Visits to Finnish art museums and galleries reached a new record level last year, according to statistics on visual arts published by Frame. However, gallery sales slowed down from the previous year.
In 2023, Finnish visual arts venues welcomed a record-breaking 5.2 million visitors, marking a 30% increase from the previous year. The data is based on the visual arts statistics published by Frame Contemporary Art Finland. The annual report is the eighth in a row.
Several art museums set attendance records last year. In 2023, Finland’s 67 art museums saw a total of 3 million visits, marking a 37% increase from the previous year.
The five most popular art museums were Helsinki-based Ateneum (533 961 visits), the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma (304 078), Amos Rex (253 627), the Helsinki Art Museum HAM (108 537), and the Espoo Museum of Modern Art EMMA (199 034). Outside the capital region, the most popular art museum was Aboa Vetus and Ars Nova in Turku with 97 162 visits.
In total, approximately 600,000 visits were made to visual arts events, including biennials and summer exhibitions. This number includes 26 different visual arts events.
Visits to art galleries increased, but sales of artworks fell
In 2023, 122 art galleries from 32 cities in Finland were included in the statistics. These galleries attracted around 1,5 million visits, an increase of 0,3 million from the previous year. More than 900 exhibitions were held, showcasing the works of a total of 2,800 artists.
Artwork sales reported by galleries faced a drop from the previous year’s figures. The total sales from galleries participating in the survey were around €6.9 million, compared to €9.8 million in the previous year. The galleries sold over 2,500 works, of which private galleries made the majority of sales.
“The record visitor numbers show that there is a strong public interest in visual arts. It also recognizes the high quality of content produced in the visual arts sector. The data provided by the statistics also reflect the impact of various societal changes in on the visual arts field. For example, the art market is sensitive to economic uncertainty, which slowed art purchases last year,” says Rosa Kuosmanen, Head of Communications at Frame.
“The potential of the visual arts sector could be further enhanced by investing more significantly in areas such as contemporary art export, sales, and exhibition content.”
The annual gallery statistics published by Frame provide detailed insights into gallery activities in Finland, including exhibitions, visitor numbers, contract and compensation practices, artwork sales, finances, and the operations of art loaning services connected to the galleries.
In 2023, Finland had 40 art loaning services. During the year, these offices that responded to the survey issued approximately 2,200 new art loans. Total revenue from both art lending and direct purchases amounted to over €2 million.
Download statistics from Frame’s website
The annual statistics produced by Frame provide insights into changes within the visual arts field and offer a comprehensive overview of the diverse range of actors in Finland. As an information center for contemporary art, Frame aims to develop the statistics to be even more detailed in the future. The goal is to create continuous and comparable time series that will allow for effective monitoring of field changes, developments, and future trends.
Statistics on art museums, art galleries, and art events, along with the resulting data cards, are published annually on the Frame website. This information is based on data collected by Frame from galleries and events, the Museum Statistics compiled by the Finnish Heritage Agency, and expert assessments by Frame.
The opening ceremony of the Derby exhibition at Seinäjoki Art Hall in January 2023. Photo: Toni Salminen.