PRODUCTION AND EXHIBITIONS
Deadline: 18.03.2025, 2:00 PM
Grants for production, mediation, and exhibition of contemporary art in Denmark, and for exhibition of Danish contemporary art abroad.
Upcoming deadlines: 2pm on 18 March 2025, 7 October 2025.
Download and prepare the necessary documents before you start. See the section "What must the application contain".
Read the entire application guide.
Apply well in advance. The pool opens one month before the deadline. Note that there may be changes in the pool up to this time.
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IMPORTANT: To apply you first need to order a login for the Grant Portal. When registering for a login, make sure to use the exact name and address associated with the bank account to which a potential grant should be wired. We can only transfer grants to bank accounts registered in the exact same name/address as applicant’s. The same name and address must be stated in the mandatory word-document for bank information. See the section "What must the application contain".
Order login for the Grant Portal here: slks.dk/english/ - use the exact name and address associated with the bank account to which a potential grant should be wired
Who may apply?
- Non-Danish artists are eligible to apply if they intend to create a visual work of art for exhibition in Denmark.
- Non-Danish venues may apply if they plan to exhibit the works of contemporary Danish visual artists outside Denmark.
Find out more about how to apply if your project combines different art forms.
You cannot receive funding for:
- Permanent works in public space. This area lies under the Committee for Visual Arts Grants.
- Studio rental
- Per diem allowance
- Invitations, meals, etc. in connection with exhibition previews
- Travel and accommodation for assistants (generally not covered)
- Travel and accommodation in connection with exhibitions in galleries where the artist has a permanent affiliation
- Local transport
- Projects that the committee has previously processed (reapplications)
- Exhibitions that opened before the application deadline
- Expenses from previous calendar years. Only expenses from either the current or the next calendar year can be entered in the requested budget
- Gallery exhibitions: Artists may apply for grants for the production of works. Other expenses for the exhibition are only covered if the committee assesses them as a special investment by the gallery
Purpose of the program
The purpose is to promote Danish and international contemporary art in Denmark, as well as Danish contemporary art abroad.
Therefore, the fund provides support for:
PRODUCTION OF NEW ARTWORKS
Danish artists can apply for support for their own artwork production if they have an agreement or permission to exhibit.
Non-Danish artists can apply for support for their own artwork production if they have an agreement or permission to exhibit in Denmark.
ARTISTS
Danish artists can apply can apply for support for their own exhibition expenses.
Non-Danish artists can apply can apply for support for their own exhibition expenses if they have an agreement or permission to exhibit in Denmark.
EXHIBITIONS
Danish exhibition venues can apply for support for exhibitions featuring Danish and international artists.
Non-Danish exhibition venues can apply for support for exhibitions featuring Danish artists.
COMMUNICATION / MEDIATION
Anyone can apply for support to communicate contemporary art in print or digital form. The communication must be linked to an exhibition or have an agreement with a distributing publisher that ensures public engagement. Simply having an agreement with a printer is not sufficient.
FEES
The committee encourages exhibition venues to pay exhibition fees to artists and freelance curators. While it is possible to apply for support for such fees from this fund, due to limited resources, not all requests for fees can be accommodated.
- Exhibition Fees: Can be applied for by either the artist or the exhibition venue. An exhibition fee covers the artist's work related to the exhibition beyond the production of the artwork itself. This may include participating in meetings, setting up and taking down the exhibition, involvement in PR, and communication, among other activities.
- Production Fees: Can only be applied for by artists. A production fee covers the time the artist spends creating the artwork.
How your application will be evaluated?
Danish Arts Foundation's Committee for Visual Arts Project Funding evaluates applications based on the following criteria:
The project must:
- Promote contemporary art in Denmark and/or Danish contemporary art abroad.
- Maintain a high level of artistic quality and professional expertise.
The committee assesses artistic quality and professional expertise based on three criteria:
- Overall Professional Coherence – Is there a connection between idea and form?
- Necessity – What does the project aim to communicate?
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New Perspectives – Does the project challenge our shared reality and bring new insights?
DISTRIBUTION OF ART FUNDING
The committee aims to ensure diversity and broad distribution of art funding. Therefore, applications are also evaluated in relation to the overall applicant pool and the available budget for each funding round. The committee strives to promote geographical distribution of art throughout Denmark, ensuring that support reaches as wide an audience as possible.
The committee reserves the right to award a smaller amount than requested based on an assessment of the application in relation to the total field of applications, available funds, and the goal of ensuring diversity and distribution of art funding.
If you receive a smaller amount than requested, your grant letter will inform you whether additional information is required before the funds can be disbursed.
SUSTAINABILITY
The Danish Arts Foundation encourages applicants to integrate green sustainability into their artistic practice.
What must the application contain
DOWNLOAD - BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Download the four mandatory templates. These must be attached to the application as appendices. The templates contain instructions on how to complete them.
- Template for Facts and Basic Information
- Template for Project Description
- Template for Budget (choose either Word or Excel format)
- CV template
YOU MUST ATTACH THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS:
- Template for Facts and Basic Information
- Images of Previous Works: Include details such as title, materials, year, dimensions, and exhibition location. Submit at least five images, with a maximum of five A4 pages. You may also attach up to two video or audio files (MP3 or MP4) related to the project. Each file must be no longer than one minute.
- Template for Project Description: The committee values short, concrete, and precise applications.
- Template for Budget (choose either Word or Excel format)
- Template for CV - Get the CV template here
- Agreement: Invitation / exhibition / publishing agreement (can be in the form of an email or a letter. Not text message). Time period must be stated.
- Sketch: If applying for funding for a new work, include at least one sketch. Clearly mark it as a sketch.
- BANK INFORMATION - Choose either form for countries using IBAN or countries not using IBAN
PLEASE, BE AWARE:
- If you have a Danish MitID you must submit your application via MitID through the Grants Portal,
- If you do not have a Danish MitID you must submit your application via the Grants Portal, using a personal login. Order login for the Grant Portal here: slks.dk/english/ - when registering, make sure to use the name and address associated with the bank account to which a potential grant should be wired.
- We recommend using the Chrome or Firefox browser.
- The total size of all attached documents must not exceed 25 MB.
- Attached materials must be in one of the following formats: PDF, Word, MP3, or MP4. ZIP files will not be accepted.
- Before the application deadline, you may edit and submit a new version of an already submitted application.
- After the application deadline, you cannot edit your application.
- The latest submitted version of your application will be the one reviewed by the committee.
- Your application must include all mandatory attachments to be considered. Additional materials, beyond what is described in the application guidelines, will not be evaluated.
- You are responsible for ensuring that the application form is correctly filled out and that all required attachments are included.
- Attachments received after the deadline will not be added to your application.
- As a general rule, you cannot transfer your application – or a potential grant – to another legal entity or company. Therefore, ensure that the correct applicant is listed before submission.
How much you may apply for?
There is no specified limit on the amount you may apply for. The committee evaluates each individual application and decides based on the merits of the specific project. However, to provide context, the grant sizes from previous years can offer insights into the financial framework of the program.
You can see previously awarded grants on our website (in Danish).
Payment
- Applicants with foreign bank accounts, must attach a completed bank information form—either the form for wire transfers to countries using IBAN or the form for wire transfers to countries NOT using IBAN. Download from links below.
Bank information - countries using IBAN
Bank information - countries not using IBAN - The grant is reported to the Danish Tax Agency.
When
- You will receive a response to your application no later than ten weeks after the application deadline.
- A notification email will be sent to you when the decision is available on your profile in the Grant Portal.
- During the ten week period, the committee will review and process all submitted applications. Once all applicants have received the committee’s decision, we will publish all awarded grants on our website (in Danish).
- The names of all applicants will be disclosed in the committees' minutes on our website (in Danish).
When you have submitted your application
- You will not receive an email receipt confirming the submission of your application.
- Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a screen receipt that you can download if you wish. However, you can always view your application and its status in the Grant Portal under "My Applications."
- In the Grant Portal, on your case page, you can also review the appendices attached to the application. It is your responsibility to ensure that all necessary documents have been attached and sent, so remember to carefully review your application.
- You have the ability to edit a submitted application as long as it is before the deadline. If you choose to edit a submitted application, ensure that all necessary documents are included. The committee will only consider the most recently submitted application.
- If you need to contact a case officer in the secretariat, you can do so by writing via the contact form on your case in the Grant Portal.
Law basis
Decisions are made in accordance with section 3(1), cf. (2) and (3) of the Danish Act on the Danish Arts Foundation’s Activities (Act no. 458 of 8 May 2013).
Commitment
When the Danish Arts Foundation awards grants, it is important, and not least legally required, that the money is used for the purpose you have described in your application. Therefore, you must report on your project to the Agency for Culture and Palaces. How you must report depends on the grant amount you have received. Read more about how to report on your project.
Who will evaluate your application?
The Danish Arts Foundation’s Committee for Visual Arts Project Funding processes the applications and makes the final decision concerning the distribution of the committee’s funds.