The expert group for the funding of artist residencies has now made its decisions on additional funding for residency activities to support Ukraine’s cultural scene. Nordic Culture Point received a total of 46 applications and granted EUR 230,000 to six residency projects. The extra round attracted a lot of interest in the field with nearly EUR 1.8 million in funding applied for. Although the approval rate was low as only 13 % of the applications were successful, the expert group was pleased to see so many applicants willing to take action for this cause.
The projects granted funding include the SWAN network in Sweden, the Ukraine Solidarity Residencies network in Finland (co-ordinated by HIAP) and LOORE, the Estonian Creative Residency Network. All these networks involve several residency organisations working together. The expert group valued their approach of working as a network because it gives the organisations the ability to pool their resources, share experiences and learn from one another in a highly effective way.
The war in Ukraine has meant that increasing numbers of Ukrainian artists and other professionals working in the arts and culture sector need a residency placement outside of the country in order to be able to work. The purpose of the initiative is to give Ukrainian professionals a safe and secure place and the opportunity to build professional networks in the Nordic and Baltic region and beyond. This funding will also help to facilitate dialogue between Ukrainians and people in the Nordic and Baltic countries.
The special initiative is being administered as a part of the residency funding module of the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Culture. Therefore, only residency centres located in the Nordic and Baltic countries were eligible to apply for funding. The additional funding was allocated to the programme by the Ministers for Nordic Co-operation (MR-SAM).