UNESCO-Aschberg Programme for Artists 2025
Support for artists and cultural professionals through government and civil society initiatives promoting artistic freedom and status.
The UNESCO-Aschberg Programme for Artists and Cultural Professionals 2025 is now accepting applications from governments, public institutions, and civil society organizations. This programme, generously supported by Norway and reconceptualized in 2021 to address COVID-19 impacts, aims to protect and promote the status of artists and artistic freedom globally.
The programme supports initiatives that advance fundamental artist rights including: the right to create without censorship, rights to artistic work support and fair remuneration, freedom of movement and association, social and economic protections, and everyone's right to participate in cultural life.
Two funding tracks are available:
Track 1 (Governments/Public Institutions): Technical assistance for revising or designing laws, policies, and measures promoting artist status and artistic freedom. Up to $30,000 available for project logistics including meetings, consultations, capacity building, and communications.
Track 2 (Civil Society Organizations): Financial assistance up to $50,000 for innovative projects advancing artist status at local, national, regional, or international levels. Eligible uses include training sessions, workshops, capacity-building, tool development, advocacy campaigns, research, emergency support to artists, and logistical expenses.
Eligible applicants must be not-for-profit civil society organizations with at least two years of legal existence and a proven track record of implementing cultural sector projects. Priority consideration given to organizations new to the programme, those benefiting artists from developing countries, and projects aligned with UNESCO priorities including Africa, gender equality, youth, and small island developing states.