Sámi Artist Council: Activities

The Sámi Artist Council SDR was founded in 1987, and its purpose is to promote good and varied Sámi art life. The task of the Council is to promote the economic and art political interests of the Council and its member organisations, drawing the attention of both the financers and the relevant institutions in the Nordic countries to them. The Sámi Artist Council works as the joint secretariat of six Sámi artists’ associations (consisting of yoikers, filmmakers, authors, visual artists, artists in the field of theatre and performing arts, and composers from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia).

The associations are Juoigiid Searvi (JS; the Association of Sámi Traditional Folk Musicians), Sámi Filbmabargiid Searvi (SFS; Sámi Filmworkers Association), Sámi Girječálliid Searvi (SGS; Sámi Writers’ Association), Sámi Dáiddačehpiid Searvi (SDS; Sámi Artists’ Union), Sámi Lávdi (SL; Sámi Stage) and Sámi Komponisttaid Searvi (SK; Sámi Composers).

The Sámi Artist Council SDR enhances and supports financially the professional development of individual artists. Thus, the SDR administers the artists’ scholarships and the art fund Dáiddafoanda provided by the Sámi Parliament as well as the Nordic translation grants and the grant fund of Sámi artists and authors (Sámi Dáiddáriid ja Girječálliid Buhtadusfoandda SDGB). Partly, support can also be granted to artists who are not members of the member organisations of the Council. Through the support system, approximately 4­–5 million Norwegian crowns are granted to Sámi artists and institutions annually. The activities of the Sámi Artist Council are financed by the Sámi parliaments of Norway, Finland and Sweden and by the Nordic Council of Ministers. Therefore, the art policy of the Council is directed at the Sámi parliaments, the Nordic Council of Ministers and other institutions, also internationally.

The Sámi Artist Council concludes both long- and short-term agreements with the Norwegian Sámi Parliament on objectives and tasks in the field of art policy. The long-term policy is defined in a four-year co-operation agreement and the short-term policy in a one-year artist agreement. The longer co-operation agreement defines the guidelines for the annual artist agreements as well as the broader art political objectives and the more detailed sub-priorities. The annual artist agreement determines the budget framework for the activity support granted to Sámi artists’ organisations and the Sámi Artist Council as well as to professional guidance, scholarships and exhibition support.

You can get more information by contacting us through the form here or at the following address:

Sámi Dáiddárráđđi
Post Box 23
N–9735 Kárášjohka
Norway

post@samidaiddar.no
Tel. +47 784 67 006