists or early-stage artistic development.
Eligible visual arts organisations should therefore demonstrate how their work contributes to the continued development, visibility, circulation, and public reach of established artistic production.
Increasing the Visibility of Visual Arts
A major focus of the programme is improving the visibility of visual arts works and productions.
The fund seeks to increase opportunities for artworks to reach audiences, circulate more widely, and have a longer life cycle.
Professional galleries, art lending libraries, and other eligible organisations can play an important role in achieving these objectives through exhibitions, public sales, audience engagement, and professional artistic production.
Encouraging Cooperation
The New Classics Fund also aims to encourage cooperation across administrative boundaries and funding forms.
This reflects a broader objective of strengthening collaboration within the visual arts ecosystem and improving how artistic production is supported and communicated to the public.
Organisations should therefore consider how their activities contribute to cooperation and wider sector development.
Improving Cost-Effectiveness and Public Awareness
Another objective is to improve the cost-effectiveness of artistic production while increasing public awareness of artistic work.
The programme recognises that stronger organisational structures, broader audiences, improved circulation, and greater public visibility can contribute to a more sustainable visual arts sector.
Key Facts About the New Classics Fund
- Programme: New Classics Fund
- Focus: Visual arts
- Location: Finland
- Eligible applicants: Professional visual arts organisations registered in Finland
- Examples of eligible organisations: Galleries, art lending libraries, and other visual arts organisations
- Maximum total grant: €250,000
- Basic grant: €30,000–€100,000
- Sales-based calculated share: Up to €10,000 per individual work
- Annual sales-based limit: €50,000
- Three-year sales-based maximum: €150,000
- Basic grant payment: Single instalment
- Funding period: January 1, 2027–December 31, 2029
- Application deadline: September 15, 2026
- Operation: Biennial, alternating between performing arts and visual arts
- PhD or individual applicants: The scheme is aimed at eligible organisations rather than individual applicants
- Key requirement: Professional, high-quality, year-round operations
- Public sales: Applicants must organise exhibitions and sell artworks to the public
How to Prepare for the New Classics Fund
Eligible organisations should ensure that their application clearly demonstrates their professional and year-round visual arts operations.
Applicants should be prepared to explain:
- Their organisational activities and professional profile
- Their exhibition programme
- How they sell artworks to the public
- Their contribution to the Finnish visual arts sector
- How their work supports established artists
- Their approach to increasing audiences and visibility
- How artworks can achieve greater circulation and longer life cycles
- Their contribution to cooperation across administrative and funding boundaries
- How their activities improve the cost-effectiveness and public awareness of artistic production
- Their financial circumstances relevant to the means-tested basic grant
- Their expected artwork sales during the funding period
Applicants should also ensure that their organisation does not fall under any of the programme’s exclusion categories.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the New Classics Fund?
The New Classics Fund is a Finnish grant programme supporting professional visual arts organisations to strengthen the role of art in society and increase the visibility, circulation, audiences, and life cycle of visual arts works and productions.
How much funding can an organisation receive?
The total grant can reach up to €250,000 over the three-year funding period.
How much is the basic grant?
The basic grant ranges from €30,000 to €100,000 and is determined through a means test.
Is there additional funding based on artwork sales?
Yes. Organisations may receive a calculated share equal to their sales revenue, subject to limits of €10,000 per individual work, €50,000 per year, and €150,000 over the three-year funding period.
When does the funding period begin?
The funding period begins on January 1, 2027, and ends on December 31, 2029.
What is the application deadline?
The application deadline is September 15, 2026.
Who is eligible to apply?
Professional galleries, art lending libraries, and other professional visual arts organisations registered in Finland may apply if they organise exhibitions, sell artworks to the public, and operate professionally, at a high quality, and year-round.
Can public entities apply?
No. Public entities are not eligible to apply.
Can organisations receiving state cultural subsidies apply?
No. Operators receiving state subsidies for culture are excluded from the programme.
Are national art institutions eligible?
No. National art institutions are not eligible.
Does the fund support emerging artists?
The programme specifically aims to support the work and growth of artists who are already established in the Finnish art field.
How is the basic grant paid?
The basic grant is paid in a single instalment.
What is the purpose of the sales-based funding component?
The calculated share is linked to artwork sales and supports the fund’s broader objective of increasing the circulation, visibility, and public reach of visual arts works.
Can an organisation with an active New Classics funding period apply?
Organisations with an active New Classics funding period after January 1, 2027 are not eligible to apply.
Is there a de minimis funding restriction?
Yes. Organisations whose de minimis grant would exceed €300,000 over three years are not eligible to apply.
Conclusion
The New Classics Fund offers substantial support for professional visual arts organisations in Finland, with total funding of up to €250,000 during the 2027–2029 funding period.
Its distinctive combination of a €30,000–€100,000 means-tested basic grant and a sales-based calculated share creates a funding model that connects organisational support with the circulation and sale of visual arts works.
By supporting professional galleries, art lending libraries, and other year-round visual arts organisations, the fund aims to strengthen the societal relevance of art, expand audiences, improve visibility and circulation, encourage cooperation, and support the continued growth of established artists in Finland.
For more information, visit New Classics Fund.
