grants

For an artist, art is a means of making a living. But what are the revenue streams of musicians, composers and music makers these days, and how are they distributed among various artists and groups? What are the prospects of continuing to make a living in music in the post-pandemic future?

“From the viewpoint of direct artist funding, art politics since the 1990s recession have failed. The sector’s growth has not been matched by increased public funding.” Composer Pasi Lyytikäinen reflects on the progress and future views of composers’ livelihood in Finland.

Funding of the arts is a hot topic in public debate in Finland just now. We invited five people thoroughly familiar with music funding to sit down and talk about how the funding of art music in Finland could be maintained on a stable basis. Bureaucratic though their titles may sound, they expressed themselves with clarity and addressed issues relevant for music professionals, consumers and decision-makers alike.

Composer Kimmo Hakola has been an expert consultant in cultural administration at home and abroad for the past 20 years. In this column, he discusses aspects of the Finnish grants system and the cumulative financial impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on the music scene.