Please note: The application period for microgrants has ended.
On 22 March 2022, the Culture and Library Sub-committee of the Culture and Leisure Committee decided to allocate EUR 1.75 million to recovery from the pandemic during 2022 and 2023. The microgrant was a new experimental grant form for which EUR 250,000 was earmarked. The aim was to increase the diversity of events around the city and to support employment in the field of arts and culture. The call for applications was open from 10 May to 23 May 2022 at 16.00. Decisions were made in June 2022. The grants were to be used between 1 June and 31 October 2022.
Call for applications
Please note: The application period for microgrants for 2022 has ended.
The microgrant is a new grant type and experiment used to support the arts and culture sector in organising free open-to-all pop-up events and activities throughout Helsinki as part of the process of recovery from the Covid pandemic.
Performances, demos, experiments, workshops, flash mobs or any surprising experiences from any field of art taking place in a park, street area, beach or other public urban space are eligible.
The grant is particularly aimed at freelance artists for events and activities open to the general public. The grant can be applied for by individual artists, working groups and organisers of cultural events. The rehearsal activities for a pop-up event or the tools and materials acquired for the event can be counted towards the requisite self-financing share. The events must take place between 1 June and 31 October 2022.
Organising an outdoor event
Outdoor performances do not require an official permit in Helsinki. However, the organiser of a pop-up event must take into account restrictions and instructions. If the event utilises electric sound amplification, for example, the event organiser is obliged to obtain the requisite permits.
Eligible applicants
Private persons residing in Helsinki are eligible to apply. It is also possible to apply for the grant for a working group. Legally authorised organisations, operators or entities that are owned by the City of Helsinki or that are part of the City Group, or operators domiciled in a city other than Helsinki are ineligible.
Amount of the grant
The total maximum amount of grants to be awarded is EUR 250,000. The grant sum to be provided is fixed. A grant of EUR 500, EUR 1,000 or EUR 1,500 can be awarded for an event.
- The EUR 500 grant is used to support events of individual artists or small working groups that involve the work effort of one to two people.
- The EUR 1,000 grant is used to support events organised by multiple people that involve the work effort of at least three people.
- The EUR 1,500 grant is used to support events organised by a larger group that involve the work effort of at least five people.
Application period
The application period is from 10 May to 23 May 2022 at 16.00.
Assessment criteria
The comparison of grant applicants is based solely on the following assessment criteria: the event or activity must be open, free of charge, and accessible to all city residents. To receive the grant, the applicant must meet the aforementioned assessment criteria. The regional distribution of the events and activities is taken into account as a supplementary assessment criterion.
It is very important that you complete the application form carefully. All the information specified in the instructions below must be entered under “Intended use of the applied grant” (Haetun avustuksen käyttötarkoitus) on the form.
Other terms and conditions
The grants are discretionary and awarded based on an assessment and comparison of the applications and a general assessment. No applicants have a subjective right to the grant, even if they meet all the assessment criteria. The decision-making also depends on the available appropriations.
The grant applications and the intended use of the grants are public information.
An applicant may only submit one application for this targeted grant.
Grants will not be awarded for competitions, parties, religious or political events, closed events, presentations, lectures or seminars.
The City of Helsinki Culture and Leisure Division requires applicants to study the application notice and instructions carefully before applying for the grant.
The grant recipients must be aware of and comply with the general grant application instructions of the City of Helsinki.(Link leads to external service) (pdf, in Finnish)
Application form
Applications for the grant must be submitted through the City of Helsinki e-services using the Culture and Leisure Division’s targeted subsidy form.
Late application
If an application is not submitted by the deadline, it will be regarded as late. Late applications will be rejected. The applications must be submitted through the City of Helsinki e-services by 16.00 on the closing date of the application period.
Decision
Specialists from the Cultural Services and Support partner unit will assess the applications, and a decision on the grants to be awarded will be made in June 2022. The decisions will be public following the decision-making. Applicants will be notified by post.
Payment and use of the grant
The full grant amount will be paid to the recipient as a single instalment. The grants must be used between 1 June and 31 December 2022. The events must take place by 31 October 2022. A report on the use of the grant must be provided on a separate form within three months of the event and no later than 31 March 2023. A photo of the event must also be attached to the form.
The grants may only be used in accordance with the grant decision.
Grant recipients do not need to submit grant-related receipts to the Culture and Leisure Division, but the recipients are obliged to retain them for a period of five years for a possible tax audit and to present them on request to the Culture and Leisure Division, the City of Helsinki or an auditor representing the city.
Additional information:
For more information about microgrants, please contact Special Planning Officer Tiina Laukkanen, tel. +358 40 176 9173, tiina.laukkanen@hel.fi (Link opens default mail program) or Planning Officer Sampo Laurikainen, tel. +358 9 3108 0007, sampo.laurikainen@hel.fi (Link opens default mail program)