In a new political agreement presented on Thursday, support for Denmark’s museums will experience a significant boost. From 2025, the 95 state-recognized museums will receive an annual grant of 565.7 million Danish kroner, which is an increase of 75 million kroner per year. Minister of Culture Jakob Engel-Schmidt (M) highlighted at the press conference that the agreement will bring more transparency and security to the cultural sector, while also opening up for more Danes to experience and enjoy the country’s art and cultural heritage. “This is an agreement that ensures that art and culture are accessible to more people, and it is an investment in both our past and our future,” he said.
An important part of the agreement is the introduction of a new grant system, where the museums will be divided into five different categories based on an assessment of the museum’s collections and their cultural and professional significance. This assessment will be made by a newly established museum board, which will also be responsible for determining which museums can gain or lose their state recognition. If a museum is dissatisfied with its category placement, it will have the opportunity to appeal the board’s decision.
In order for a museum to obtain state recognition in the future, it must have an annual income of at least four million kroner, with a relaxation for museums on smaller islands where three million kroner is sufficient. Additionally, there is a requirement that museums must have at least 10,000 visitors annually, or 8,000 for museums on smaller islands.
This new agreement also opens up for more new museums to obtain state recognition and thus become eligible for state funding. “This is the biggest boost in recent times, perhaps ever, for museums in Denmark,” concluded Jakob Engel-Schmidt.