Organizer Information
Nordic Currents is issued by the Nordic Council of Ministers, the framework for official inter-governmental co-operation in the Nordic Region, bringing together ministers and senior officials responsible for policy areas across the region. Cultural co-operation was itself the starting point for the establishment of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 1971, and the ministers for culture of the Nordic countries, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland hold overall responsibility for cultural co-operation, aiming to strengthen community, development, and co-operation within the cultural sector across the Nordic Region while enhancing the international profile of the region as a sustainable, competitive, and attractive cultural region. The Nordic ministers for culture periodically initiate flagship initiatives outside the Nordic Region intended to increase interaction between Nordic culture and the rest of the world and raise the international profile of Nordic culture, following earlier editions such as Nordic Cool in Washington and Nordic Matters in London.
Title & Description
Nordic Currents Open Call for a Nordic-European Culture Initiative
Nordic Currents is a new international culture initiative from the Nordic Council of Ministers, running in 2027–2028, that invites cultural organisations in European countries neighbouring the Nordic region to join forces with Nordic partners to create projects that move audiences, deepen relationships, and build lasting connections. The initiative is built on trust, openness, artistic freedom, and democratic values, and aims to showcase the richness and quality of contemporary Nordic culture and art in neighbouring European countries while promoting long-term collaboration between Nordic and European actors. Funded projects must combine public-facing cultural programming with platforms for professional exchange and sector development, and must include artistic and cultural representation from all of the Nordic countries and territories: Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland/Kalaallit Nunaat, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Åland.
Theme
Nordic Currents — building long-term collaboration and cultural exchange between Nordic partners and cultural organisations in neighbouring European countries, grounded in trust, openness, artistic freedom, and democratic values.
Categories
- Culture
- Art Management
- Curatorial
- Multiple Disciplines
- Interdisciplinary Arts
Eligibility
- Established organisations from European countries neighbouring the Nordic region: cultural organisations, institutions, promoters, festivals, and producers, as well as embassies and diplomatic missions in cooperation with arts and culture stakeholders
- Eligible countries are primarily Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United Kingdom
- Applicant must have a minimum of two partners from different Nordic countries who will be active throughout the project
- Co-financing through local, national, or other funding sources is a prerequisite for eligibility
Program Benefits & Awards
- Funding requests permitted in the range of EUR 100,000 to EUR 800,000 per project
- Total funding pool for the initiative: EUR 800,000, with between one and eight proposals expected to be funded
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Window: 1 October 2026 – 1 November 2026
- Selected Projects Announced: May 2027
- Project Period: 1 June 2027 – 1 June 2028
Location
Denmark
Additional Details
- Priority is given to projects in regions/countries with existing local interest in Nordic art and culture, where Nordic and local partners can establish long-term, mutually beneficial collaborations
- Proposals meeting the requirements will be assessed by a professional committee and expert reviewers in the corresponding art fields
- Evaluation criteria include: artistic quality; connection to the Nordic region; relevance to the artistic fields covered by the proposal; how the concept incorporates democratic values such as openness, trust, and artistic freedom; capacity to successfully implement the collaboration; public appeal for the intended target audiences; public accessibility; potential for long-term impact and future collaboration; and organisational and financial capacity