Finnish Cultural and Academic Institutes
The network of Finnish cultural and academic institutes comprises institutes around the world. The institutes advance the international mobility, visibility and collaboration of Finnish professionals in the arts, culture and research.
The institutes are civil society actors and organisations of general interest run by a private foundation, fund or association. Each institute has its own established purpose, which is based on the rules of the organisation that maintains it. In their activities, the academic institutes focus on promoting science and research, but they also organise cultural programmes.
The Ministry of Education and Culture annually awards annual discretionary government grants to Finnish Cultural and Academic Institutes. The Ministry also holds discussions to exchange information with the foundations and institutes.
Finland has cultural and academic institutes in Athens, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Copenhagen, Grand-Popo, London, Madrid, New York, Oslo, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, St. Petersburg, Tallinn and Tartu, and Tokyo.
The operation of the Finnish Institute in St Petersburg has been closed down from 16 June 2022 due to Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.
In addition to institutes operating abroad, there is a Swedish-Finnish Cultural Centre (Hanaholmen) in Espoo that works to develop co-operation between Finland and Sweden in all areas of society.
The institutes cooperate through a Helsinki-based association, the Finnish Cultural and Academic Institutes (SKTI), which also supports their lobbying, administration and communication in Finland. SKTI represents Finland in the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), which is a European network of organisations that engages in cultural relations from all EU Member States.
