Funding
Give ambitious ideas space to grow with ENTER
ENTER is the Nordic Culture Fund’s programme for ambitious ideas which, in collaboration with others, can open up new perspectives and set new things in motion. The programme aims to offer space to experiment, learn as you go along and to test new directions, without necessarily knowing the concrete outcome.
You can apply for up to 50 000 DKK, and there is no requirement for co-funding.
Application period
Apply for funding up to
50 000 DKK
Processing time
5 weeks after the deadline
What is ENTER?
ENTER is designed to create space for ideas that needs to be explored, tested or developed together with others. The programme is for those who need the meeting of different experiences, disciplines, places or perspectives to take an idea further.
Why ENTER?
ENTER stems from our ambition to bring arts and culture into play as a driving force that opens new perspectives, challenges established ways of thinking and contribute to shaping the future of the Nordic region. To do this requires room for experimentation, spaces to test your ideas and see them take shape through encounters with others.
ENTER therefore offers the opportunity to explore an idea, method or way of working before its form, outcome or next step is entirely clear. What matters is not that you already have all the answers, but that there is something meaningful to explore, develop or learn together.
We are looking for initiatives that can apply and bring together different experiences, geographies and practices, and which have the courage to challenge established ways of working, and which you, we as a Fund, and others can learn from.
To be eligible for funding through ENTER, your initiative must have a Nordic anchoring and be built on collaboration across borders. Arts and culture must be a significant part of the initiative, but we also encourage collaborations with other sectors, practices and areas of society.
Who can apply?
Both individuals and organisations can apply to ENTER. You can come from the arts and culture sector or from other fields and sectors, as long as arts and/or culture play a central role in the initiative.
Applicants and partners can be based both within and outside the Nordic Region. What matters is that the initiative as a whole has a clear and meaningful connection to the Nordic Region.
How we assess your application
The Nordic Culture Fund will base its funding decisions on an overall assessment of each individual initiative.
Among other things, we will consider the initiative’s potential to generate new developments or momentum, its potential impact and the significance it may have in a Nordic context.
We will value ambition and curiosity very high, as well as recognise learning as a valuable outcome in its own right.
Three assessment criteria
All eligible applications are assessed against three criteria:
Ambition and collaboration
Does your initiative demonstrate a clear ambition to explore, test or develop something that you can show is important? And how will you work together to achieve it?
Learning and transformative potential
Does the initiative have the potential to generate new knowledge, relationships, ways of working or foundations for further and future development?
Significance in a Nordic context
Will the initiative create meaningful connections, perspectives or opportunities that have the potential to contribute positively in a Nordic context?
Should we receive more qualified applications than we are able to fund, we will prioritise between them. We place high importance on ensuring our supported initiatives in this programme overall represents a variety of diversities – in terms of perspectives, geographies, participants, collaborations, themes and methods.
What do we mean by ‘Nordic anchoring‘?
We do not have a fixed definition of what constitutes ‘a nordic anchoring’. It may be expressed through the types of collaborations, themes or perspectives that shape your initiative, but it may also take other forms.
We remain open to your interpretation; the important thing is that you can explain what the Nordic foundation of your initiative is and why it is relevant.
Terms and conditions
Funding
- You can apply for up to 50 000 DKK.
- There is no requirement for co-funding. However, if you expect to receive funding from other sources, please include this in your application.
What does ENTER not support?
ENTER does not support initiatives whose primary purpose is:
- education or study visits
- participation in conferences, festivals, events or similar activities
- tours or travelling exhibitions
- productions or publications
- organisational running costs or core funding
- construction projects or the purchase of technical equipment for day-to-day operations
Applications and inclusion
- Applications must be submitted electronically through the Nordic Culture Fund’s application portal.
- We want ENTER to be accessible for everyone. If you need support or alternative formats in order to complete your application, please contact us at kulturfonden@norden.org.
- You may apply for up to 25 000 DKK in additional funding for special costs, for example relating to logistics expenses, personal access needs or other circumstances that affect your ability to carry out the initiative. The total grant may not exceed 75 000 DKK.
Project period
- You can only apply for activities that take place after you have received the funding decision from the Nordic Culture Fund. We will notify applicants within five weeks of the application deadline.
- Your initiative must be completed and reported on no later than one year after the stated start date. As a general rule, the project periods for ENTER cannot be extended.
Transparency
- In accordance with the Nordic Culture Fund’s transparency policy, the list of submitted applications is public. The applications themselves are not publicly available.
- All grants awarded by the Fund are published on our website and in our annual report.
If you receive funding
- If your application is successful, you agree to follow the Fund’s current rules for reporting and grant administration.
- After your initiative has been completed, you may be invited to share your experiences and feedback. We use the knowledge generated through supported initiatives to learn and to continuously develop our programmes.
Access and inclusion
We want ENTER to be accessible to everyone.
You can therefore apply for up to 25 000 DKK in additional funding for special costs, for example relating to logistics, personal accessibility needs or other circumstances that affect your ability to carry out the initiative.
The total grant may not exceed 75 000 DKK.
Questions and answers
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply to ENTER?
Both individuals and organisations can apply, and you do not need to come from the arts and cultural sector. However, arts and/or culture must play a central role in your initiative.
Can participants from outside the Nordic region take part?
Yes. What matters is not where participants come from or are based, but whether the initiative has a clear and meaningful relationship to the Nordic region.
What do you mean by a ‘Nordic anchoring’?
We do not have a fixed definition of what constitutes a ‘Nordic anchoring’. It may be expressed through the collaborations, themes or perspectives that shape your initiative, but it may also take other forms.
We are open to your own interpretation. The important thing is that you can explain what the Nordic anchoring of your initiative is and why it is relevant.
What do we mean by collaboration across boundaries?
We understand collaboration across boundaries broadly. It can mean collaboration across places, fields of expertise, sectors, institutional frameworks, practices, experiences or ways of working.
What matters most is that the collaboration brings different perspectives together and is essential to exploring, testing or developing the idea.
Can we collaborate with organisations outside the arts and cultural sector?
Yes. Collaborations can take place across disciplines and sectors, as long as arts and/or culture play a central role in the initiative.
Do all collaborators need to be confirmed when we apply?
No. In your application, you should include the collaborators who have already confirmed their participation. You may also describe additional partners who you expect to involve at a later stage.
Can we apply for a workshop, meeting, research trip or residency?
Yes, provided the activity forms part of a broader initiative in which you are exploring, testing or developing something together. What matters is not the format of the activity, but how it contributes to what you want to investigate, test or develop.
What can the grant be used for?
The grant can be used for relevant costs related to delivering the initiative, including fees to yourself and your partners, travel, accommodation, venue hire and materials. There is no fixed list of ineligible costs, but all expenditure must be relevant to the initiative and fall within the programme’s scope.
What should we include in the budget?
Your budget should list the expected expenditures of the initiative clearly and in enough detail to show what you are applying for.
There is no requirement for co-funding. If you have applied for, or expect to apply for, funding from other sources, please include this in your budget.
Should we attach supporting documents?
No. It is not possible to attach any files to the application. You should therefore not submit CVs, project descriptions, letters of support or other supplementary material.
We have chosen this approach to make the application process as quick and straightforward as possible for applicants and for us as a Fund. We assess your initiative solely on the information provided in the application form.
What language can we submit our application in?
Applications may be submitted in Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish or English. If you need to apply in another language, please contact the Fund in advance.
Can we submit more than one application?
Yes. You may submit multiple applications, provided they relate to different initiatives.
Can we take part in more than one application as collaborators?
Yes. You may participate as a collaborator in more than one application.
Can we reapply with the same idea if we are unsuccessful?
Yes. If you do choose to reapply with the same idea, we strongly encourage you to revisit the assessment criteria and reconsider how your application could communicate the initiative’s ambition and potential more clearly.
Who assesses the application?
Your application will be assessed by the Nordic Culture Fund’s advisory team on the basis of the programme’s purpose and assessment criteria. As part of the assessment process, our advisers may obtain professional additional assessment from external experts.
The final decision on whether to award or decline funding is made by the Fund’s Director under delegated authority from the Board of the Nordic Culture Fund.
