New Classics funding increases the visibility of the visual arts and enables arts organisations to further develop their activities.
Applications to the New Classics fund will once again open in September 2026. Grants from the New Classics fund are awarded in alternate years to organisations working in the performing arts and the visual arts. In this application round, the focus is on the visual arts.
Established in 2022 by the State and four foundations, the New Classics fund supports the prerequisites for the work and growth of arts organisations that have already established their position in the field. Galleries, art lending services, and other visual arts organisations that organise exhibitions and sell works of art can apply for funding to develop their activities and increase sales during the application period from 1 to 15 September 2026. The aim is to improve both the applicant’s operating conditions and those of the artists they represent.
A distinctive feature of the New Classics funding scheme is the way the grant amount is determined. In addition to a possible basic amount awarded on the basis of the application, organisations receive additional funding during the grant period. This calculated share is based on the sale of works of art. The basic amount ranges from EUR 30,000 to 100,000, and the calculated share can be up to EUR 150,000.
The objective of the New Classics fund is to strengthen the position and societal significance of art, and to increase the life cycle, audiences, circulation and visibility of works and productions. The fund was jointly established by the Ministry of Education and Culture and four foundations: the Finnish Cultural Foundation, Svenska kulturfonden, the Alfred Kordelin Foundation, and the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation.
According to an evaluation by the Centre for Cultural Policy Research Cupore of the 2022 and 2023 application rounds, New Classics funding has supported the launch of new productions, extended planning horizons, and enabled the expansion of activities. The fund has also strengthened cooperation between independent arts organisations and state-subsidised (VOS) institutions, increased the circulation and visibility of productions and their audiences, and improved artists’ working conditions. Overall, the fund’s impact extends beyond individual projects to the broader operational logic of the arts sector.