Union of Finnish Art Associations
The Association of Finnish Art Associations, founded in 1938, is an umbrella organisation and lobbyist for regional artists' associations. The association includes 61 visual artists' associations operating across the country, representing a total of about 7,500 visual artists. The Association's network includes 24 art lending offices and 32 gallery and exhibition spaces.
Finland has a vibrant and extensive network of visual artist-led associations that provide diverse services to the residents of their regions and art professionals. The exhibition and art lending activities of communities significantly promote the mediation of art and support artists' livelihoods. Various events and course activities ensure the availability and accessibility of art offerings throughout the country.
The Association of Finnish Art Associations builds networks between communities through its activities, which it uses to create and disseminate good practices and experiences of peer support. The Association offers its members member services, such as counselling and training services.
The Association's artist residency in Karjalohja offers artists a place to spend their free time and recover from work.
Memberships and cooperation
The Union of Finnish Art Associations is one of the six member organisations of the Artists' Association of Finland, among which the Association represents the voice of the visual arts organisation and visual artist associations. The Association also has a strong profile as an advocate of regional equality.
The Union supports the Artists' Association of Finland's artistic policy efforts together with the other member organisations of the Association (Muu Association, the Association of Finnish Sculptors, the Finnish Printmakers' Association, the Finnish Painters' Union and the Finnish Association of Photographic Artists).
The Union of Finnish Art Associations is also active in the cooperation bodies and boards of other national artist communities through its representatives. The Union is a member of Kuvasto ry, Kuvataidetalo ry and the Civic Forum SKAF ry.
Strategy
The activities of the Union of Finnish Art Organisations are guided by a strategy. The strategy is divided into a mission statement, values, vision and measures. The Federation's new strategy was completed at the end of 2023.
Our mission statement
The Union develops the activities of associations and represents their interests. The Union builds networks between associations and enables cooperation between them. The Union's goal is to develop and consolidate good professional governance practices in associations. The Union is involved in strengthening the regional impact and accessibility of its member associations. The Union is a trainer and advisor to the associations, supervising the realisation of professional, social and economic interests. The Union supports the artist-political efforts of the Artists' Association of Finland, the umbrella organisation for visual artists operating in Finland.The Union is a member of the Artists' Association of Finland together with Muu, the Union of Finnish Sculptors, the Finnish Printmakers' Union, the Finnish Painters' Union and the Finnish Union of Photographic Artists. The union does advocacy work for visual arts communities in cooperation with Frame Contemporary Art Finland. The Union of Finnish Art Associations is also active in the cooperation bodies and boards of other national artist communities through its representatives. The Union is a member of Kuvasto ry, Kuvataidetalo ry and the Civic Forum SKAF ry.
Our Mission
The Union of Finnish Art Associations is the umbrella organisation, expert and lobbyist of regional artists' associations. Through its activities, the Union develops networks between communities and supports the regional equality of associations. It aims to establish good practices and create experiences of equality
Values
Art
Art has a strong social, economic, cultural and spiritual significance as well as its own intrinsic value. Art is seen as wide-ranging, multidimensional, distinctive and renewing.
Accessibility
Accessible communications and services increase the member associations' opportunities to participate in the development of the diversity and vitality of the art field.
Regional equality
The member organisations of the Union of Finnish Art Organisations are treated equally regardless of their size. Supporting the operating conditions of visual arts organisations increases the working opportunities of visual artists regionally. Supporting the availability and accessibility of the exhibition activities of visual artist associations, regardless of location, are factors that create equality. The Union always emphasises regional representativeness when proposing actors from among its members to decision-making bodies and elected bodies in the visual arts. Equality requires the identification of regional diversity and local needs.
Our vision 2024-2026
Union
The Union of Finnish Art Associations is a nationally known and respected expert, advocate, developer, trainer and advisor of visual artists' associations. The Union's expertise related to the regional promotion of equality is utilised in decision-making concerning the field of visual arts.
The field of organisations and the status of the visual arts
In 2026, the regional impact and accessibility of visual artist associations will have strengthened. Visual artist associations are recognised as socially important actors whose activities and exhibition opportunities are regionally equal and financially sustainable.
Member associations
The member associations are vibrant operators in their areas and they strengthen the position of both professional visual artists and visual arts enthusiasts with the principles of fair art.
Measures
Network development, member services and communications
The Finnish Union of Fine Arts Organizations maintains and deepens the networks created among member organizations, other actors in the visual arts field, and stakeholders. The Union creates spaces for member organizations to meet and learn from each other. This is achieved by organizing monthly coffee mornings for responsible employees of the Fine Arts Organizations, which enable peer support, learning, sharing current issues, and networking with other member organizations.
The Union organizes high-quality training activities that support the activities of associations and produces open, accessible communication that takes into account different languages and target groups. The training is organized in cooperation with the Citizens' Forum Study Center, 2-4 training courses per year.
The Union maintains the Art Lending Network and thus promotes the sale and accessibility of the visual arts of its member associations nationwide. The Art Lending Network increases equality in the association field and creates common professional practices.
Social impact
The Finnish Union of Visual Arts Associations takes into account changes in the field of visual arts associations, participates in social debate, issues statements, and elects peer reviewers and other representatives. The Union develops projects that support regional artist associations and collects and shares information and good practices from the field and research. The Union always takes regional equality into account when electing representatives to decision-making bodies and positions of trust in the visual arts.
Exhibition and residency activities
The Finnish Union of Visual Arts Organisations strives to organize national, curated and high-quality exhibition activities. The Union maintains the Aspa Atelier artist residency, respecting the principles of sustainable development. The artist residency offers an atmospheric and more affordable opportunity for visual artists to refresh themselves and strengthen their well-being.