The Mediarata funding aims to strengthen the field of media arts by improving the position of artists and the operating conditions of production companies, particularly with regard to immersive works (VR, AR and XR). The aim is to promote the international dissemination of media arts and to increase diversity, equality and employment opportunities for artists.
To be eligible, applicants must have a plan that aims to meet the above objectives.
The Mediarata project application process is intended for independent production companies, consortiums or media art intermediaries (incl. associations) that produce media art, are registered in Finland and have legal capacity.
Grant criteria
The total allocation granted by the Ministry of Education and Culture to AVEK is €90,000. The grant must be used by 31 December 2027.
When making grant decisions, particular emphasis will be placed on development plans that make comprehensive use of media arts.
It is up to the applicant to decide on the amount of Mediarata grant they wish to apply for, but the grant may only account for up to 80% of a project’s overall cost estimate.
The applicant must be legally required to keep accounting records.
Mediarata support is a form of de minimis (of little consequence) aid, in accordance with the EU’s state aid regulations, and the maximum amount granted to a company is €300,000 within three consecutive tax years. An applicant company or entity is responsible for ensuring that the maximum amount is not exceeded.
The project must include a plan from a company, a consortium of companies or another entity to achieve the objectives of the Mediarata grant. A consortium of companies refers to a collaborative venture between two or more production companies. If the applicant is a consortium, one of the companies will act as the applicant and take responsibility for the reporting. All the companies in a consortium must keep track of the costs and submit their accounting information to the applicant company for reporting.
The eligible costs of a project include those incurred after the application’s submission for purposes stated in the application.
The grant is not allocated for:
- applications submitted after the application period deadline
- projects whose sole aim is to create or produce a work of art
- hardware and software purchases
- the production of exhibitions or events, exhibition costs, or screening costs
- the company’s overhead costs
If an applicant has not submitted their reports linked to previous grant decisions in time or at all, they are ineligible for any new financial support.
Application process
The application period will start on 11 November and end on 12 December 2025 at 16:00. Submit your application through AVEK’s application system.
Application
In addition to the general information about the company, the following information must be included in the application:
Application title
Include the identifier MERA9 in front of the name of your application.
Next, name your application clearly and unambiguously in terms of your project. (PLEASE NOTE: do not use MERA9 as the full name of your project!)
Project duration
Please note that the project report must be submitted by the end of 2027 at the latest.
A brief description of how you intend to use a grant in layman’s terms
A short description of your project to enhance the production culture and/or intermediaries of media art (max. 250 characters).
The amount applied for and overall budget
The amount applied for may not exceed 80% of the overall budget.
An itemised cost estimate for the project
Provide a cost estimate and a financial plan for the project as a separate appendix. See more detailed instructions below in the list of compulsory appendices.
Extensive content description
The content description outlines the objective of the project and the measures planned to achieve it. The application must provide a detailed account of the means with which the company will develop its production models and culture.
Working plan
A Mediarata project plan that specifies how the applicant organisation will carry out their project to enhance the production culture and/or intermediaries of media art. What will be done, where, when, why, how and by whom, and who will be the project’s target?
Compulsory appendices:
- The content plan for the project.
- a budget and a financial plan:
- breakdown of the budget
- The financial plan must include the Mediarata grant applied for from AVEK, the amount of self-financing and any other funding. A Mediarata grant may only cover up to 80% of the costs stated in a project’s cost estimate.
- Breakdown of the self-financing proportion (required if self-financing is used)
- A description of the applicant’s previous activities. A limited liability company must submit a list of the current board of directors, other responsible persons and brief introductions of the key persons involved in the project as an appendix to the application. An association must submit a list of the responsible persons and brief introductions of the key persons involved in the project.
- The tax debt certificate of the applicant entity. If a project is shared by several companies, each company must submit its own tax debt certificate.
You may include other appendices as necessary.
Self-financing
The approved forms of self-financing include:
- the work devoted to the project by the owners of the production company;
- use of own equipment in the project (max. 60% of the rental price of similar equipment);
- bank guarantees or other such guarantees from a financial institution;
- free equity;
- other funding allocated to the project.
Agreement procedure
- A written grant agreement or commitment about support granted is made with the recipient of the grant in the application system.
- A grant decision becomes binding when the recipient agrees to the grant agreement/commitment and the instalments via the application system with their signature.
- If the grant agreement/commitment is not signed within three months of the grant decision, the decision will expire.
A grant may be recovered, if:
- it is not used within the agreed timeframe and for the approved purpose;
- the recipient has provided AVEK with misleading information that has affected the grant allocation or the continuation of payments;
- the final report is not submitted within the agreed time limit and in the agreed form, and the recipient has not agreed on a new procedure with AVEK.
If the costs end up being less than the budget on which the grant agreement was based, AVEK may reduce the grant amount proportionally. The excess amount will be recovered if the final instalment does not cover it.
Final report
The final report and the appendices must be submitted via AVEK’s application system. The final report must include the following information, either filled in on the application system form or as separate appendices (see below for a detailed list).
Short description. A description of the project for public communications (max. 300 characters). Entered directly into the application system.
Written content report.
A description of how the project goals were met. Entered directly into the application system.
Financial report. A written report on the costs, funding and any deviation from the budget confirmed in the grant agreement. Entered directly into the application system.
Final, numerical financial report. A compulsory appendix. Signed by the recipient and the accountant, and reviewed by the latter. The final report must be based on the accounts and include a comparison between the plan and the results. The report must compare the budget set out in the agreement with the actual costs incurred and the financial plan with the actual funding. Any major deviations must be explained in the producer’s written report. The accountant/accounting firm confirms that the reported costs and funding are based on the company’s accounts and connected to the project in question.
The eligible project costs include those incurred after the application was submitted.
An excerpt of the accounts is not a valid form of a final report, but such an excerpt can be appended to the report.
Auditor’s report. A compulsory appendix if the grant amount provided by AVEK for a project is €30,000 or more.
Itemisation of self-financing proportion, in accordance with the above definition of self-financing, either entered in the financial report section of the application system or provided as a separate appendix.
Credits
All project materials must mention that the project has received the Mediarata grant. AVEK’s general credit guidelines can be found on the AVEK credits page.
The project credits may also mention that the grant is a subsidy from the Ministry of Education and Culture. https://okm.fi/en/subsidies.
Please use the application system to submit or access your application.