Production grant for the Kuopio250 programs

Katusirkusesitys kesällä, kuusi sirkustaiteilijaa yleisön edessä.

The City of Kuopio supports productions organised during the anniversary year through partial funding. Please note that the city does not produce the programs; their implementation is the responsibility of organizers. Applications for production support for events in 2025 can be submitted in January 2025. Unfortunately, we can no longer accept support applications or make funding decisions for events in 2024. Applications already submitted to us will be processed as planned.

We aim to make the process of applying for support even smoother! We will update the application form and process at the turn of the year, and the revised guidelines and forms will be available on our website in January.

Event and production grants

City of Kuopio co-finances productions selected for the anniversary year program with production grants as needed. The support is determined on a case-by-case basis within the framework of the appropriation and evaluation criteria set by the City Board. Automatic financing is not guaranteed for all productions accepted into the program. Co-financing can only be applied for after the production has been approved for inclusion in the anniversary year program. Productions that do not receive co-financing from the city may also be accepted for the program.

We do not fund organisations’ and operators’ established core activities. Operators have the opportunity to seek co-financing for activities that enhance and advance their usual operations, aligning with the goals outlined in the call for proposals.

At the application stage, it is necessary to designate a responsible party to oversee the production. This can be a private individual or a community. The designated party holds both the financial and legal responsibility for the project and is in charge of carrying out the project in its entirety. The city does not participate in the implementation of productions, but advises, supports and communicates about the anniversary year as a whole.

Find out more about the program proposals and how to apply for funding

Apply for Kuopio250 anniversary year program through the call for proposals. Learn more about application process on the Call for Proposals page.

We hope that any questions related to productions planned for the anniversary year will be submitted directly through the program or production support application.

Criteria for production grants

Both the event and production grants share similar criteria, but production grants place a higher importance on the impact on well-being and sustainability.

Key criteria for assessing production grant applications:

Well-being impacts of the production, such as improved health, increased opportunities for physical activity and leisure, and the promotion of community and equality.
Sustainability of the production’s operating model, resource wisdom, environmental impacts, and responsibility of the event organisers.
Effects of the production on the regional economy and the ROI calculation, such as the impact on tourism revenue.
Possible uses of the production in the city’s marketing efforts, such as event visibility and marketing, and the event’s target groups.
Development and growth targets of the production.

Read more about the event and production grants here.

Questions and answers

The financial aid always comprises co-financing, and therefore we anticipate the production to obtain other forms of funding. Additional sources of funding include self-financing, ticket income and admission fees, corporate cooperation, sponsorship, grants and other subsidies.

Generally, the co-funding will not account for more than half of the total funding.
Yes, you do. By applying for the anniversary year program, you will ensure that you will be part of the anniversary year’s official program, community and festivities, and involved in the national communications and marketing. This will guarantee the highest level of visibility for the entire anniversary year.
You can apply for funding using the application form for event and production grants once the production has been approved for the anniversary year program.
As a rule, production grants are paid after the production has been completed. The applicant submits a report on the use of the production grant, and the grant is paid on the basis of it. Funding may be disbursed in advance in cases where a separate agreement has been made, such as for covering the production’s communication costs. In longer-term productions, the funding can be divided into several parts, but this must be agreed upon in advance during the funding application.
The aid is paid as tax-free to associations, private individuals and recipients other than companies. The responsibility for tax practices lies with the taxable parties themselves. Companies invoice the production grants after submitting the report. In such cases, the tax rate is 24%.
If your production takes place in August 2025 in connection with Our Kuopio Festival, you may be eligible for the Our Kuopio production grant. Additional details regarding other available subsidies will be provided as the anniversary year approaches.