Cultural grants from Reykjavík Municipal Treasury awarded for 2026
Reykjavík City's Cultural and Sports Council awarded cultural grants and partnership agreements today at Iðnó, along with announcing Reykjavík Arts Group 2026, drawing a large crowd.
Council Chair Skúli Helgason presented the awards alongside the six Reykjavík festivals that hold the City Festival title for 2026-2028.
Last fall, the Reykjavík Municipal Treasury received 169 applications for cultural grants, totaling nearly 360 million krónur for projects in 2026. The projects span all types — large and small, from all creative arts classes and for people of all ages. This strong turnout once again reflects the vibrant growth that characterizes Reykjavík's cultural life.
Following tradition, a professional panel made up of four representatives appointed by the Federation of Icelandic Artists and one appointed by Iceland Design and Architecture was tasked with reviewing cultural grant applications for 2026 and presenting allocation recommendations to the Cultural and Sports Council. This year's panel included Gunnar Andreas Kristinsson (chair), Helga Guðrún Óskarsdóttir, Hanna Björk Valsdóttir, Jóna Hlíf Halldórsdóttir and Búi Bjartmar Aðalsteinsson.
The panel's total allocation budget for new grants, partnership and operational agreements, and for Reykjavík Arts Group 2026 was 92 million króna, compared to 71.6 million króna in 2025. The Cultural and Sports Council has worked to increase the total amount of cultural grants over the past three years to strengthen grassroots work in the Cultural City. At the council's meeting on Jan. 9, members approved increasing the amount by 15 million króna, which will be allocated at year's end and distributed at the start of next year.
78 projects awarded grants
In total, 78 arts and culture projects were awarded grants from the Reykjavík Municipal Treasury this year. Of these, eight are new partnership or operational agreements for two and three years. Four such agreements are already in effect through 2026 with Reykjavík International Literary Festival, Hringleikur, Reykjavík Jazz Festival and Reykjavík Big Band.
The new partnership agreements are with RIFF – Reykjavík International Film Festival, which receives 6.5 million króna for three years, Sequences visual arts biennial which receives 4.5 million króna for two years, Opera Days receives 4.5 million króna for three years, Art Without Borders receives 3.5 million króna for three years, the Sculptors' Association of Reykjavík receives 3.5 million króna for three years, Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra receives 3 million króna for three years, UNGI performing arts festival receives 2 million króna for three years and Dans Afrika Barakan Festival Iceland receives 1.5 million króna for three years.
This year's top grant recipients are the Caput ensemble and Gallery Hakk with 3 million króna each, the Nordic Affect chamber group and Open artist-run exhibition space with 2 million króna each, and Intensity: Slökkvistöðin Exhibition Series, Extreme Chill Festival, Queer Situations - International Literary Festival, Reykjavík Early Music Festival and Cantoque Ensemble with 1.5 million króna each.
Other grant awards range from 1.2 million króna down to 200,000 króna.
Chamber ensemble Elja is Reykjavík Arts Group 2026
Reykjavík Arts Group 2026 is Elja, a chamber ensemble consisting of young Icelandic classical musicians that has gained attention for its lively and fresh performances. The ensemble's goal from the beginning has been to perform high-quality music for the most diverse audience possible, attract new listeners to classical and contemporary music, and work to break down barriers between classical music and other musical forms.
Elja has, for example, performed new arrangements with GDRN and Jófrída Ákadóttir and performed Haydn symphonies in potato storage facilities, to name a few examples. Among the ensemble's projects this year are premieres of works by Icelandic composers and concerts at the music festivals Seigla and State of the Art. Elja will receive a grant of 2.5 million króna for 2026, plus the formal honorary title "Reykjavík Arts Group 2026."
The six festivals that have previously been selected to receive the Partner Festival title (I. borgarhátíð) for 2026-2028 are Reykjavík Pride, DesignMarch, Iceland Airwaves, Iceland Noir, Dark Music Days and Reykjavík Dance Festival. Each festival will each receive between 5 and 12 million króna annually from Reykjavík City during this period.
Reykjavík City operates three independent and strong cultural institutions: Reykjavík City Library, Reykjavík Art Museum, and Reykjavík City Museum. The City's largest cultural contributions go to the Reykjavík Theater Company at the Reykjavík City Theater, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, and Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre. Various independent entities also receive housing and operational support from Reykjavík City, including Reykjavík Arts Festival, Tjarnarbíó, Dance Atelier, Bíó Paradís, The Living Art Museum, and Kling & Bang.