Myndlistarsjóður

Leiðbeiningar / Instructions

Deadline

  • The deadline for applications is at 16.00 on the final application day, as advertised.
  • Applications and accompanying documents arriving after the application deadline are invalid and will not be considered by the Fund.

Application Form

Who can apply

  • Visual artists, curators, art historians and self-employed professionals in the visual art field can apply for grants for defined projects.
  • Art museums, art galleries, exhibition venues, organisations and associations can receive funding from the Visual Arts Fund for defined projects, and it is important that the name of the person representing the organisation or association is clearly identified as the contact person for the project.
  • If an applicant has previously been awarded a grant from the Visual Arts Fund, a final report for that grant must have been received before a new application is considered.

Type of grants

  • Preparatory grants are awarded for the preparation and development of major projects for which an application can later be made for implementation funding.
  • Exhibition grants for exhibition projects.
  • Publication grants, research grants and other grants are awarded for research on the work of Icelandic artists and for publication of writings about Icelandic art history and the work of Icelandic artists, in addition to other public projects not included in the previous categories.
  • The Visual Arts Fund is authorised to support other activities to promote the Icelandic art scene, including research projects within the scope of the Fund and dissemination of information about them.
  • The Visual Arts Fund can award grants to international projects in which recognised artists from the Icelandic visual arts scene are participants.

Grant amounts and funding 

  • The fund awards grants up to ISK 3,000,000, and the minimum amount is not less than ISK 300,000.
  • The fund covers up to 70% of the estimated total cost of a project, and hence applicants must cover 30%.

Instructions for the application form

Preparation

  • These guidelines are intended to give practical advice on the preparation of applications, to improve applicants’ competence in grant application and reduce the number of applications that do not fulfil the Visual Arts Fund’s criteria and rules.
  • Before starting the application process it is advisable to read over the questions and map out what information are requested.
  • A preview of the application form can be viewed here.
  • Applicants are advised to write longer texts in a word processing application and collect all attachments together before starting the application.

Profile information

  • Individual applicants enter details about themselves and their contacts.
  • If an application is on behalf of a group/organisation/association, basic information about them must be entered, together with the contact person’s details.

CV

  • A CV can be submitted as a pdf or a link to an online document.

Project name

  • This must accurately reflect the main content of the project, i.e. exhibition, publication or research etc.

Type of grants

  • Applicants can apply for preparatory grants, exhibition grants or publication grants, research grants and other grants. See further infomation above.

Project summary 

  • A 50-word (or less) description of the project, which the Visual Arts Fund may use to promote the project.

Project details

  • Simple, clear and concise text about the project, maximum 500 words. Describe its purpose, relevance and context. State clearly which part of the project the grant is being applied for.

Project date 

  • Start and end of the project. Grants are not awarded to projects that end before the application deadline, but a project may be in development for up to two years.

Project timeplan 

  • Provide a timeframe for the project, stating how and when it will be executed. Where possible, divide the schedule into preparation, implementation and follow-up, and state the main steps within each stage.

Participants 

  • State all artists who will participate in the project and all other partners, such as curators, publishers, consultants, organisations and businesses. The application must be accompanied by a letter of invitation or confirmation from the partners if the project is an exhibition or residency programme.

Budget

  • Amountsmust be stated in numerals and Icelandic krónur (ISK).
  • Use 0 (zero) if an item is not relevant.
  • It is possible to upload a budget in the section accompanyingdocuments.

Cost items (eligible for grant)

  • When making a budget, it is important that it addresses the total cost of the project and how it will be funded – in full and completely. The plan must clearly state which cost items are included in the application to the Visual Arts Fund.
  • Please note that the fund supports the following cost: fees for consultants and technicians, material and equipment cost, web and media promotion, cataloguing and photographing, design and layout, printing and other items related to production.
  • Examples of project cost items are: various services, printing costs, transportation costs, promotional materials, material costs, installation work, equipment rental and unforeseen costs (often 10% of the total project cost).

Which of the cost items are you applying for?

  • Please state which of the eligible cost items are applied for

Cost items (ineligible for grant)

  • The fund does not support travel, operational cost for facilities or studio rent, or hospitality.
  • Artists cannot apply to the Visual Arts Fund for their own salaries. Instead they should apply to the Artists’ Salary Fund, at the Icelandic Centre of Research – Rannís.
  • Galleries and venues cannot apply to the Visual Arts Fund for artists’ fees or salaries.

Fundraising

  • Visual Arts Fund grants are awarded for up to ISK 3,000,000, and the minimum amount is not less than ISK 300,000.
  • Visual Arts Fundawards up to 70% of the total cost of a project, both eligible and ineligible cost. Hence it must be stated how the remaining 30% amount will be financed.
  • Examples of project income are: other grants, publication sales, sales of works, ticket sales and own contributions from applicants and partners (in the form of funding, expertise, facilities etc.).

If relevant, state other grants applied for by the applicant, for this project

  • If an application is made to a fund other than the Visual Arts Fund, for a grant or contribution to the project, this must be stated in the application, even if that application is still in process.

State other grants the applicant has received in the last five years

  • Applicants must state previous grants they have received in the past five years, including year of grant awarded and amount.

Confirmation, letter or accompanying documents: 

  • Letter of invitation or confirmation, contracts or other documents in support of the project.
  • Create a zip file if there are multiple files. Up to 10 MB of data may be submitted, in JPEG, PNG and PDF format.

Q&A

Who can apply?

  • Self-employed visual artists and art historians, associations, groups and organisations who are working on projects that encourage the creation and promotion of art and an improved knowledge of the Icelandic visual arts, domestically and internationally.
  • The Visual Arts Fund awards grants to facilitate the execution of projects in the creative arts and art research. The Fund also awards grants for the preparation of projects that fall within the scope of the Fund.
  • Grants are not normally awarded for the operation and/or administration of associations, businesses and organisations, nor for projects and events that have already taken place.
  • The Fund does not award travel grants.
  • Galleries and venues cannot apply to the Fund for artists’ fees or salaries.
  • Artists cannot apply to the Fund for their own salaries. Instead they should apply to the Artists’ Salary Fund, at the Icelandic Centre of Research – Rannís.

Can I apply in English?

  • Applications should be in Icelandic if possible, but an English version of the form is available.

How is the application submitted?

  • The application form is available through the Origo eForm portal, myndlistarsjodur.eydublod.is/Forms, a system used by several public institutions, including Registers Iceland and the Museum Council of Iceland.
  • Accepted identification means are Icelandic electronic ID (rafræn skilríki) or Ice Key, see the portal for public services in Iceland, www.island.is/.
  • Save your application form after each stage. It may erroneously save as “empty” if left open in the browser too long. Always save your application before closing the browser.
  • Fields marked with a red asterisk (*) must be completed.
  • The application is not valid until the “send” button on the final page is pressed.
  • The application can be viewed on “Mínar síður” (My Pages), under “Send erindi”.
  • If the application form is exited before completion, it is possible to return to “Mínar síður” (My Pages) and find the application again under “Erindi í vinnslu” on the left-hand side when entering My Pages.
  • Access to the application system is through the Visual Arts Fund homepage, under “Umsóknarform”, or directly at  myndlistarsjodur.eydublod.is/Forms.

How should accompanying documents be submitted?

  • Accompanying documents must be submitted with the application, through the application system.
  • Up to 10 MB of data may be submitted, in JPEG, PNG or PDF format.
  • Accompanying documents will not be accepted after the application deadline.

What if I encounter a problem submitting the form?

  • It is strongly recommended that applications are made in a timely manner, to avoid last-minute difficulties.
  • If something prevents your application from “sending”, contact us on tel. 562-7262 or at info@myndlistarsjodur.is.
  • Heavy user traffic on the final application day may make the system slow to respond and cause completion issues.
  • If you are submitting your application at the last minute, when it is no longer possible to get assistance/advice from our office, and encounter technical problems associated with the application system, they must be notified by email before the application deadline expires, preferably with a screenshot attached to illustrate the problem. Complaints about technical problems arriving after the application deadline are not admissible.
  • Problems not associated with the application system are not normally admissible: the application period is at least six weeks long, allowing ample time to solve such problems. Notifications about such problems arriving after the application deadline are not admissible.

How do I know that my application has been received?

  • After you submit your application, an acknowledgment will be sent to the email address you provided, with a PDF attachment of your application form. Note: You sometimes need to check your Spam folder.
  • If no email acknowledgment arrives, submitted applications can be viewed on “Mínar síður” (My Pages). If you click on “Send erindi” it should say “Móttekin” (Received). A PDF of the applications should be available there too.

When can I expect to hear?

  • Decisions should be available 4–5 weeks after the application deadline. All applicants will receive a reply. Grant allocations will also be published on the Visual Arts Fund’s homepage.

How are grant committees appointed?

  • The Visual Arts Council allocates grants from the Visual Arts Fund twice a year. Decisions on grants are made based on professional evaluations of the applications. For each allocation, new committees are appointed and categories of applications are divided between committees. The evaluation committees propose how the available monies should be allocated, and the Visual Arts Council does not normally deviate from their proposals. The Council’s involvement in deciding who receives a grant, and how much, is therefore limited.

May I make more than one application?

  • There is no limit to the number of grants. For example, the same applicant may receive grants in two categories, for different projects. However, multiple applications do not guarantee a successful outcome – it is the quality of the application that matters.
  • If the project is an exhibition series or group exhibition the council advises organisers to hand in one application for the project as a whole rather than applications from individual participants. In cases where participants choose to send in individual applications covering their contribution it is advised not to also send in an application for the whole project.

Still have a question?

  • Further help is available at the Icelandic Art Center office, telephone 562–7262, or by email: info@myndlistarsjodur.is