The aim of the Helsinki Model is to boost a sense of community and positive profiling of the districts and cultural inclusion of residents. The focus of the projects is to diversify the artistic and cultural offerings of the Helsinki districts.
Culture is made more accessible by creating new operating models with the local operators and art institutions. Residents and communities are encouraged to evolve from viewers to active agents in creating art and culture.
Helsinki Model development grants for culture can be awarded for registered art and culture institutions and communities, mainly for three-year projects.
The application period for the Helsinki Model development grants for the period 2025–27 begins on Wednesday, June 5th, 2024 and ends on Monday, September 2nd, 2024 at 16:00.
Helsinki Model project period 2025−27
For the fourth project period, 2025–2027, EUR 600,000 per year from the funds available for arts and culture development grants has been earmarked for Helsinki model development projects. The priority areas for the project period are Malmi, Kontula, Meri-Rastila ja Kannelmäki-Malminkartano. The selected areas are also pilot areas in the City of Helsinki's new, cross-administrative Suburban regeneration model. Read more about the Suburban regeneration model.
The Helsinki model is strongly linked to the city-wide objectives for preventing segregation, which have been taken into account in the evaluation criteria for the period 2025–27. We hope that projects will strive to increase positive interactions between different population groups in urban renewal areas. If the project involves working with young people, the projects are expected to aim at reducing differences in the capabilities and future prospects of young people from different population groups.
Learn about the networks and possible co-operation on each area. (Link leads to external service)(In Finnish)
Helsinki Model projects 2022–2024
For the third project period, 2022–2024, EUR 600,000 per year from the funds available for arts and culture development grants has been earmarked. The priority areas for the project period are Tapulikaupunki-Suutarila, Kontula, Malmi and Pihlajamäki-Pihlajisto.
The Helsinki Model is strongly linked to city-level strategies such as the City of Helsinki Welfare Plan 2022–2025.
The Culture and Library Sub-committee of the City of Helsinki Culture and Leisure Committee decided on the allocation of grants for the Helsinki Model at its meeting on 29 April 2021. Grants were awarded as follows:
- Helsinki City Theatre, Malmi (theatre)
- Arkki School of Architecture for Children and Youth, Malmi (multidisciplinary art)
- Sun Effects Oy, Malmi (light art)
- Q-teatteri, Malmi (theatre)
- Helsinki Urban Art, Tapulikaupunki-Suutarila (multidisciplinary art)
- Finnish Baroque Orchestra, Tapulikaupunki-Suutarila (music)
- Reality Research Center association, Kontula (theatre)
- Voimauttavan taiteen äärellä ry association, Kontula (multidisciplinary art)
- Zodiak Presents ry, Kontula (dance)
- Finnish National Theatre, Pihlajanmäki-Pihlajisto (theatre)
- Tanssiareena ry association, Pihlajanmäki-Pihlajisto (dance)
- Osiris teatteriyhdistys ry association, Pihlajanmäki-Pihlajisto (multidisciplinary art)
The Helsinki Model on the Helsinki channel: Watch the video(Link leads to external service).
In the processing of project grants in accordance with the Helsinki Model, the following special criteria are taken into account for the period 2025–27:
Artistic quality
- Artistic vision and professional approach
- The operator being capable of working with new target groups and developing new operating models (e.g. pedagogical and community art skills)
Effectiveness
- The activities align with the city-wide objectives for preventing segregation.
- Activities in the area and with the target group being systematic and persistent
- The operator being capable of utilising local themes in the content of the project
- Dialogue with residents and operators during the planning and implementation of the project
Production and economic quality
- A clear action plan and schedule
- Adequate production resources
- A realistic budget and self-financing share
Grants cannot be awarded for activities for which full funding is requested by means of said grant. The evaluation of applications also considers the general rules and strategies of the City of Helsinki and the following instructions:
- Shared grant allocation principles of the Culture and Leisure Division(Link leads to external service) (pdf)
- General grant allocation guidelines of the City of Helsinki 28 October 2019(Link leads to external service) (pdf, in Finnish)
The grants are discretionary.
The application period for the Helsinki Model development grants begins on Wednesday, June 5th, 2024 and ends on Monday, September 2nd, 2024 at 16:00.
The Helsinki model grant is applied for using two forms: the general development grant form and the supplementary information form (Webropol). You can proceed to fill in the the general development grant form from the Create new application link found on the left panel of this page when you are logged in to the e-service. You will find the Log in -link from the upper right corner of the page. Please remember to select 'Helsinki Model development grant' in the general development grant form.
Note! Applicants for the Helsinki Model Development Grant should leave page 5 of the general development grant form blank. Detailed information about the project should be provided on the separate Webropol additional information form. Proceed to fill in the Webropol form(Link leads to external service).
Familiarise yourself with the application instructions and obtain the necessary background information and attachments for submitting the application. You can apply for a grant in the City of Helsinki e-services. You can save your application as a draft and return to complete it later. Your application will be saved in your personal folder. Please note that the answers at the Webropol form cannot be saved as a draft, which is why it is recomended to write down the answers also f. ex. on a separate text file.
Submit your application by 16:00 on the application period closing date. Grants will not be awarded for applications submitted after the deadline. We recommend that you submit your application before the closing date of the application period, as the service may experience high traffic.
If an application is incomplete, we will ask you to complete it. If the incomplete application is not completed by the deadline given by City of Helsinki, the application will be processed based on the information provided and rejected if the conditions for awarding the application are not met.
Attachments required for Helsinki Model grants:
- A project plan for the applied period
- A budget for the applied period
Submit the necessary attachments via the e-services. Registered associations/entities, private persons and registered representatives of working groups are required to attach a bank statement or a corresponding report by the bank on the account holder (for new applicants, or if the bank details have changed), which must include both the account holder and the account number. If you attach a bank statement to the application, you may hide the transactions if you wish. An awarded grant cannot be paid in the absence of such a document.
The application will be processed by the City of Helsinki Culture and Leisure Division Cultural Services and Support partner unit. The length of the processing time depends on the applied grant. Decisions on grants are made by the Culture and Library Sub-committee of the Culture and Leisure Committee(Link leads to external service). Applicants will be informed of the decision once the committee has made its decision. Applicants will be notified by post.
Helsinki Model grants are paid in two instalments in accordance with the decision.
If the recipient owes money to the city, the city’s recoverable claim from the recipient will be deducted from the awarded grant.
Grants will be paid into a bank account in the name of the recipient. If the recipient does not have a bank account, they must open one. To verify the bank details, a bank statement (for new applicants, or if the bank details have changed) or a corresponding document indicating the name of the account holder and the account number must be attached to the application. If said statement is not submitted, the grant will not be paid.
For more information about payment matters, please contact administrative secretary Minna Leino, tel. +358 9 3108 9044, minna.leino@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)
Conditions for the use of the grant
All cultural grants are governed by the allowance terms(Link leads to external service) of the City of Helsinki.
The grant can only be used for the purpose stated in the grant decision. If the grant decision does not specify the purpose, the grant must be used for the purpose stated in the application. The city has the right to reclaim the grant in part or in full in accordance with the terms and conditions.
The recipient is not allowed to use the grant for fundraising or for business and investment expenditure, or to increase its financial assets or any other long-term investments.
The recipient of a grant must arrange its accounting and auditing in the manner required by law and so that the use of the grant can be monitored based on the accounts. The recipient must arrange an audit in the manner stipulated by the Auditing Act. The recipient must arrange the audit even if this is not required by the Auditing Act. In such a case, the audit may also be performed by a lay auditor. An audit report must be submitted for an audit performed by a lay auditor, referred to as a ‘performance audit report’.
The recipient must provide the City of Helsinki with the information the city deems necessary for processing the grant application, awarding the grant and monitoring its use, free of charge. The party awarding the grant has the right to audit the accounts and administration of the applicant/recipient and perform other audits regarding its activities as necessary.
The recipient must notify the City of Helsinki without delay of any significant changes affecting the use of the grant.
The recipient undertakes to investigate the background of all suppliers used in the activities and to purchase services only from responsible operators who meet their social obligations.
Reporting on the use of the grant
Reports must be submitted on the use of all grants awarded by the city.
The grants for the Helsinki Model period 2022–2024 will be reported at the end of the three-year period on a separate reporting form no later than December 15, 2024. The reporting form will be available for completion at the end of November. When the project is ongoing, activities will be reported using the self-assessment tool (Pokka), where project operators will receive their own login credentials.
Using the Helsinki logo
Whenever possible, grant recipients must include the City of Helsinki logo in their information and marketing materials. There is a Finnish and Swedish version, as well as a bilingual version of the logo. In any case, the recipient must mention the City of Helsinki as a sponsor of the event.
If you are planning a Helsinki Model project or want to know more, please contact Special Planning Officer Katri Tenhola, tel. +358 9 3102 7249, katri.tenhola@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program).