Finland restructures it’s dance centers

And founds some new ones. Two regional dance centers were set up this autumn in Finland with the state providing half their annual budget, i.e. 89 000 Euros. The Northern Center is a joint project co-financed by four cities – Rovaniemi, Kajaani, Oulu and Pyhäjärvi – and the Eastern Center is based in the university town Kuopio and the small town of Pyhäjärvi, both well known for their festivals; the Kuopio Dance and Music Festival and the Full Moon Dance Festival, respectively.

A third dance center is Zodiak, Center for New Dance in Helsinki where most Finnish dancers and choreographers live and work. Getting center status means Zodiak will be able to better finance their coming projects. Currently, the choreographer and dancers and one designer get a modest monthly salary, a free performance space plus rehearsal space plus free marketing and publicity for their production. Choreographers apply for part of the production costs from trusts and funds. Next year, however, Zodiak will have more money to support the artistic team.
Two large, active cultural cities in Finland, Tampere and Turku, received “encouragement grants“ but not center status yet. The second round of applications ...