About the Fund
60 years of cross-border cultural collaboration – for the future of the Nordics
At the Nordic Culture Fund, we see art and culture as the foundation of our understanding of the world and of the development of open, diverse, curious and democratic societies. As a fund, we operate both as a funding body, network builder, strategic partner – and as a catalyst for new initiatives that strengthen a vibrant, dynamic and resilient artistic and cultural life. On this page, you can read more about the Fund’s work and our strategy for 2026–2030.
Our strategy for 2026–2030
Since its establishment in 1966, Nordic Culture Fund has played a distinctive role within the official Nordic co-operation. With a mandate to work freely, proactively, and swiftly – both in the Nordic region and in a global setting – the Fund has, over time, helped to build trust, shared values and a sense of cohesion across borders and societies.
In a world marked by rapid change, the need for art and culture as spaces for dialogue and shared imaginaries of the future has become even more apparent. Our strategy for 2026–2030 therefore renews the Fund’s historical mandate and clarifies our responsibility to actively strengthen cross-border collaboration as a driving force for shared Nordic development.
The Fund’s work during the period 2026–2030 is structured around three main directions:
- Culture as the driving force for an innovative and forward-looking Nordic region – In a changing global landscape, art and culture are essential to understanding and developing our societies in new ways. We work to promote the cross-cutting role of art and culture in society, based on the independent value and agency of the field. This requires a renewed focus on safeguarding the freedom of art and culture and their ability to create communities and spaces across borders.
- Co-operating to build a dynamic cultural ecosystem – To realize the full potential of culture in society, it is necessary to rethink existing structures and funding models. Nordic and international collaboration is therefore becoming increasingly important – both to strengthen artistic networks and new forms of organization, and to develop shared approaches to structural change. We continuously work to strengthen our role as a catalyst for new connections and to enable more actors to collaborate on shared solutions.
- Knowledge and insight across borders – In a complex landscape shaped by social, technological and environmental change, knowledge-driven idea development and active exchange across borders are crucial to dynamic cultural policy development. We therefore work proactively as a mediator and disseminator of knowledge – both in a Nordic and a global context.
Read more about the organisation of the Fund
Our instruments
The Fund works with a broad portfolio of instruments that, in combination, support the fulfilment of the Fund’s strategic directions. The instruments are interdependent and reflect the Fund’s holistic and proactive approach to the development of the artistic and cultural field in the Nordic region:
Partnerships – a pathway to new knowledge and long-term development
We proactively enter into strategic partnerships with other organisations and stakeholders around targeted initiatives that support the Fund’s strategic priorities. Partnerships are a key driver of exchange between practice, knowledge and policy development. Through collaboration, we create space for initiatives that can contribute to structural change and the long-term development in the field of arts and culture.
Networks and meeting places
We actively work as a facilitator and strategic link between the many actors within the artistic and cultural field. This ensures that the Fund’s work is firmly rooted in the Nordic arts and cultural landscape – and creates spaces for experimentation, shared learning and long-term development. The Fund also participates in a wide range of Nordic and international networks and forums. This provides a strong foundation for new strategic collaborations and for mobilising knowledge, perspectives and relationships across borders.
Knowledge and cultural policy development
By virtue of the Fund’s position within the cultural policy landscape, we have a responsibility to actively contribute to the development of the role of art and culture and their structural conditions in society. Through close dialogue with the practicing arts and cultural field, knowledge environments and political actors in the Nordic region and internationally, we contribute to collecting, producing and disseminating knowledge about the field’s dynamics, needs and challenges – with the aim of strengthening both practice and cultural policy development.
Strategic and risk-willing support
We work with a differentiated funding framework that includes both our broad programmes, Opstart and Project Funding, as well as more specific forms of support linked to our thematic initiatives, development efforts and partnerships. Our support is based on trust and a willingness to take risks, and actively contribute to the development and establishment of new initiatives and collaborations. At the same time, we work proactively to identify emerging trends and develop formats that respond to current needs. The aim is to create coherence across initiatives and ensure that knowledge and experience are continuously used to further develop both existing and new programmes.
Proactive communication across initiatives
Communication is a central element of the Foundation’s strategic work. We are in ongoing dialogue with a wide range of stakeholders – from applicants to international partners – and participate actively in arenas for cultural policy dialogue and knowledge exchange in the Nordic region. Through our communication, we strive for clear and consistent articulation of our strategy, as well as strong positioning and visibility of the Funds’s work.
Read more about supported projects and partnerships
The Fund's annual reports
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Read more about the organisation of the Fund
Read more about supported projects and partnerships
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