Sverre Fossen: “The state

The state's commitment to funding creators is as important as its responsibility for education or science, says Sverre Fossen, Head of the Art Economy and Innovation Unit at Arts and Culture Norway. In May, Fossen took part in the Lithuanian Council for Culture's forum “The Power of the Creator” and presented the success story of Norway's cultural policy, the importance of investing in and empowering creators.

Cultural policy in Norway – a success story of 60 years

Over the past 60 years, Norwegian cultural policy has been shaped by a variety of factors, including the size of the country and the impact of the arts, the arm’s length principle, the continuity of creator remuneration, and the cooperation between Arts and Culture Norway and creators' organisations, as well as the responsible and measured change of the funding model.

According to Fossen, in order to ensure the vitality of the country's arts and the opportunities for creators to engage in artistic activities, the state also needs to take responsibility for funding art and culture. “The state's responsibility for artists should be on a par with its responsibility for education and science,” said a representative of Arts and Culture Norway. However, even so, creators can and should engage in other activities. Many artists also have to teach and consult, and these jobs should not be considered inferior.”

Fossen stressed that funding for culture and the arts must be based on the arm’s length principle: “We want to keep political influence to a minimum, and the arm’s length principle allows art and culture to develop more freely and diversely. It prevents state-approved art and political censorship.” According to Fossen, this can be achieved through close cooperation with creator organisations. They are the ones who delegate representatives to the expert groups that make funding recommendations to Arts and Culture Norway. This not only helps to maintain the arm’s length principle but also gives recognition to the peers evaluating the applications. Fossen states that for many artists, this is almost as important as the grant itself.

Another important principle is the continuity of creator remuneration. Arts and Culture Norway focuses on creators with lower and less predictable incomes. In addition, very careful steps are being taken to renew the funding model itself, which was set up in 1965–1973 and has remained largely unchanged until now.

Grants for artists – an opportunity to ensure diverse and innovative artistic activities

The representative of the institution also discussed the Norwegian grants, explaining that there are several types of grants: work grants, work grants for younger/established artists, grants for established artists, and grants for senior artists, as well as targeted grants, which are intended to meet the different needs of artists. “The one-year grant amounts to around EUR 28,000 per year and is paid on a monthly basis. It is equivalent to a part-time position,” said Fossen.

A work grant can be paid for one to five years and is intended to enable creators to pursue artistic activities as their main profession. The work grant for younger/newly established artists can be paid for one to three years. It is intended to help young artists develop and better prepare themselves to make a living from their artistic activities. “It gives them the impetus to become independent,” said Fossen. On top of that, there is also a grant for new bachelor's or master's graduates to help them get a foothold in professional life. The grant for established artists is intended for people who want to develop their artistic activity into their main occupation. A grant for senior artists may be given to provide financial security so that artists can continue their creative work. “The artist must be at least 57 years old and this grant can be awarded for up to 10 years,” explained Fossen. In addition to the regular grants, one-off grants of up to EUR 8,700 may be awarded. They are intended to contribute to individual artistic activities, including courses, travel, studios, materials, equipment, marketing, and consultancy.

Has the Norwegian funding model paid off?

Fossen was pleased to reveal that 45% of the Norwegian population had visited an art gallery in the last year. However, he said, it is not only the attendance statistics that show the result – there are many indicators that show state funding for creators contributes to the growth of artistic standards. Fossen stressed that funding for arts and culture is important to support a welfare society where citizens have a choice in how they express themselves. “Creators have an important role to play in demonstrating and questioning society's norms and values,” he said, noting that this is an essential condition for democracy.

Sverre Fossen, Head of the Art Economy and Innovation Unit at Arts and Culture Norway. Photo by Vytenis Budrys

By funding and empowering artists, Norway invests not only in the careers of individual artists but also in the overall development and well-being of society. “This is an investment in cultural assets, social cohesion, and innovation for the future,” said Fossen. “We have a strong democracy and a high level of trust in our country, and we believe this is partly due to this investment. It is not just about art but also about public health and strengthening democracy.”

According to Fossen, the arts represent a unique and challenging cultural context. This is an area where the public has a right to demand high-quality services or works of art. It also seeks conditions that allow creators to provide such services or create such works. “Although it has never been an explicit political goal, Norwegian cultural policy has empowered its creators. We believe that this is part of our success,” said the representative of Arts and Culture Norway.

About Arts and Culture Norway

Arts and Culture Norway was founded in 1965. It is the main public institution that implements and guides the country's cultural policy while managing three funds. Of the EUR 963 million earmarked for culture, 8.8% (EUR 211 million) was allocated to the public institution. In 2024 so far, the institution has allocated EUR 43.5 million to individual creators. The rest has gone to cultural and arts organisations. In 2023, the institution received more than 11,000 applications from creators and funded 1,008.