The role of the Danish Arts Foundation is to promote the creative arts in Denmark. Its main task is to provide grants for creative artists. The Foundation has committees for Visual Arts, Crafts and Design, Architecture, Film and Performing Arts, Literature, Classical Music, Popular Music and Art in Public Spaces.
The Danish Arts Foundation was established by the Danish Government in 1964. The Foundation's sphere of activity is defined by the Arts Foundation Act. The Foundation’s funding is determined by the annual Finance Act.
Organisational structure of the Danish Arts Foundation
The Foundation's tasks are performed by:
- Eight three-person expert Committees
- A governing and coordinating Board
- A Council of representatives
- A secretariat, which is part of the Danish Arts Agency and performs the administrative work
The Foundation's Council of representatives appoints two members of each Committee, and the Minister for Cultural Affairs appoints one member. The Minister appoints the chairperson of the Committees from the three members. The tenure for members of the expert Committees is three years.
The Foundation’s Board is made up of the chairpersons of the three-person Committees and is responsible for managing the Foundation, co-ordinating the work of the Committees, and representing the Foundation publicly.
The members of the Council of representatives are appointed for a four-year period by artists' organisations, artistic and cultural institutions, the political parties in the Danish Parliament, universities, etc. The Council of representatives appoints two of the members of the expert Committees, monitors the activities of the Foundation, and functions as a link between the Foundation and the Minister for Culture. The Council makes recommendations to the Minister for Culture for lifelong artists’ grants.
Grant areas
The three-person Committees independently administer the funds they are allocated and define their own spheres of activity. The decisions of a Committee may not be appealed to the Minister for Culture or any other authority.
The decisive criterion for the award of grants by the Danish Arts Foundation is the quality of artistic production and artistic talent.
The funds of the Danish Arts Foundation are utilised for the following purposes:
- Grants to artists in the form of scholarships, awards, commissions, honoraria, and prizes
- Purchases of works of visual art, crafts and design to be housed in state institutions
- Providing works of visual art for public buildings and facilities
- Other measures appropriate to the Foundation's purpose
