Revised guidelines for ISGIES

We are pleased to announce that the guidelines for ISGIES–International Support for Galleries and Independent Exhibition Spaces have been revised and that the scheme will be open for applications for 2025 from December 10.

"These changes have been tailored to meet the needs of the art field, offering galleries, independent spaces, and publishers improved conditions for art fair participation that foster ambition and encourage artistic risk-taking. "  Ruben Steinum, Director

To better align the ISGIES scheme with the art field's activities, a revision of the ISGIES scheme has been deemed necessary. Key objectives include increasing predictability for applicants, fostering long-term development, and stimulating activity and professional growth among participants. The revisions focus on meeting the art field's and stakeholders' needs within the allocated budget, ensuring the scheme remains open for activity year-round. The language and clarity of the guidelines have been improved to enhance user-friendliness. With these changes the scheme fulfils its purpose while supporting positive growth and increased international activity.

Following valuable feedback from the art field and an in-depth review of the ISGIES scheme, the revision process officially began with an input meeting hosted by OCA and Norwegian Crafts on 22 August. To ensure transparency in the scheme's development and management the meeting facilitated an open dialogue with stakeholders, gathering valuable feedback from the field and providing insights that have been instrumental in reshaping the scheme. It was attended by 42 participants and included ten prepared contributions from galleries, independent exhibition spaces, art book publishers, and interest organisations such as NBK and Kunstsentrene i Norge.

Some of the central adjustments made to the ISGIES scheme are:

Application structure:
Applications are accepted and processed in monthly application rounds, with deadlines falling on the 10th of every month. The first application round for fairs taking place in 2025 is 10 January 2025. Support will be awarded based on a prioritisation system, with funding distributed throughout the year until the budget is fully allocated. Art fairs are ranked into four priority categories, evaluated by quality, relevance, and location, aligning with the scheme's goal of promoting participation in major art fairs. Higher-ranked fairs will be given precedence.

Funding and budget:
The scheme's annual budget is now divided equally between two semesters to ensure activity support and fair participation across both halves of the year. The maximum amounts granted per year and per project have been adjusted, with the maximum grant amount per year for travel and accommodation rising from NOK 20,000 to NOK 30,000. The updated guidelines for the ISGIES scheme can be found on our application platform, stikk.no. The scheme is open for applications starting 10 December.

In summary, the diverse needs of galleries, independent spaces, and art book publishers underscored the importance of predictability, support for significant expenses, and long-term planning. With a focus on stimulating participation in major international art fairs, the scheme not only elevates Norway-based galleries, independent spaces, and publishers but can also enhance the demand for contemporary art from Norway internationally.

The purpose of International Support for Galleries and Independent Exhibition Spaces (ISGIES) is to enhance the participation of Norway-based galleries, independent exhibition spaces and art book publishers at international art fairs. ISGIES aims to stimulate international participation and increase the demand for contemporary visual art from Norway.