Martti Aiha and Nina Roos’ exhibition ‘Eye in Eye’ at Kristiansand Kunsthall, Norway 5.4.–1.6.2025.
Frame supported the exhibition with a grant.
Frame’s renewed grants will be available for application for the first time in March. In the future, grants will be divided into three types: mobility grants for travel and transportation expenses, publication grants for art publications, and new production grants for international commissions. In this blog post, Grant Coordinator Veera Lizé explains what is changing and why.
The grants awarded by Frame will be reformed this year, but the main purpose will remain the same: our grants support the presentation of works by Finnish and Finland-based artists and building networks abroad. The presentation of contemporary art can be, for example, an exhibition, art fair, publication, festival, performance, professional event, or public artwork. The grants also support trips outside of Finland for other professionals, such as curators and contemporary art experts.
There will be three application rounds for Frame grants during the year: in March, May, and October. The next grant application period will be open from 1–31 March 2026, when grants can be applied for international projects to be carried out in 2026–2027. All three types of grants will be available at the March application round: mobility grants for travel and transportation expenses, publication grants for art publications, and new production grants for international commissions.
We have renewed the grants both for resource reasons and because the needs and requirements of contemporary art presentations and international activities are constantly developing. In the process, we have compared the funding models of numerous foreign organisations and foundations that fund contemporary art. The changes also take into account feedback from grant applicants and recipients on both the application process and the implementation of projects.
Along with the first application round, six new peer reviewers will begin their term. The reviewers’ expertise will play a key role in ensuring that Frame’s grants can effectively and strategically promote the international career opportunities for artists, and visibility and networks of Finnish contemporary art.
What will change:
- Three application rounds per year: Grants will no longer be available year-round; instead, different grant types will have their own application periods.
- Three different types of grants: mobility grants, publication grants, and new production grants
- All grant types are available to individuals, working groups, and organisations
- Extended usage times: Grants can be used until the end of October of the year following the application. Grants can only be applied for expenses incurred after the application period has ended.
- The grant range is predetermined: mobility grants €250–5,000; production grants €2,500–8,000; publication grants €2,500–5,000.
- We require that you attach an invitation or cooperation agreement from your project partner, such as the venue where the work will be presented, to your application.
- Decisions will be made within one month of the end of the application period at the latest.
Once the March application period opens, we will review closely whether the reforms serve grant applicants as we had hoped. The grants will continue to be developed, and the initial phase may require fine-tuning. We welcome feedback on both the application process and the details of how the grants are used – please feel free to contact us.
– Veera Lizé, Grant Coordinator
This blog is a platform for reflecting on work, current issues, and discussions in the arts by Frame staff members and other contributors. This blog post is published in Finnish and in English.