A new programme in the Nordic Culture Fund’s Globus initiative will be launched soon

As part of the major Globus initiative, the Fund is in the process of establishing a new support programme that will ensure artists and cultural actors space to establish and work in cross-cutting and long-term global collaborations and networks in changing environments.

The programme builds on experiences gained through the first two years of the initiative, which has included the sub-programme Globus Opstart and a number of pilot and partnership projects with actors in and outside the Nordic countries.

Although the first period of the initiative has been largely affected by the covid-19 pandemic, Globus has proved to be an important and sought-after initiative that can support the role of art and culture in building bridges between different professional and cultural environments in a time when nations are increasingly drawing in upon themselves.

There is an increased need to think in more flexible and dynamic solutions that can ensure artists and cultural practitioners opportunities to act in a reality that is increasingly complex, unpredictable and characterized by global processes and upheavals. In this work, we will therefore also rethink some of the definitions and premises that have shaped our understanding of and the way in which international cultural co-operation is supported in Nordic contexts, says Anni Syrjäläinen project manager for Globus.

Perspectives from different parts of the world

The new Globus programme will address artistic and cultural collaborations and projects that in their practice transcend cultural, geographical and disciplinary boundaries. Instead of acting on a national or unified regional basis, the program will support the building of cross-cutting collaborations and networks that can, for example, develop dialogue across different contexts and explore connections between the local and global.

To ensure relevant angles of approach, the Fund is for the first time setting up an international expert group that can contribute to the development work with experiences and perspectives from different parts of the world. The final application criteria and information are expected to be launched in May.

The projects for the programme are selected through a two-part application process during the summer and autumn of 2022. The first phase is carried out as an Open Call, after which selected applicants are invited to develop and submit a final application.

In the long term, the Fund will facilitate a network across the participating actors and projects to ensure an ongoing exchange of learning across projects and between projects and the Nordic Culture Fund.