Northern European Mobility Opportunity (NEMO) 2026 opens 17 August

About NEMO

As near neighbours, the Nordic countries, the UK, and Ireland constitute a shared international space with fertile ground for creative collaborations. Launched in 2025, the Northern European Mobility Opportunity (NEMO) is a programme for mobility and artistic exchange. It is supported by the Nordic Culture Fund and the arts funding agencies of Ireland, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The programme focuses on individual artists and arts practitioners in the early stages of their careers.

The NEMO call opens 17 August 2026 and closes 18 September 2026.

Register for a NEMO funding webinar on Thursday 25 June at 9.30am (GMT) hosted by Arts Infopoint UK to find out more.

The aims of NEMO

The programme builds on a reciprocal wish to broaden the creative possibilities for practitioners across the Northern European cultural scene. It does so by providing financial support for artists towards practical collaborative initiatives that will benefit both participating artists and the broader arts communities in partnering countries. The shared priorities of this programme are to:

• Encourage and support emerging artists and arts practitioners to work confidently with international partners.
• Foster international collaboration.
• Develop and strengthen new artistic networks across the Northern European region.
• Commit to accessibility and inclusion for diverse communities and voices across the region.

Who is NEMO for?

You must be an individual artist or arts practitioner who is resident in:

• One of the Nordic countries
• One of the four nations of the UK
• The Republic of Ireland.
• The focus of the programme is on artists and arts practitioners who are in the emerging part of their artistic careers.
• If you are based in the UK or the Republic of Ireland, your application must include details of how you will develop a collaboration with a partner in the Nordic Region. Conversely, if you are based in the Nordic region, your application must include details of how you will develop a collaboration with a partner in the UK or the Republic of Ireland.
• All parties involved in the application must have clearly agreed on the scope of the partnership before the application is submitted.
• This programme is only open to applicants who did not receive support under NEMO in 2025.
  

What you can spend your NEMO grant on?

Applications can be for physical, digital or hybrid activity in response to the programme aims. Applications should focus on the early stages of a new partnership and collaboration. For example, costs eligible under the call can include, although they are not limited to:

• Artists’ fees (both for yourself and your partners, incl. other participating partners)
• Critical exchange and research
• Mentorships e.g. exchange of working methods, traditions, and processes.
• Capacity building e.g. strengthening of skills, resources, structures
• Creation/design of a small-scale pilot for a future collaboration
  Public engagement, such as participatory events, talks, classes, etc.
• Travel and accommodation costs for partnership development.
  Performative artistic output from your grant is not expected. If you want, you can spend some of your budget on research and development in preparation for such activity at a later stage.
• Also welcome are applications for partnership activities which take into consideration the environmental impact of their plans.

How much can you apply for?

• The maximum amount that can be awarded to each successful application is DKK 75,000 which is about €10,000.
• The total funding available for this round will be approximately DKK 2,500,000 (approximately €345,000, allowing for exchange rates).
• Around 33 awards worth up to DKK 75,000 (approx. €10,000) each. Grants will be awarded in Danish Kroner (the operating currency of the Nordic Culture Fund, who will administer the grant).
• The NEMO call opens 17 August 2026 and closes 18 September 2026.

Find out more on the NEMO website.

You can also contact the Arts Council here in Ireland for more information:

Email: international@artscouncil.ie