Allocations have now been made from all divisions of the Music Fund, which was established last year on the basis of the Music Act passed in May 2023. Applications for the fund opened on March 4 and the deadline for submissions was April 15.

The role of the Music Fund is, among other things, to support Icelandic music, sound recording, and development work within the Icelandic music industry through financial assistance. The fund also aims to promote Icelandic music and musicians, both in Iceland and abroad.

The fund is divided into four categories, each with a distinct focus, designed to broaden the scope of support for projects that strengthen the music sector as widely as possible. The fund operates under the Ministry of Culture, Innovation and Higher Education and is administered by Iceland Music. Independent allocation committees are appointed by the Minister for each of the four divisions. These committees assess applications for eligibility and make recommendations to the Minister on grant awards.

In total, 386 applications were submitted to the fund, requesting a combined amount of ISK 600,619,671. A total of ISK 56,355,000 was available for distribution and was awarded to 58 projects, divided across the fund’s four divisions.

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Creation and Publication Division - Music Grant

198 applications requested a total of ISK 257,144,714. Funding amounting to ISK 20,200,000 is allocated to 22 projects.

The highest project grants—ISK 1,750,000 each—go to the band GRÓA and musician Arnór Dan. Ingibjörg Guðlaugsdóttir receives ISK 1.7 million, and Skúli Sverrisson ISK 1.5 million.

The success rate is 11%:
• 9% for classical and contemporary music
• 11% for pop, rock, indie, jazz, blues, rap, and hip hop
• 16% for electronic music
• Lower rates for other genres

23% of the total allocation goes to classical and contemporary music, 35% to pop/rock/indie, 16% to electronic music, and the rest to other genres.

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Live Performances Division - Performance Grants

98 applications requested a total of ISK 141,776,501. A total of ISK 15,385,000 is allocated to 20 projects.

The highest project grants—ISK 1.5 million each—go to the chamber choir Schola Cantorum and the ensemble Umbra. The performance collective Óður, tenor Benedikt Kristjánsson, and violinist Una Sveinbjarnardóttir each receive ISK 1 million.

The overall success rate is 20%.
75% of funding goes to classical and contemporary music, 8% to pop/rock/indie, 10% to world and folk music, and the remainder to other genres—roughly reflecting the genre distribution among applicants.

One long-term contract is awarded:
• Kammerkórinn Cantoque receives ISK 3 million for a two-year contract (2026–2027).

The following projects also hold active long-term contracts for 2025:
• Nordic Affect – ISK 2.5 million (2025–2026)
• Caput – ISK 6 million (2024–2026)
• Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra – ISK 5 million (2024–2026)
• Cauda Collective – ISK 1 million (2024–2025)

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Development and Infrastructure Division – Business Grants

67 applications requested ISK 170,560,899 in total. Funding of ISK 14,720,000 is allocated to 10 projects.

The largest project grants—ISK 2.5 million each—go to Iceland Sync Creative and the traditional arts festival VAKA. WindWorks in the North receives ISK 2 million.

Overall success rate: 15%.
27% of funding goes to classical and contemporary music, 27% to pop/rock/indie, 17% to world and folk music, 18% to cross-genre projects, and the rest to other genres.

No new long-term contracts were issued in this round.
The following projects hold active long-term contracts for 2025:
• Dark Music Days – ISK 4 million (2025–2026)
• Reykjavík Opera Days – ISK 4 million (2024–2026)
• Song Festival in Hafnarborg – ISK 2 million (2024–2026)
• Reykholt Festival – ISK 1 million (2024–2026)
• Bræðslan – ISK 1.5 million (2024–2026)
• Skálholt Summer Concerts – ISK 4 million (2024–2025)
• Iceland Airwaves – ISK 6 million (2024–2026)
• Mengi – ISK 3 million (2024–2025)

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Export Department – Marketing Grants

23 applications were submitted, requesting ISK 31,137,557 in total.
ISK 6,050,000 is allocated to 6 projects.

Highest grants—ISK 1.5 million each—go to Bríet and Gyða Valtýsdóttir.

Success rate: 26%
72% of funding goes to pop/rock/indie, 17% to classical and contemporary, and 11% to electronic music.

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Distribution by Gender, Region, and Applicant Type

Most applications were submitted by men (53.8%), while 46.2% came from women.
The success rate was 13% for men and 17% for women.

Most grants—64%—were awarded to individuals, 14% to companies, and the remainder to associations, institutions, and other entities.

Overall success rate: 15%
80% of the awarded funds go to projects based in the capital area, 12% to projects elsewhere in Iceland, and 8% to projects taking place abroad.

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Allocation Commitees

Music Grants – Creation and Release Division

• Sindri Ástmarsson (Chair)
• Hafdís Bjarnadóttir
• Kristjana Stefánsdóttir

Performer Grants – Live Performance Division

• Guðmundur Birgir Halldórsson (Chair)
• Elfa Lilja Gísladóttir
• Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen

Business Grants – Development and Infrastructure Division

• Hildur Kristín Stefánsdóttir (Chair)
• Freyr Eyjólfsson
• Melkorka Sigríður Magnúsdóttir

Marketing Grants – Export Division

• Sindri Magnússon (Chair)
• Elíza Geirsdóttir Newman
• Melkorka Ólafsdóttir

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List of All Allocated Grants

Creative Work & Releases – Music Grants

Arnór Dan Arnarson
Arnór Dan – First Solo Album
Allocated amount: ISK 1,750,000

Hrafnhildur Einarsdóttir
Fifth Full-Length Album by GRÓA
Allocated amount: ISK 1,750,000

Ingibjörg Guðlaugsdóttir
Urta
Allocated amount: ISK 1,700,000

Skúli Sverrisson
New Album with Bill Frisell
Allocated amount: ISK 1,500,000

Viktor Ingi Guðmundsson
Temporary Troubles
Allocated amount: ISK 1,250,000

Emmsjé ehf.
MC
Allocated amount: ISK 1,250,000

Sigurlaug Thorarensen
BSÍ – The Three Major Singles
Allocated amount: ISK 1,250,000

Kristofer Rodriguez Svönuson
Watachico
Allocated amount: ISK 1,000,000

Tómas Ragnar Einarsson
G&T
Allocated amount: ISK 800,000

Ida Nielsen Juhl
EP Master, Release and Promotion
Allocated amount: ISK 750,000

Dýrfinna Benita Basalan
Frelsi
Allocated amount: ISK 750,000

Ingibjörg Elsa Turchi
Eonia – Recording Sessions
Allocated amount: ISK 750,000

Torfi Tómasson
TORFI 2025 – Singles
Allocated amount: ISK 750,000

Haukur Þór Harðarson
New Work for the Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra
Allocated amount: ISK 750,000

Helgi Rafn Ingvarsson
Fishing Trip with Dad to Hlíðarvatn
Allocated amount: ISK 700,000

Hanna Mia Matsdóttir Jonstam Brekkan
Breathe – Original EP by Hanna Mia
Allocated amount: ISK 500,000

Stirnir Kjartansson
“The Possibility” for Electric Guitar Choir
Allocated amount: ISK 500,000

Sprengjuhöllin ehf.
Unfiled – Full-Length Album
Allocated amount: ISK 500,000

Valgerður G Halldórsdóttir
Hugi Guðmundsson – Choral Work for Two Choirs
Allocated amount: ISK 500,000

de la Sól ehf.
Tímaglas – Debut Album by Salka Sól
Allocated amount: ISK 500,000

John Patrick McCowen
New Album of Compositions for Solo Contrabass Clarinet (Recorded at Hallgrímskirkja)
Allocated amount: ISK 500,000

Árni Þór Árnason
Tófa – LP4
Allocated amount: ISK 500,000

Live Performance – Performer Grants

Kammerkórinn Cantoque
Cantoque Ensemble – Operations 2026–2027
Allocated amount: ISK 3,000,000

Schola Cantorum Chamber Choir
Concert and Recording Project – Two-Year Period
Allocated amount: ISK 1,500,000

Penumbra slf.
Umbra – Operations 2025–2027
Allocated amount: ISK 1,500,000

Sviðslistahópurinn Óður
Orchestral Grant for Óður
Allocated amount: ISK 1,000,000

Benedikt Kristjánsson
J.S. Bach's St. John Passion (1749 Version) – Premiere in Iceland
Allocated amount: ISK 1,000,000

Una Sveinbjarnardóttir
Translations – Concerts
Allocated amount: ISK 1,000,000

Sólveig Steinþórsdóttir
Negla Piano Quartet – New Icelandic Works
Allocated amount: ISK 800,000

Ingibjörg Guðlaugsdóttir
Urta – Narrative Poem
Allocated amount: ISK 760,000

Hildigunnur Halldórsdóttir
15:15 – Concert Series
Allocated amount: ISK 500,000

Iðunn Einarsdóttir
In Her World – Concerts in Iceland
Allocated amount: ISK 500,000

Þóra Kristín Gunnarsdóttir
Impermanence
Allocated amount: ISK 500,000

Marína Ósk Þórólfsdóttir
"At Home in the Living Room" – House Concerts in Eyrarbakki
Allocated amount: ISK 500,000

Bergþóra Linda Ægisdóttir
New Work for Bergþóra and the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Iceland
Allocated amount: ISK 500,000

Ingibjörg Elsa Turchi
Eonia – Live Performance at Reykjavík Jazz Festival
Allocated amount: ISK 400,000

Örlygur Steinar Arnalds
SVBKVLT Night in Reykjavík
Allocated amount: ISK 400,000

Bryndís Guðjónsdóttir
In the Mirror
Allocated amount: ISK 400,000

Sönghópurinn Kyrja
Medieval Chant and Polyphony – From Iceland and Beyond
Allocated amount: ISK 350,000

SlamCrew ehf.
RUTHLESS – Album Release Concert at Iðnó
Allocated amount: ISK 300,000

Benjamín Gísli Einarsson
Tour of Iceland
Allocated amount: ISK 250,000

Elín Gunnlaugsdóttir
I Send You a Waltz!
Allocated amount: ISK 225,000

Export – Marketing Grants

Iceland Sync Management ehf.
BRÍET Goes Global – Audience Development and Release Strategy with Blackstar Agency
Allocated amount: ISK 1,500,000

marvaða ehf.
International Promotion of a New Album by Gyða Valtýsdóttir
Allocated amount: ISK 1,500,000

Society of Icelandic Composers
International Marketing of Dark Music Days
Allocated amount: ISK 1,000,000

Brynja Bjarnadóttir
Second Full-Length Album – International Marketing
Allocated amount: ISK 800,000

Hekla Magnúsdóttir
Hekla Turnar
Allocated amount: ISK 650,000

Stefanía Pálsdóttir
Virgin Orchestra – UK EP Campaign
Allocated amount: ISK 600,000

Infrastructure & Development – Business Grants

Iceland Sync Management ehf.
AIRSONGS Songwriting Camp
Allocated amount: ISK 2,500,000

Vökufélagið – Traditional Arts Association
VAKA Traditional Arts Festival
Allocated amount: ISK 2,500,000

Aulos (Nonprofit Association)
WindWorks in the North 2025
Allocated amount: ISK 2,000,000

State of the Art slf.
State of the Art 2025
Allocated amount: ISK 1,650,000

Hrefna Helgadóttir
GLITSKÝ MANAGEMENT – Phase 2
Allocated amount: ISK 1,500,000

Við Djúpið
Við Djúpið Music Festival
Allocated amount: ISK 1,000,000

Kammermúsíkklúbburinn
Chamber Music Club 2025–2028 (Three-Year Period)
Allocated amount: ISK 1,000,000

RVK Tjörn ehf.
Iðnó – Infrastructure Improvements
Allocated amount: ISK 1,000,000

Raflistafélag Íslands
Raflost 2025
Allocated amount: ISK 900,000

Félag íslenskra hljómlistarmanna
Jazz in the Deep
Allocated amount: ISK 670,000

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