Cultural cooperation in the High North

The Ministry of Culture supports cultural collaboration in Norway’s three northernmost counties, and internationally, through its funding of Norwegian-Russian cultural cooperation projects and other international initiatives.

Norwegian-Russian cultural cooperation occurs within the framework of three-year cooperation programmes. The 2013–2015 programme focuses on visual art, dance and cultural tourism. Project grants to support collaboration in these areas are made following an announcement and application process.

Grants under the BarentsKult cultural programme are funding Norwegian-Russian cultural projects. The other funding partners for this programme are the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Finnmark, Nordland and Troms county authorities.

The Ministry is also seeking to strengthen cultural cooperation in the High North through its participation in the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) and the Barents Euro-Arctic Council.