Nordic Association - Swedish-Norwegian Cooperation Fund

What you get

The fund’s best-known programme for individuals is the Voksenåsen Summer Academy, a university-level masterclass (advanced course) for young musicians. It takes place every year in July or August for 5 days in Voksenåsen near Oslo and covers string instruments, woodwind instruments and classical singing. The Norwegian Academy of Music (NMH) and the Royal College of Music in Stockholm (KMH) run the course jointly, and the NMH awards 3 ECTS credits for participation. The Fund also runs a leadership programme called ‘Talentnettverket’, with four meetings a year for young or aspiring leaders from both countries. The Fund is a Swedish foundation supported by the Swedish and Norwegian governments. It originated from Swedish aid to Norway during the Second World War and is committed to strengthening cultural and social ties between the two countries.

Who can apply

• Age: You are under 35. For the summer school, you are between 18 and 28 years old.
• Nationality: The Summer Academy is open to musicians from Sweden, Norway and all over the world. The Fund’s other activities are aimed primarily at young people from Sweden and Norway.
• Field: For the Summer Academy, you’ll be playing string or woodwind instruments or studying classical singing. The foundation’s other projects focus on culture, society, democracy, peace and human rights.
• Where you go: The summer school takes place in Voksenåsen, near Oslo, so you’ll be travelling to Norway for it.

How to apply

Registration for the Summer Academy takes place online. As the number of participants is limited, a selection process will be carried out amongst the applicants.

How realistic are your chances?

The Summer Academy is aimed at young musicians in three specific fields, which means that although the number of participants remains small, it is nevertheless very well known: every year, around 300 students apply for approximately 200 places. If you are an accomplished musician specialising in string instruments, woodwind instruments or classical singing and apply early, your chances are good, as most applicants are accepted.