Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland

09/07/2026

Cultural Connections returns!

We’re excited to launch the second edition of Cultural Connections – Emerging Creative Professionals’ Partnership, created together with the British Embassy in Helsinki.

The programme supports UK-based artists and cultural professionals to present their work in Finland, fostering new collaborations, international exchange and lasting connections across the two countries’ creative sectors.

Applications for mobility support are now open and can be submitted by UK-based artists and cultural professionals, or by Finnish cultural organisations inviting UK talent to Finland. If you’re planning a project taking place before 31 March 2027, we’d love to hear from you.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early—the open call will close once all available places have been filled.

More info and apply: https://fininst.uk/media/news/cultural-connections-returns-uk-finland-partnership-to-support-emerging-creative-professionals

Photo credit:
Artwork: Enni-Kukka Tuomala, Geography of Empathy (2023), Together Again Festival 2023, Helsinki, commissioned for the festival by the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland and the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York
Photographer: Petri Summanen

09/02/2026

Exciting opportunity: We're looking for a Head of Communications and Development!

We are seeking a new visionary colleague to join our tight-knit team at the Finnish Institute in London. The selected candidate will develop the Institute’s reach and impact through strategic communications and partnership development.

🗓 The deadline for applications is on 25 February 2026 at 15:00 UK time / 17:00 Finnish time.

🔗 For more details on the requirements and how to apply:

Enabling change through arts and culture.

10/01/2025

Aleksi Malmberg has been appointed as the Director of the Institute!

From 5 March Aleksi Malmberg will take up the role of Director of the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland.

Aleksi shared that: “I feel privileged to begin this role alongside the Institute’s team and its extensive network of collaborators, continuing the meaningful work of building bridges through the Institute’s societal and arts programmes.”

We welcome Aleksi Malmberg to the team.

Please check our website for further details.

Photo credit: Lari Järnefelt

07/10/2024

We are looking for a new Director! 📣

The Director of the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland is in charge of leading the development and implementation of the Institute's strategic direction, operations, and fundraising efforts.

For more information and how to apply for the position, click the link below.

🗓️ Deadline 1 Nov 2024
🕰️ 3pm Finnish time (EET, UET+2)

The Institute is seeking a new Director who will lead the development and implementation of the Institute's strategic direction, operations, and fundraising efforts. The new Director will commence their role in early 2025. Deadline for applications is 1 November 2024.

11/03/2024

We are hiring a new Arts Programme Director:

The Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland enables progressive personal and societal change through art and culture. By carrying out ambitious, interdisciplinary projects with a positive impact we en

17/07/2023

28/04/2023

Time for goodbyes and new beginnings 💫 We welcome Strategy Advisor Malin Groop as the new Chair of the Board.

"In this hazy world, I believe arts and culture play an important role in bringing people together. I’m excited to join the board and build further on the great work Tommi Laitio and the team have done’," says Groop.

This means that we have to say goodbye to Tommi Laitio who has been with us for nine years.

"It has been a great pleasure to help enable bold cultural work between the three countries. In recent years, the Institute has increased the proportion of its budget allocated to programming, changed its name from the Finnish Institute in London to Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland to communicate our broad remit, increased the number of collaborative projects and open calls, made fostering equity a priority, and increased cooperation, particularly between Finland and Scotland. I thank our directors, staff and fellow board members for a joyful, arts-driven and engaging time and wish them courage for the future,” concludes Laitio.
https://www.fininst.uk/events/malin-groop-appointed-as-new-chair-of-the-board/

23/01/2023

PREVIEW REMINDER - Editorial Tables: Reciprocal Hospitalities | Opening tomorrow 24 Jan - *|https://mailchi.mp/theshowroom/editorialtables-opening|*

04/01/2023

Interested in learning Finnish? 🇫🇮 The spring term starts next week, sign up now to reserve your spot! Course levels range from beginners to advanced level, you can attend the classes either in-person or online.

For more info and registration, see the link below ✨

10/11/2022

We are looking for a Chair!

The Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland is an expert on Finnish culture and society. The Institute supports the internationalisation of Finnish contemporary art and helps artists, researchers and social and cultural actors to create international networks.

The Institute was founded in 1991 and it is a non-profit, private foundation funded by The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. The institute sees the arts as a powerful means towards a fairer and more sustainable society. The operating landscape of the Institute has changed due to Brexit.

As Tommi Laitio will be ending his term as the Chair of our Board in April 2023, we are launching a search for a new Chair. We see that transparency combined with clear criteria provides ideal conditions for finding the best candidate.

We are looking for an insightful leader knowledgeable and networked in the arts in Finland, committed to diversity and inclusion and skilled in good governance. The Chair is the employer’s representative in relation to the Director. An ideal candidate has proven their abilities in inclusive leadership but has a hunger for new challenges. As the board operates in English, we are looking for a Chair able to conduct this position in English.

The foundation has a board of six members.
The board meets 4-5 times a year in Finland for a two-hour meeting and once a year in the United Kingdom or Ireland for a one-day meeting. There is no financial compensation for the board membership apart from covering all travel costs.

The process for recruiting a new Chair of the board is as follows:

November 2022:
We welcome applications for the role of Chair whilst we also source potential candidates. The candidates will not be disclosed to anyone outside the current board.

We would ask applications to include a simple CV and single page statement of interest as part of their application.

December 2022 – January 2023:
Preliminary meetings with the leading candidates.

January:
Selection of the candidate.

April 2023:
Annual General Meeting where the new Chair will be elected and announced.

For further information about the position, please contact Member of the Board, Jeremiah Tesolin ([email protected]).

https://www.fininst.uk/events/the-finnish-institute-in-the-uk-and-ireland-is-looking-for-a-chair/