New Publication: Alternative Funding Models for Art Institutions

Rethinking How Art Institutions Are Funded

The Art Professional Symposium 2026 was held on 26 August 2026 in collaboration with The North Atlantic House. The aim of the symposium is to bring together leading art professionals in the week of CHART to examine pressing issues across art institutions.

The publication Alternative Funding Models for Art Institutions brings together key insights from this year’s symposium, exploring how institutions can diversify their funding, build sustainable partnerships, and rethink the relationship between public and private support.

Discover the key insights and explore the full publication to learn more about the future of alternative funding for art institutions.

Read the full publication here

Key takeaways from the symposium

1. Diversify funding, but don’t replace public support. Private funding, philanthropy and partnerships should complement public funding by bringing additional resources, expertise and networks.
2. Fundraising is everyone’s responsibility. Successful fundraising needs to be embedded in the organisation, with leadership and boards actively involved in building relationships with donors and partners.
3. Build relationships before you need the money. Long-term trust is the foundation of successful philanthropy and partnerships. Fundraising should be about relationships, not transactions.
4. Concrete projects create strong entry points for partners. Specific exhibitions, programmes, conservation projects or other initiatives are often easier for donors and companies to understand and support than general institutional funding.
5. Protect independence through clear partnerships. Public-private partnerships can be transformative, but they require clear roles, governance, expectations and shared responsibility to protect the institution’s professional and public mission.

Nordic art institutions contributing to the knowledge presented in Alternative Funding Models for Art Institutions:

• ARoS (DK)
• Business Iceland (IS)
• EMMA Espoo Museum of Modern Art (FI)
• Finnish Institute in Denmark (DK)
• Finnish National Gallery (FI)
• FRAME Contemporary Art Finland (FI)
• Gerðarsafn Art Museum (IS)
• Glyptoteket (DK)
• Gävle Konstcentrum (SE)
• Grønlands Nationalgalleri for Kunst (GL)
• HAM Helsinki Art Museum (FI)
• HEART Herning Museum of Contemporary Art (DK)
• Helsinki Biennial (FI)
• Henie Onstad Kunstsenter (NO)
• Icelandic Art Center (IS)
  
• Kistefos (NO)

Want to know more?

This publication is aimed at art professionals and anyone seeking to understand the key characteristics, opportunities, and challenges of cross-border collaboration in the arts.

E-mail Marta Schioldann for more information.