About


ENAAK offers a platform for exchange and collaboration between the umbrella associations and between our members, the art societies and Kunstvereine. The network provides an opportunity to discuss the current situation and the future of non-profit, member-based art organizations. Through the network we can address challenges, exchange experiences, and learn from each other, share best practice-projects, and learn from each other.

ENAAK aims to raise awareness of civil society engagement in the arts. Our members provide opportunities to a great number of artists to exhibit their works, they provide opportunities for the public to experience these works and to participate in numerous events that promote a better understanding of contemporary art. The network also offers the opportunity to strengthen the position of art societies on a European level. We strongly believe that together we can make a real impact.

Through funding from the Swedish Art Council in 2022, we have established a network structure among non-profit, member-based art societies and Kunstvereine in Europe. We have reached out to like-minded European organizations to strengthen the network.

Our goal for the network is to improve the conditions for non-profit, civic-driven arts art societies and Kunstvereine. Through regular meetings we aim to build a solid network where we can address common challenges and issues. This will provide us with a platform to share ideas, knowledge, best practice, and develop joint projects.

The future activities of the network will strengthen the very important infrastructure of contemporary art in Europe and improve the conditions for non-profit, member-based, art societies and Kunstvereine.

 

THE MEMBERS OF ENNAK:  

Riksförbundet Sveriges Konstföreningar (The Swedish Association of Art Societies) is the umbrella organization for non-profit art societies in Sweden. Its core function is to promote the interest of its members and support them through larger projects, art education programmes and offer administrative support. The association represent the interests of the art societies in various cultural umbrella organisations and political committees and act in their behalf regarding cultural policy matters on a national and a regional level. Founded in 1973, The Swedish Association of Art Societies today have 24 regional Districts and 610 affiliated Art Societies who organizes more than 140 000 individual members all over Sweden.  

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutscher Kunstvereine (ADKV) is the umbrella organisation of non-profit, member-based art associations, also known as Kunstvereine, and is dedicated to the presentation and promotion of contemporary art. The ADKV acts as a communicator between art, politics, the media and art associations. Particularly, its work deals with the cultural-political significance of the art association as an institutional form based on civic engagement that is over 200 years old. Active in a valuable cultural-political network, the ADKV pools the art associations and represents their interests in various political bodies, vis-à-vis funding agencies, on the internet and at international art fairs such as ART COLOGNE. Today, the ADKV has almost 300 art associations with more than 100,000 members. The ADKV not only offers a valuable network of partners as well as diverse educational, exchange and cooperation opportunities, but also ensures high-quality support resulting from over 40 years of experience as a representative art organisation. 

Norske Kunstforeninger (The Norwegian Association of Art Societies) is an umbrella organisation for non-profit, member-based art societies (Kunstvereine) in Norway. The organisation works as a connection between the art societies, politics and government, other organisations and the media to create opportunities, networks and to improve the financial situation of the arts societies. We provide a wide range of initiatives and advocate for the advancement of art associations through a variety of projects, workshops, educational and cooperative opportunities. The Norwegian Association of Art Societies was founded in 1978 and today counts 150 art associations with around 16 000 active individual members, make up our member base.     

The Finnish Art Society was founded in 1846 and is a non-profit member-based art society. Its purpose is to support Finnish visual art and promote knowledge and practice of visual art. In its activities, the society awards annual scholarships and prizes to visual artists and visual art critics. The society mainly supports young talented visual artists at the beginning of their careers. The society organizes solo and thematic exhibitions of Finnish art, and events in connection with them. In connection with the exhibitions, the society also publishes art literature with a focus on research. The Finnish Art Society has 1400 members.