The purpose of the New Classics fund is to support the work and growth of artists who have already established themselves in the field of art in Finland.
The specific objectives are to:
- Support the role and relevance of art in society by also highlighting the experiences of the audiences.
- Encourage organisations and the artists working in them to cooperate across administrative boundaries and forms of funding.
- Improve the cost-effectiveness of artistic production by increasing the life cycle, attendance and circulation of productions and works of art, as well as people’s awareness of them.
The New Classics fund supports the reform of Finnish art and its funding system. A special characteristic of this grant is the use of proceeds from ticket sales as an indicator of how large the grant received will be.
Who can apply?
Eligible applicants include galleries and art lending libraries, as well as other visual arts organisations registered in Finland that organise exhibitions and sell artworks to the public. Their operations must be professional, high-quality and year-round.
The following are not eligible to apply:
- public entities
- operators receiving state subsidies for culture
- national art institutions
- organisations whose previous New Classics funding period is still active
- organisations whose de minimis grant would exceed the maximum amount of 300,000 euros over a three-year period if they received a new grant.
For what purpose can you apply?
You can apply for this grant for the purpose of promoting your organisation’s operations and increasing its sales (for example, customer acquisition and improving your sales systems), and you may use it as you see fit. This grant aims to improve the operating conditions of both the applicant organisation and the artists it represents. The calculated amount of the grant should also be directed towards operational development.
Broader effects of the funding
The grant must also benefit artists whose works are exhibited or sold. The application should demonstrate how and to what extent the grant, if awarded, will benefit the artists represented by the applicant.
How much funding can you apply for?
The final amount of funding paid is based on your sales revenue.
Sales revenue refers to the gross income derived from the sale of works of art (including sales on consignment). In other words, the sales revenue generated by a single work is equal to its selling price. In the case of consignment sales, only sales made on behalf of the artist themselves qualify for the calculated amount of the grant; sales made on behalf of a third party do not.
Sales to member foundations of the New Classics fund or to the State (the Finnish State Art Commission and the Finnish National Gallery) do not qualify for the calculated amount of the grant.
The grant is divided into 1) the calculated amount and 2) a potential basic amount.
- The calculated amount is equal to sales revenue, subject to the following limitations:
- The maximum calculated amount payable per individual work is no more than 10,000 euros.
- The calculated amount payable is no more than 50,000 euros per year, or a total of 150,000 euros for the entire funding period.
- Basic amount: Based on a means test, the applicant may be awarded a basic grant of 30,000–100,000 euros for the purpose specified in the application. The basic amount is paid once, in one instalment.
The funding period begins on 1 January 2027 and ends on 31 December 2029.
Payment and reporting
The basic amount will be paid on the first day of December following the funding decision.
The receiver of the funding is expected to report the income on which the calculated amount is based every six months of the calendar year. The report for the previous calendar year must be submitted by 30 April. The calculated amount will be paid on the first day of September or March, provided that the report for the previous six-month period has been received and approved.
How to apply for the grant?
You can apply for this grant using this electronic form.
Applications will open on 1 September 2026 and end on 15 September 2026 at 4 pm. The funding decisions will be published on the New Classics fund website by mid-November. Successful applicants will be informed of the funding granted directly by e-mail.
Please enclose the following with your application:
- project action plan (maximum 4 pages)
- the applicant’s most recent approved financial statements and, if available, annual report
- an annualised budget for each year, with the credit side showing the grant from the New Classics fund in a way that is based on a realistic estimate of the sales revenue.
The application may also include other supporting material regarding the artists, exhibitions, works and productions that the applicant deems necessary.
How will your application be assessed?
Applications will be assessed using an extended peer evaluation process. Particular attention will be paid to:
- artistic quality
- the specific objectives of the New Classics fund mentioned in the first paragraph of this call for applications
- the credibility of the production and economic plan
- regional and linguistic aspects
- whether the terms of the cooperation are fair to all the parties involved.