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The Nordic Council of Ministers is launching Nordic Currents, a new international cultural initiative to be implemented during 2027 and 2028. With the initiative, the Nordic countries are seeking to strengthen their cultural presence in the Nordic Region, create new international collaborations, and give more people the opportunity to experience Nordic art and culture. A call will open on 1 October 2026 aimed at cultural organisations among the Nordic countries’ European neighbours who want to develop a project together with Nordic partners. The application window will be open until 1 November.

Culture, democracy, and co-operation

Nordic Currents is more than a traditional cultural initiative. The initiative has grown out of the aspiration to strengthen relations between the Nordics and their European neighbours at a time when the continent is undergoing substantial change and facing new geopolitical challenges.

The participating projects are invited to showcase the Nordics as a cohesive cultural region and promote long-term collaborations between cultural practitioners in the Nordics and their European neighbours.

Open to many forms of culture

Unlike a traditional festival, Nordic Currents is designed to be an open platform. The projects can take many different forms, from performing arts, music, literature, and film to exhibitions, cultural programmes, and interdisciplinary collaborations.

The participating projects are expected to present a high level of artistic quality, be publicly accessible, and have a clear Nordic anchoring. They should also contain elements that strengthen the cultural sector in the long term by way of network-building, knowledge-sharing, and professional collaboration.

A key aim is for all of the Nordics to be represented. The projects that are selected will feature cultural practitionersfrom Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland.

Investment in long-term relationships

Organisations can apply for between EUR 100,000 and EUR 800,000 in funding. The total budget for Nordic Currents amounts to EUR 800,000, which means that up to eight projects can be part of the initiative. Co-financing from other sources is a requirement for being selected.

The selected projects will be announced in spring 2027 and shall be implemented between June 2027 and June 2028.

For the Nordic Council of Ministers, the essence of the initiative is about creating lasting impact. The aspiration is for the projects to lead to new networks, an increase in skills-sharing, and long-term collaborations that will endure long after the programme ends.

At the same time, Nordic Currents will help to strengthen the image of the Nordics internationally as a region where culture, creativity, trust, and democratic values go hand in hand.

Find out more about Nordic Currents here