FMQ 2/2006

Festivalisation has been a trend in Finnish musical life since the 1960s. As the number of festivals increase, more and more music events receive government aid, for Finland takes equality seriously. Public funding's share of festival budgets is on the decline, however, and it is not easy to find compensation in the form of support from private companies.

There are probably more orchestras, music schools and colleges and music festivals in Finland per head of population than in any other country in the world. Crucial to the development has been the Finnish Theatres and Orchestras Act, in which the state guarantees a certain number of person years for orchestras every year. The subsidy has not kept up with actual trends in costs, but the situation is soon to improve.