In December 2024, Kannski worked with the artist run spaces Hamraborg Festival and AIVAG to release an open letter on demographic disparities in that years awarded artist salaries.
This letter went live on December 16th. So far, it has been co-signed by more than eighty people (given that 329 visual artists applied for salary, this is the equivalent of 25% of applicants).
16.12.2024
To whom it may concern,
The recipients of the largest national grant available for visual artists in Iceland (The Artist Salary) were revealed two weeks ago. Like many others, we eagerly awaited results and sincerely applauded the artists awarded.
As much as we celebrate this achievement of our friends and colleagues, we also find it just as crucial to examine troubling trends in the overall demographics of this year’s recipients. While every awarded artist is truly deserving, the overall selection as a group does not reflect the rich and varied spectrum of people and practices within Iceland’s art scene.
Unfortunately, the publicly available statistics around this grant are sparse. The data we share here was hand-compiled based on information accessible online. This means some important details—such as artists’ geographic location, sexuality, race, income, disability, or identity as trans or nonbinary—are not fully accounted for. Despite these limitations, we hope to add to the broader conversation about equity in Icelandic arts funding. If anyone wishes to review or contribute to this data, we welcome collaboration and are happy to share the dataset.
A raw analysis of this year's results for visual arts reveals:
Of the 60 artists awarded
Average age: 52
Number of artists under 30: 0 (0%)
Number of artists under 35: 4 (6%)
Number of artists over 68: 7 (11%)
Number of artists not affiliated with University of Arts in Iceland (through either teaching or attendance): 3 (5%)
Number of artists of foreign origin: 7 (12%)
Number of artists from outside Western Europe: 1 (1.6%)
Number of POC artists 2 (3.2%)
When compared to the demographics of the Icelandic population in general, these numbers reveal striking inequities. 1 in 5 people living in Iceland are immigrants. The artist salary woefully underrepresented this group; only 1 in 10 of those receiving a salary were of foreign origin. Of those 7 artists, only one comes from outside of Western Europe. 45.4% of Iceland’s immigrant population, or 8% of Iceland’s total population, hails from Poland, Lithuania, or the Philippines —yet none of these groups are represented among the awardees. Given that these populations face significant discrimination within this country, their absence from this prestigious list is deeply concerning.
Beyond immigration, significant disparities are evident in the dominance of university affiliation among grant recipients. Of the 58 artists for whom we could find university education, 90% attended LHÍ. 95% of awarded artists have either attended or taught at Iceland University of Arts. The Iceland University of the Arts is a cornerstone of Iceland’s arts community, but it is far from the only way that talented artists enter (or work) in their fields. Artists who immigrated to this country after completing their degrees, those who could not afford tuition during the 25 years in which LHÍ was an expensive private university, those who could not move to Reykjavik, and those who chose to study elsewhere all faced almost universal rejection. Such a pattern reinforces systemic barriers, limiting opportunities for artists from diverse educational and geographic backgrounds.
Regional and medium-based disparities further underscore inequities. Only 20% of awardees live outside the capital area, highlighting the systemic barriers faced by artists from rural regions–despite the presence of internationally recognized talent throughout Iceland. Additionally, conceptual art/sculpture dominate the practices of funded artists, while those with medium-specific practices, like painting, photography, ceramics, and textiles only represent around 20% of fundees. Again, Iceland contains internationally recognized experts in all mediums. Given both that rent outside the capital area, and mediums like painting, photography, ceramics or textiles are often more accessible to lower-class artists, and immigrants, it is worrying that so few talented people in these areas were recognized.
Equally concerning is the absence of young artists. More than half of the awarded artists are older than 50, while only 6% are younger than 35. In the coming year, not a single artist under 30 will receive an artist salary to create their museum shows, begin projects, or to address the issues concerning their generation.
As telling as these statistics are, they fail to represent the full story. Due to limitations of time, we are unable to analyze these results for the impact on intersectional identities. However, the compound impact of these disparities is likely even more profound.
We fully acknowledge how difficult the selection process is. Rejection is part of every artist’s life. However, when it comes to the selection processes that are part of public funding systems, it is vital that the mechanisms through which artists are selected are transparent, equitable, and able to recognize the worth of artists of a variety of practices, ages, educational levels, and backgrounds.
It is a privilege to live in a country that values the arts enough that it will support the creation of cultural works. The existence of the artist's salary is crucial to allowing talented workers without generational wealth the time and space to complete the works that shape our culture. In fact, we strongly believe that the artist’s salary should grow to match the pace of a growing country. But a public institution should reflect the values and goals of the public, not of a select few.
Equity is not just about fairness—it is a foundation for a thriving, relevant, and representative arts community. A wider range of voices and practices will help the art scene stay relevant, responsive to the diversity of society, and more accessible to broader audiences. Art belongs to everyone.
We have joined together in the hopes that:
- Next year funding might reach a wider range of artists, and finally, a wider set of audiences.
- The mechanisms through which artists are selected are transparent and equitable.
To all artists planning projects for 2026, we encourage you to apply next year, as the larger the body of applicants, the clearer need for diversity will grow. And finally, to all of our talented friends working on exhibitions and projects in 2025, those with, and without funding, we wish you the best of luck!
Sincerely,
Sadie Cook ( visual artist, co-founder of Gallery Kannski)
Jo Pawlowska (visual artist, co-founder of Hamraborg Festival)
Megan Auður (visual artist, member of AIVAG, Artists in Iceland Visa Action Group)
Co-signed,
Hugo Llanes (visual artist and cultural facilitator, member of AIVAG.)
Diljá Thorvaldsdottir (visual artist, co-founder of Gallery Kannski)
Darren Mark (artist, member of Lucky 3)
Melanie Ubaldo (artist, member of Lucky 3)
Dyrfinna Benita (artist, member of Lucky 3)
Agnieszka Eva Sosnowska (teacher) Kleppjárnsstaðir, Egilsstaðir
Nermine El Ansari (visual artist, member of D.N.A. Art Collective)
Ágústa Björnsdóttir (visual artist, member of Myrkraverk)
Wiola Ujazdowska (visual artist, membor of AIVAG, curator of VOR festival)
Ingunn Fjóla Ingþórsdóttir (visual artist and curator)
Helgi Vignir Bragason (visual artist)
Lukas Gregor Bury (visual artist)
Weronika Balcerak (visual artist)
Galadriel González Romero (visual artist & member of Snæfellsjökul fyrir forseta activist group)
Þórhildur Tinna Sigurðardóttir (curator)
Sæmundur Þór Helgason (artist)
Guðrún Jónsdóttir (visual artist)
Patty Spyrakos (visual artist)
Stuart Richardson
Tarek Ziad (US based theater artist)
Astral M
Ráðhildur Ólafsdóttir
Clizia Macchi (artist and independent curator at Magma Art Space)
Ástríður Jónsdóttir (visual artist, co-founder of Associate Gallery)
Agnes Ársælsdóttir (artist and curator at Hamraborg Festival)
FSissoko
Elísabet Anna Kristjánsdóttir (visual artist)
Rúrí Sigríðardóttir Kommata visual artist & founding member of Head to Head festival)
Gabriela Levy
Jasa Baka
Rebecca Hidalgo (performing artist, choreographer, producer & educator, co-founder of R.E.C Arts Reykjavík)
Sara Björg Bjarnadóttir
Tófa Ara Svanhildarbur (Visual artist, AD at STUDIO23)
Bjartur Elí Ragnarsson (visual artist)
Maja Biskup
Martyna Karolina Daniel (visual artist and intercultural project manager for the Reykjavik City Library)
Klaudia Karolina Kaczmarek
Marie Vesela (Art educator)
Sunna Austmann Bjarnadóttir
Gabriel Marling Rideout
Bryndís Björnsdóttir
Vala Sigþrúðar Jónsdóttir (Artist)
Tereza Kocianova (visual artist, Akureyri)
Gígja Jónsdóttir
Regn Sólmundur Evu
Gosia Trajkowska
Victoria Björk Ferrell
Kata Jóhanness (Visual artist)
Helena Solveigar Aðalsteinsbur (curator)
Emilia Telese
Joe Keys
Heiðrún Sæmundsdóttir (artist)
Sigrún Gyða Sveinsdóttir
Hildur Henrysdottir
Pola Sutryk
Daria Testo (curator, member of Snæfellsjökul fyrir forseta)
Rb Moran
Klāvs Liepiņš
Clizia Macchi (Magma Art Space)
Matthías Pétursson
Andie Sophia Fontaine
Olivia Teresa Due Pyszko (dancer)
Lena Marczyńska
Sunna Ástþórsdóttir
Una Björg Magnúsdóttir
Hildur Elísa Jónsdóttir (visual artist, co-founder of Associate Gallery)
Natka Klimowicz (visual artist)
Yulia Vasileva (MC MYASNOI, Spider Network, Kárahátíð)
Jasa Baka (visual artist)
Janosch Bela Kratz
Seweryn Chwala (Visual artist)
Snæbjörn Brynjarsson
Katerina Blahutova
Gabriel Marling Rideout
Renata Sara Arnórsdóttir (Dancer with Striplab)
Unnur Andrea Einarsdottir
Robin Morabito
Sigrún Perla Gísladóttir
Lísa Björg Attensperger
Katarzyna Strojnowska (experience designer and sustainability specialist, Akureyri)
Katerina Blahutova (visual artist, curator)
Alice Romberg (Dancer)
Martynas Petreikis
Halla Einarsdóttir
Felix Urbina - dance artist
Andrea Aðalsteins (Visual artist)
Cameron Anderton - musician
Emil Gunnarsson
Simone de Greef - Photographer
Carissa Baktay- Artist
Neil Horvath Ronaldsson, Dr
Jessica Auer, artist, East Iceland
Emma Shannon (Textile Artist)
Jón Bergmann Maronsson (musician, scientist, programmer)
Dr Jack Armitage, founder of Ahfverju Ekki
Steinunn Önnudóttir