MES (Finnish Music Foundation) – Live music support deadlines (2026)

The Finnish Music Foundation was set up in 2012 to promote Finnish music, taking over the funding work of ESEK and LUSES. Its live music strand supports projects involving Finnish artists or Finnish music. All genres are in scope, and the foundation says priority goes to professional music-making. The money comes mainly from private copyright funds, topped up by government support.

Applying is refreshingly light. There is no form. You write free-form and send it by email or post. What the foundation asks for is your name and contact details as the applicant — typically the official organiser of the event — a short description of the project covering what, where and when, naming the Finnish artists appearing or the Finnish composers whose music will be played, a budget in euros, and the sum you are asking for.

Two conditions matter. The application must arrive before the project takes place; there is no retrospective funding. And live music applications are handled in rounds across the year, with decisions four to six weeks after each deadline.

No amounts, ceilings or assessment criteria are published, so there is no official steer on what a realistic ask looks like. Recordings and audiovisual productions are handled separately — the foundation asks you to contact it directly for those requirements rather than using the live music route.