Ars Fennica is a contemporary art prize awarded every two years and one of the largest in the Nordic countries.
The 50,000 euro prize is open to Finnish, Nordic, and Baltic artists.
The Henna and Pertti Niemistö Art Foundation’s prize committee nominates the candidates, and an international art expert selects the winner from the shortlist. The nominees have often been Finnish, but also from other Nordic and Baltic countries. The prize is given to an artist in recognition of their high-quality and personal artistic work and opens up new channels for Finnish visual art internationally.
The award program includes an exhibition featuring all the nominees. The public can vote for their favorite in the exhibition.
Timeline
| October 2025 | Opening of the exhibition of shortlisted artists at the HAM Helsinki Art Museum in Finland on the 24th of October. Art Expert Mami Kataoka (JPN) meets the artists and see their work in Helsinki. |
| February 2026 | The prize will be announced and awarded on Tuesday, February 10 at HAM. The audience's favorite is announced. |
| March 2026 | The exhibition at HAM ends on March 29. |
