Nordic Culture Fund launches new strategy – Culture shapes the future of the Nordics
At the Nordic Culture Fund, we are entering 2026 with a new strategy that sets the direction for the Fund towards 2030. The strategy builds on the Fund’s development in recent years and strengthens its proactive and future oriented role within Nordic cultural cooperation. Central to the strategy is the decisive importance of art and culture for the development of Nordic societies – as well as the relevance of art and culture in a rapidly changing world.
Art and culture are essential to our ability to understand, develop and imagine the world. Opening spaces for experimentation, dialogue and new perspectives, they connect us across geographies and experiences. The strength of art and culture lies in their ability to create meaning, think beyond the established, and give form and language to that which has not yet been articulated.
We are driven by the conviction that cultural co-operation is a prerequisite for open, curious and democratic societies. When the Fund was established in 1966 – in the aftermath of the Second World War – its purpose was to rebuild trust, shared values and cohesion across borders. On this basis, the Nordic Culture Fund was given a central role in Nordic co-operation and a mandate to work freely, proactively and swiftly across national boundaries.
This year, as the Fund celebrates its 60th anniversary, the ideas behind its establishment are more relevant than ever. With the strategy for 2026–2030, we reaffirm our commitment and our responsibility to ensure that art, culture and cross-border cooperation can continue to serve as a driving force for critical reflection, dialogue and collective imagination.
Need for proactive initiatives
The strategy is based on the recognition that, in today’s political, cultural and societal landscape, it is no longer sufficient simply to respond to change. We must be proactive and actively shape sustainable structures and collaborations that can secure a vibrant, dynamic and resilient artistic and cultural life going forward. At the same time, it is necessary to renew our understanding of the role of culture – both as fundamental infrastructure and as a transformative force in society. When we develop and invest in the cultural ecosystem, we also strengthen society’s ability to face the future. Art, culture and society are inextricably linked.
The Nordic Culture Fund plays a central role in this development. In the coming period, we will further develop our role as a funding body, network builder, strategic partner and catalyst for new initiatives across the Nordic region and internationally. The Fund must be an innovative and agile actor that explores interfaces and fosters development through experimentation and collaboration. We aim to be the complementary partner in the spaces where there is a need for initiatives that others do not take.
3 strategic directions
The strategy points the way forward via three main directions that form the framework for the Fund’s work during the strategy period. These directions are the result of a thorough analytical process in which we have taken stock of recent years’ work and strengthened our understanding of the trends and dynamics shaping the artistic and cultural landscape – both in the Nordic region and globally.
- Culture as the driving force for an innovative and future oriented-looking Nordic region – In a changing global landscape, art and culture are vital to discovering new ways of understanding and developing our societies. We will promote the cross-cutting role of art and culture in society, grounded in the field’s independent value and agency. This requires a renewed focus on safeguarding the freedom of art and culture and their ability to create communities and spaces where the future can be negotiated and shaped.
- Co-operating to build a dynamic cultural ecosystem –In order to realise the full potential of culture in society, it is necessary to rethink existing funding models and structures. In this context, Nordic and international cooperation is becoming increasingly more important – both in strengthening artistic networks and new forms of organisation, and to developing shared approaches to structural change. We will develop the Fund’s role as a catalyst for new connections and contribute to enabling more actors to collaborate on shared solutions.
- Knowledge and insight across borders – In a complex landscape marked by social, technological and environmental change, knowledge-driven idea development and active exchange across borders are crucial to develop dynamic cultural policies. During the strategy period, we will develop the Fund’s role as a mediator and disseminator of knowledge – both in a Nordic and a global context.
Anniversary year and Nordic tour – a shared point of departure for further development
The launch of the Fund’s new strategy coincides with the Fund marking its 60th anniversary in 2026. In the first half of 2026, the Fund will therefore take the strategy on a tour across the Nordic region to meet artists, cultural practitioners, and partners where they work and create.
The tour will both provide opportunities to present the strategy in different geographical and cultural contexts and to listen to the perspectives and experiences that can inform the Fund’s further work. This dialogue will form the basis for further concretizing the strategic directions and ensuring that the strategy is realized in interaction with the Nordic cultural landscape in all its breadth and diversity. The Fund’s new strategy therefore represents a shared point of departure – and an invitation to dialogue and conversation about the continued development of strong Nordic cultural co-operation.
– Kristin Danielsen and the team at The Nordic Culture Fund
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