Expanded Field of Visual Artists' Income and Work

Expanded Field of Visual Artists' Income and Work (KUVATA) supports visual artists’ work and income generation through training and webinars. The target groups of the project are professional visual artists and educational institutions in Finland. The project emphasizes strategies such as networking, digital skills in project production, and the ethical use of artificial intelligence in the context of visual arts.

The project is co-funded by the EU through the ESF+ programme, with funding granted by the Häme Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre).

The main coordinator of the project (2024–2026) is Tampere University of Applied Sciences. The co-implementers are the University of Lapland and Globe Art Point Ry.

In Finnish society, the income of visual artists and the prestige of their work is a problem that has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis. Geopolitical changes, the energy crisis and digitalization, which is pervading society as a whole, are creating uncertainty and poverty for visual artists.

Project management and sustainable productions and ethics using new technologies need to be updated. Lack of skills exist among visual arts professionals, especially the older generation and those whose training did not include new practices and emerging digital applications. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), for example in project production, is worth exploring in the context of the visual arts.

Sustainable solutions to the above problems on a national scale in Finland, to provide new knowledge and models that meet the needs of society, and to make them available to artists and visual arts education in Finland. Through knowledge and training, we will create equal opportunities for artists to operate in today’s evolving world, regardless of gender, age or cultural background. Work of an artist will be made easier through digital mastery.

Visual arts education skills will be updated. The visual artists' toolkit and learning materials support social, cultural, economic, and ecological sustainable development in the field of visual arts and strengthen the vitality of the sector.The earning potential of the visual artist will be expanded and will generate a better income for professionals. Networking in the professional field and lifelong learning skills will be enhanced.

ESR+ Euroopan sosiaalirahasto 2021-2027