How many artists with a foreign background are there in Finland?

There is no simple answer to this question. Challenges arise both in defining “foreign background” and in identifying who counts as an artist.

Cupore is currently updating statistics on artists with a foreign background as part of a commission from the Ministry of Education and Culture (see Facts and figures: What do statistics tell us about artists with a foreign background in Finland?).

These statistics were first published in the 2023 Diversity Report.

The 2025 Diversity Report, to be published later this year, will complement statistical findings with interview-based research, giving voice to artists with a foreign background on their experiences of professional working conditions in Finland.

How is “foreign background” defined and how can their number be estimated?

Several different indicators are used to estimate the number of artists with a foreign background. In statistics, migration-related background is typically measured using country of birth, language, or citizenship. The same applies to the arts sector.

In the 1990s, Statistics Finland developed the concept of origin to monitor migration. Based on this, the population is divided into persons with a Finnish background and those with a foreign background. The latter refers to individuals whose both parents (or the only known parent) were born outside Finland.

In everyday language, concepts are used more loosely.

In studies on artists, alternative definitions are also applied. For example, Cupore’s Opening study examined artists born abroad, and the ongoing interview research in practice focuses on artists born outside Finland.

Different definitions produce different populations. The result also depends on how artists are identified in the first place, as datasets and methods vary in this respect.

According to employment statistics, the share is around eight per cent

According to Statistics Finland’s Employment Statistics, persons with a foreign background accounted for 8.2 per cent (1,977 individuals) of those employed in artistic, design, and architecture occupations in 2023. In the same year, the share of persons with a foreign background was 10.2 per cent of the total population and 10.0 per cent of all employed persons.

There are significant differences between occupations. Among dancers and choreographers, 18.0 per cent had a foreign background, whereas among actors, writers, and directors and producers (combined category) the share remained below five per cent.

In Employment Statistics, occupational information is derived from occupational titles and codes obtained from register sources. Occupation is primarily defined based on a person’s employment during the last week of the year, supplemented when necessary with information such as industry or education.

Grant statistics provide a complementary perspective

Grant statistics from the Finnish Arts and Culture Agency (until 2026, Arts Promotion Centre Finland) track applicants and recipients by language.

In 2024, the share of applicants with a foreign language background was 7.1 per cent and the share of recipients 6.3 per cent. In total, there were 8,543 applicants, of whom 1,537 received a grant.

The overall picture is similar to that of employment statistics, although the indicator is based on language rather than origin. Differences between art forms are also significant in this dataset. The share of foreign-language applicants was highest in “multidisciplinary arts” (14.7 per cent), a category often used by interdisciplinary artists as well as those working on issues related to cultural diversity. Shares were lowest in art forms such as literature and theatre.

Until now, language information in the Agency’s grant statistics has been based on self-reporting. In the new government grant system, this information will be sourced from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. Preliminary figures indicate that in 2025 the share of applicants with a foreign language background was 7.9 per cent and the share of recipients 7.1 per cent (Finnish Arts and Culture Agency, 1 April 2026).

As an Artist in Finland research updates the data

Cupore’s As an Artist in Finland research is based on register data from Statistics Finland, but artists are defined using criteria set by researchers. These include membership in artists’ associations or unions, receipt of grants, artistic education, and receipt of copyright compensation.

The pilot round used 2019 as a reference year. It estimated the number of professional artists in Finland at approximately 17,300, of whom just over 700 had a foreign background. The relatively low number is partly explained by limitations in the data: for example, not all education obtained abroad is recorded in registers, and not all artists’ organisations were able to participate due to data protection constraints.

The study is currently being updated. The new round will use 2023 as the reference year and includes a significantly broader set of artists’ organisations.

Updated statistics on artists with a foreign background based on this dataset will be published later this year.

Why is this information needed?

Data on persons with a foreign background are needed to assess whether access to the arts field and working conditions are equitable for people from different backgrounds. For this reason, it is necessary to examine variables related to ethnic or national background, even though their collection and use involve risks.

The available data should therefore also be approached critically. The production of knowledge involves limitations, exclusions, and assumptions. The concepts used are often broad and can be othering, such as “foreign” or “non-native”. The phenomenon cannot be captured using a single indicator. Current statistical publications also leave certain groups invisible, such as individuals with only one parent born abroad.

It is important to make transparent how the data have been constructed and what needs to be taken into account when interpreting them.

References

Arts Promotion Centre Finland. (n.d.). Apurahatilastot [Grant statistics]. https://www.taike.fi/fi/tilastot-ja-julkaisut/apurahatilastot

Hirvi-Ijäs, M., Renko, V., Leppänen, A., Lahtinen, E. & Sokka, S. (2023). As an artist in Finland – professional artists in Finland in 2019. Fact booklet 6. Center for Cultural Policy Research Cupore. https://www.cupore.fi/en/publications/as-an-artist-in-finland-professional-artists-in-finland-in-2019/

Karttunen, S., Lahtinen, E., Valkama, H. & Leppänen, A. (2023). Artists with Foreign Background in Finland. Diversity Report 2023. Cupore Webpublications 75. Center for Cultural Policy Research Cupore. https://www.cupore.fi/en/publications/artists-with-foreign-background-in-finland/

Lahtinen, E. & Karttunen, S. (2023). Diversity in the field of arts and culture: Development of monitoring data (2nd ed.). Cupore Fact Sheet 5. Center for Cultural Policy Research Cupore. https://www.cupore.fi/en/publications/diversity-in-the-field-of-arts-and-culture-development-of-monitoring-data-2nd-ed/

Lahtinen, E., Mäenpää, M., Karri, S., & Kurlin Niiniaho, A. (2020). Opening. The status of foreign-born arts and culture professionals in Finland. Cupore Webpublications 63. Center for Cultural Policy Research Cupore. https://www.cupore.fi/en/publications/opening/

Statistics Finland. (2023). Employed persons by occupational group (Classification of Occupations 2010, levels 1 to 2), background country, sex and year, 2010–2023. Retrieved April 15, 2026, from https://pxdata.stat.fi/PxWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__tyokay/statfin_tyokay_pxt_115t.px/

Statistics Finland. (2023). Key figures on population by region, 1990-2025. Retrieved April 15, 2026, from https://pxdata.stat.fi/PxWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__vaerak/statfin_vaerak_pxt_11ra.px/

Statistics Finland. (2025, May 16). Ammatin ja sosioekonomisen aseman menetelmäseloste työssäkäyntitilastossa [pdf] [Method report on occupation and socio-economic status in employment statistics]. Retrieved April 15, 2026, from https://stat.fi/en/statistics/documentation/tyokay