Finland Working Group Tender

A working group set up by the Ministry of Education and Culture is proposing an exhibition award scheme for artists and exhibition organizers. The aim of the system is to secure the rights and obligations of artists and exhibition organizers from the work done for the exhibition and its replacement and to strengthen and harmonize remuneration practices in Finland.The task of the working group set up by the Ministry of Education and Culture was to prepare a proposal for an exhibition fee model which includes proposals for compensation criteria a proposal for the actors covered by the model and model administrations and how the model should be monitored and evaluated. The working group submitted its report to Riitta Kaivosoja Director General on Wednesday 23 June.The working group proposes an exhibition fee model consisting of a basic part and an additional part. The basic part of the exhibition prize would cover the work-related sections of the artist which are generally related to exhibition activities such as the design and hanging of the exhibition. The appendix on the other hand would cover activities outside the actual exhibition work such as artist lectures and public guided tours. The recommended price list has been prepared by representatives of the Finnish Museum Association the Finnish Artists Association and Ornamo with the support of the working groups expert secretaries. The model would apply to artists whose works are in an exhibition and whose exhibition works are new or from the artists collection. The premium would be paid regardless of nationality or country of residence.The working group proposes that the support be initially channeled through the National Board of Antiquities so that professionally managed museums can apply for support for the payment of compensation in the form of a state grant. The Center for the Promotion of the Arts would take into account compliance with the exhibition prize when awarding operating grants to the largest exhibition organizers. According to the proposal the Finnish Museum Association the Finnish Artists Association and Ornamo would periodically assess the recommended compensation level. Currently the practices for paying exhibition fees vary. The premise of the proposed system is that exhibition organizers negotiate with the artists for compensation related to the exhibition on the basis of recommendations. The recommendations and the system are proposed to be in place from the beginning of 2022. Consolidating the system would require additional permanent funding.The working group emphasizes that there is freedom of contract between the museum and the artist and that on a case-by-case basis it may be justified to act differently than proposed in the working groups proposal. For example the system does not recognize all the contract terms of international exhibition agreements even if the system basically applies to both Finnish and foreign artists. According to the working group after the introduction of the exhibition fee model it would be important that the functionality of the model is actively evaluated and monitored.