Cultural Connections returns: UK–Finland partnership to support emerging creative professionals

The Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland, together with the British Embassy in Helsinki, is delighted to announce the second iteration of Cultural Connections – Emerging Creative Professionals’ Partnership. Building on a successful pilot launched in 2025, it supports emerging cultural professionals and artists from the UK to present their work in Finland, strengthening cultural exchange between the two countries.

Cultural Connections is designed for UK professionals working across the arts and culture sectors, who would benefit from an opportunity to visit and showcase their work with Finnish cultural venues, festivals, and creative organisations. Through open call mobility support, strategic partnerships and knowledge sharing, the aim of the project is to build lasting connections and foster shared learning between the UK and Finland’s cultural sectors.

The pilot phase delivered meaningful outcomes, supporting visits by six UK professionals to Finnish organisations. Working across the performing arts, visual arts, academia, as well as curatorial and editorial practice, the participants found the exchange to lead to impactful audience encounters, numerous new professional connections and ongoing discussions around future collaborations.

“The pilot showed a strong demand for active connection-making and efficient mobility support that helps UK talent present their work in Finland. I’m delighted that we can now deepen this impactful partnership with the British Embassy in Helsinki, building a bridge for creativity between the United Kingdom and Finland, says Aleksi Malmberg, the Director of the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland.As part of the Cultural Connections programme, applications are now open for another round of mobility support. Applications can be submitted via the below link by either the UK professional making the trip, or the hosting organisation in Finland.

Eligibility criteria

• UK-based artists and working groups (Cultural Connections funding for up to 2-3 people) and creative professionals in their early careers travelling to Finland.
• The applicant is partnering with an arts and/or cultural organisation in Finland in order to participate in a public facing or educational event, for example, a performance, lecture or hosting a workshop.
• The applicant will receive a fee from the partnering organisation.
• Artistic and professional merit will be taken into consideration.

General guidelines

• We cannot fund travel that has already taken place.
• Applicants will be notified of the decision within two weeks of submitting their application.
• No per diems or customs fees will be covered.
• The travel must take place before 31 March 2027.
• Costs will be reimbursed against receipts.
• Receipts must be submitted within two weeks after the travel has taken place.
• By receiving the funding, the participant agrees to fill in a short feedback questionnaire after the trip.
• Artistic working groups - Larger working groups can apply but this funding can only cover 2-3 people per project.

What can you apply funding for

• Reasonable travel costs (i.e flights, trains)
• Reasonable accommodation costs, max 10 nights (£1200) can be covered within the programme (i.e hotels, Airbnb)
• Green mobility top up (extra funding needed for more sustainable travel)

Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Early applications are encouraged, as the open call will close once the available spaces are filled.

Photo: Petri Summanen. Artwork: Enni-Kukka Tuomala, Geography of Empathy (2023).