Event and project grant

Event and project grants are intended for organising arts or cultural events, neighbourhood events, or projects taking place in Espoo that increase residents’ participation. The aim of the grant is to diversify arts and cultural services in Espoo.

The application period for event and project grants is 2 February–31 August 2026 at 15:45. You may submit your application at any time during the application period but we recommend that you submit your application latest in July.

What kind of activities can receive a grant?

You may receive a grant for arts and culture–related events or projects that take place in Espoo.

The activities must be open to all residents.

You can receive a grant for activities occurring during the application year or the following year.

See previously funded events and projects.

•    activities already funded by another City of Espoo grant
•    basic education, vocational education or training or afternoon activities for comprehensive school pupils
•    as a general rule, activities mainly held in day-care centres, schools, and service homes that the city selects through procurement procedure (Culture Call, KULPS Culture Path, Culture Path for Upper Secondary Education, Espoo Hobby Path, Culture Chain, Senioripaku)
•    as a general rule, facility rental costs
•    party-political or religious events, or activities promoting the visibility of parties or religions
•    events that discriminate against any group of people
•    events organised by parent associations, or private events or annual celebrations of communities or associations
•    an applicant’s two projects with the same content that will take place during the same application period
•    as a general rule, recordings or publications such as books, records, films, games, theses

Who can receive a grant?

The grant is intended for actors in arts, culture, and local heritage work; professional operators, associations, work groups and private persons.
The applicant’s municipality of residence may also be other than Espoo.
We especially welcome collaborative projects.

How to apply for an event and project grant

Familiarise yourself carefully with the assessment criteria before applying.
Apply for the grant through the online application service before you intend to organise the event or start the project. The application form is open during the announced application period.
Wait for the decision. The Culture and Youth Committee or the Director of Culture makes funding decisions approximately every 1–2 months during the application period. Decisions are made less often during the summer.
You will be notified of the decision by email. If the grant is awarded, it will be paid approximately one month after the decision to the bank account you provided in your application.

Decision-making

Grant decisions are based on the principles defined by the Culture and Youth Committee and the strategic objectives of the City of Espoo.

The Culture and Youth Committee decides on applications where the requested amount is at least EUR 6,000 or the granted sum exceeds EUR 3,000. If you want your application to be processed in a specific committee meeting, submit it during the application period no later than three weeks before the Culture and Youth Committee meeting you wish it to be handled in.

When it comes to event and project grants, the Culture and Youth Committee has delegated decision-making power (authority) to the Cultural Director in the case of grants with an application amount of less than EUR 6,000 and a maximum amount of EUR 3,000 to be awarded.

Read more about the decision-making.

If you receive an event or project grant

How you may use the grant

You may use the grant for activities taking place in Espoo as described in your application.
If the plan you presented in your application changes, contact the cultural grants customer service at kulttuuriavustukset@espoo.fi.

Reporting on grant use

You must report the completed event or project to the Culture Unit within three months of the project’s completion. You can find detailed reporting instructions on To the grant recipient webpage.