Cultural Fund for Sweden and Finland

Cultural Fund for Sweden and Finland

You will receive a grant of up to 5,000 EUR (50,000 SEK) for a project linking Sweden and Finland. This could be a concert, an exhibition, a research trip, a seminar or the establishment of new contacts between the two countries. Most grants range from 500 to 2,000 EUR. Instead of a project grant, you can also apply for a travel allowance for a short trip of up to 5 nights’ accommodation. If you live in Finland, you can also apply for a residency grant in Stockholm, which covers the costs of a stay of 2, 4, 7 or 14 nights. This includes free accommodation at Freys Hotel, a flat-rate travel allowance of 125 EUR, and 15 EUR per night for meals. The fund was established in 1960 by the governments of Sweden and Finland. It is the largest bilateral fund in the Nordic countries.

Who can apply

• Who you are: You are applying as an individual or as an organisation, association or institution.
• Age: You are at least 18 years old.
• Where you live: If you live or work in Sweden or Finland, please submit your application to the secretariat in the relevant country. If you live elsewhere, please contact one of the two secretariats first.
• Purpose: Your project promotes the exchange of knowledge or fosters contacts between Sweden and Finland.
• Field: Every cultural field, such as architecture and design, the visual arts, film and media, cultural heritage, literature, music or the performing arts. This also includes social issues such as history, cultural policy, the media, language and education.
• Not funded: Standard school education, university studies or exchange programmes, work placements, sporting events, equipment and repairs, as well as anything you have already completed before a decision is made.

How to apply

You submit your application online via the Fund’s Rimbert portal in your country of residence. If you live in Sweden, you can submit your application at any time, except during the Christmas and New Year periods and in July. Decisions on project grants are made after approximately 6 weeks, and on travel grants after 3 weeks. If you live in Finland, the autumn application window for the 2027 activity year runs from 7 September to 1 October 2026, and you will receive written notification once the committee has met in November or December.

How realistic are your chances?

This fund has a very narrow focus: your project must establish a genuine link between Sweden and Finland, which is why fewer applicants apply than for open grants. If you submit a clear plan setting out who you will be collaborating with or meeting across the border, your chances are good. Applications for amounts exceeding 5,000 EUR are not given priority, so a modest, clearly defined budget is advantageous.