The Norwegian Artistic Research Programme (NARP) shall strengthen the research culture and contribute to quality innovations in institutions that offer creative and performing arts programs. Each year NARP allocates funds for artistic research projects and PhD positions in artistic research.
All accredited Norwegian institutions of higher education can apply. A project can have partnerships with other institutions, provided that a Norwegian institution of higher education is the project owner.
The research project may stem from one artistic practice or from meetings between different practices. The project is expected to produce new and relevant knowledge from Norwegian academic and artistic communities and maintain an international level of excellence. The announcement is open to the entire breadth of academia within the creative and performing arts, and is not bound by theme or topic.
A separate application form is to be used to apply for funding for Ph.D. positions. This application must be submitted in Norwegian and the application form is only available in Norwegian. For more information, please see the call for applications.
Applications must be submitted electronically through the application system Espresso.
If you are already registered in Espresso, you can log in with your registered username (e-mail address) and password.
If you are new to Espresso, you must register a new user.
In Espresso you will find an overview of the Directorates' programmes open for new applications. Choose "Norwegian Artistic Research Programme" and "Click here to create a new application". Separate applications forms are used to apply for funding of artistic research projects and Ph.D. positions.
See the application forms in Espresso for further information on what the application should contain.
The application deadline is 22 November 2022 at 12:00 p.m. (CET).
The Direcotrate offers application guidance until the application deadline. We can answer questions, but not read the full applications. Guidance can be given on e-mail, phone or videocall. Please contact pku@hkdir.no to make an appointment.
An application webinar will be offered on 5 September. In the webinar, the call for applications will be presented and you are given the opportunity to ask questions. Please note that the webinar is held in Norwegian.
The Program Board selects peers to review the project applications. Each application will be assessed by two peers who each assess the extent to which the application meets the criteria in the announcement. The Program Board attaches great importance to peer reviews, makes an overall and independent evaluation of each application, and prioritizes and puts forward decisions. Peer reviews are made available to applicants following the deliberations of the Program Board.
The applications for funding for Ph.D. positions are only assessed by the Program Board.
The Program Board is expected to decide on project funding by the end of March 2023. Applicants will be contacted before the result of funded projects is made public.
If funding is allocated, a separate contract between the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills and the applicant institution will be drawn up for the implementation of the project.
The secound year of the project, the project owner must submit a progress report where the project progress, any changes in relation to the original project plan, the key project participants or budget are discussed. An accounting report must also be submitted.
At the end of the project, the project owner must prepare a final report which discusses how the project has succeeded in relation to the objectives and how the requirements for external dissemination and publication of the project are or are planned to be met. At the same time, an accounting report must be submitted, which shows how the project budget has been allocated.
The project results should be made publicly available.
Right of appeal
If you are of the opinion that an administrative decision regarding dismissal ("avvisning") or rejection ("avslag") suffers from procedural errors or significant flaws or deficiencies, you may appeal the decision. Below you will find more information about which administrative decisions and errors may be the object of an appeal, how to proceed in order to submit an appeal, and how such an appeal will be handled by Diku.
Which administrative decisions may be appealed?
Diku’s decisions regarding dismissal or rejection of applications for funding may be appealed. The same applies to decisions regarding dismissal/rejection of requests for access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act (Act of 19 June 1970, No. 69).
Decisions dismissing an application/request are decisions by Diku to reject an application/request based on formal grounds, e.g. that it has been submitted after the application deadline, or that it is in breach of other formal/absolute requirements applicable to the application/request in question. Decisions rejecting an application/request are decisions which, pursuant to an assessment of the application, result in a partial or complete rejection of the application, e.g. due to the application being assessed as weaker than other competing applications (grant applications) or lacking a legal basis (requests for access to documents).
On which grounds may an appeal be based?
An appeal of a decision regarding an application for funding may only be based on an argument that the decision suffers from formal procedural errors, or that Diku’s discretionary assessment of the application suffers from significant flaws or deficiencies.
The phrase ‘formal procedural errors’ include breach of the applicable provisions in the Public Administration Act (Act of 10 February 1967), and of Diku’s internal rules for processing applications as set out in the information provided in connection with a call for applications.
The term ‘Diku’s discretionary assessment’ means Diku’s concrete professional assessment of the quality of an application, carried out on basis of the academic, strategic, geographic and political priorities reflected in the applicable selection criteria/priorities in the relevant call, and of the application’s relative strength as judged against other applications competing for the same funds/public goods.
The term ‘significant flaws or deficiencies’ (in Diku’s discretionary assessment) refers to instances where the decision is based on clearly irrelevant grounds/erroneous factual basis, is made on an arbitrary basis, is discriminatory or must be regarded highly unreasonable.
We underscore that appellants may not supply new information or otherwise elaborate the information given in the original application when submitting an appeal (e.g. regarding the description/scope of the project, activities, qualifications, relevance to the objectives, etc.). If submitted, such additional information will be disregarded by Diku in processing the appeal.
How does one proceed in order to submit an appeal?
An appeal must be submitted to Diku within the appeal deadline, and be signed by a person authorised to represent the person/institution named in the relevant administrative decision. The appeal must identify the decision which is appealed, and specify the changes sought achieved through the appeal. The appellant should also clarify the ground(s) on which the appeal is based, cf. the Public Administration Act, Section 32.
The deadline for appealing decisions is three weeks, calculated from the business day when the applicant received the decision, cf. the Public Administration Act, Section 29. The deadline expires on the same business day in the third following week. If that day is a public holiday, the deadline will expire on the next business day.
How are appeals processed by Diku?
After Diku has confirmed receipt of an appeal, Diku will as soon as possible assess whether the grounds for the appeal may warrant a reversal of the decision. If the appeal is found to be of merit, Diku may reverse its initial decision in whole or in part.
If Diku does not find the appeal to be of merit, Diku will send a letter to the appellant setting out the reasons why the appeal has not led to a reversal of the initial decision. If the appellant wishes to uphold the appeal after receiving this letter, the appellant may request that the appeal be forwarded to the relevant body of appeal. Upon such requests, Diku will without undue delay forward the appeal. The appellant will then also be at liberty to supply the grounds for the appeal in light of the letter from Diku.
The governmental entity responsible for the relevant programme will normally also be responsible for handling appeals received in connection with the programme. For most internationalisation programmes, this is either the Ministry of Education and Research or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
All appeals will be sought processed as soon as possible, and Diku aims to send its written reply to all appellants within three weeks from receipt of the appeal.
See further:
Public information and rights of access
Diku administer considerable public funds for quality enhancement in the Norwegian education sector. Administration of public funds carries with it a high responsibility, both with regard to correct and transparent use of the funds, and for ensuring a high return-on-investment ratio through efficient and goal-oriented use of the funds. This is a responsibility we take very seriously, and we invite the public to verify that we meet this responsibility in a proper manner.
Rights of access vis-à-vis Diku
Apart from proactively publishing important information about the different parts of our organisation, we put high emphasis on providing every interested person with such rights of access as they are legally entitled to. The rules regarding rights of access for the general public is first and foremost laid down in the Freedom of Information Act (FIA), whereas persons who are party to a particular administrative case may also be entitled to access documents in the relevant case under the Public Administration Act (PAA).
The starting point of these legal acts is openness and access. In particular cases, it may nevertheless be that exceptions apply for certain documents and information, temporarily (postponement of access) or permanently (no access). Such exceptions may e.g. be grounded in legal confidentiality obligations, privacy rights or administrative rules put in place in order to secure a correct and efficient handling of cases.
Whether such exceptions apply will be considered upon our receipt of a petition for access. It is Dikus goal to provide as much access with regard to our work as possible, and that exceptions from the rights of access only shall be applied where they have sound legal basis and are considered strictly necessary.
The right of parties to acquaint themselves with case documents
As party to an administrative case, one will normally be entitled to acquaint oneself with the documents pertaining to that particular case, cf. the PAA, Section 18. Exceptions may however apply, cf. the PAA, Sections 18a-c, 19 og 20.
In order to ensure an efficient and secure handling of petitions for such access, we advise that such petitions are sent to us via e-mail to the case handler stated to be in charge. In the petition, you must provide the case reference number or other information enabling us to identify the correct case, state what role you have with regard to the case (party/party representative), and which case document you request access to. If you should have any questions relating to such matters, we kindly ask that you contact the case handler stated to be in charge of the relevant case.
Petitions for such access will be handled as soon as possible. In some instances, we may nevertheless need more time to process petitions. If so, we will provide you with a preliminary answer where we set out the reasons for the delay and when you may expect to hear from us.
If any documents or information are subjected to access restrictions, our administrative decision letter will set out which documents/information is withheld and on what basis. If particular pieces of information are restricted, these will be censored.
Administrative decisions that reject your request in part or in whole may be appealed, cf. the PAA, Section 21 and Chapter IV. For more information on how to proceed to appeal an administrative decision, and on how such appeal will be handled by Diku, please see the section on Right of appeal..
Rights of access for the general public
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, all natural and legal persons will as a starting point have a right to access documents produced and processed by Diku, cf. the FIA, Section 3. Denial of access may nevertheless occur in instances where there exists specific legal basis for this, cf. the FIA, Chapter 3. Such exceptions may apply for one or more documents in their entirety, or for particular pieces of information included in documents forming part of one’s request for access.
In order to ensure an efficient and secure handling of petitions for public access, we advise that such petitions are sent to us either via our mailing list on eInnsyn, or via e-mail (diku@postmottak.no). When submitting a petition, it is important to clarify which documents/cases the request for access concern, cf. the FIA, Section 28. If you should have any questions relating to such matters, we kindly ask that you contact our archive personnel.
Petitions for public access will be handled as soon as possible. In some instances, we may nevertheless need more time to process petitions. If so, we will provide you with a preliminary answer where we set out the reasons for the delay and when you may expect to hear from us.
If any documents or information are subjected to access restrictions, our administrative decision letter will set out which documents/information is withheld and on what basis. If particular pieces of information are restricted, these will be censored.
Administrative decisions that reject your request in part or in whole may be appealed, cf. the FIA, Section 32. For more information on how to proceed to appeal an administrative decision, and on how such appeal will be handled by Diku, please see the section on Right of appeal.
See further:
Conflicts of interest
The rules regarding conflicts of interest are put in place to ensure that public administrative decisions are made on an objective basis, and that they are not influenced by illegitimate interests and personal bias.
The rules shall secure that persons with ties to a particular case which may be questioned by those affected by the decision, shall refrain from partaking in the decision process. That a person declares himself, or are declared unfit due to conflicts of interest, will thus not mean that that person is worthy of blame. As such, the rules are a preventive measure, aimed at avoiding that the objectivity of administrative decision-making may be subjected to doubt. The rules regarding conflicts of interest are set out in the Public Administration Act (the PAA), Chapter II.
Procedures for avoiding conflicts of interest in Diku
As a public agency tasked with administration of the management of considerable grant funds, it is a high priority for Diku to ensure that our decision-making is solely based on relevant and correct facts, and reflecting sound professional judgements. In this vein, Diku require all persons asked to take part in our administrative decision-making processes to assess their own impartiality prior to commencement of their work, cf. the PAA, Section 8.
This requirement applies regardless of whether the person is an employee of Diku, or an externally sourced experts partaking in our administrative decision-making processes, and whether the decisions are made on an individual or collegial basis (committees, programme boards, expert panels, a.o.). All external experts are required to adhere to the same procedures as internal employees with regard to impartiality/conflicts of interest.
In cases of doubt, questions regarding conflicts of interest are resolved by a Head of Section, or if necessary, by our legal department.
Ties which amount to conflicting interests
The primary rules for assessing impartiality is the PAA, Section 6. The provision separates between ties/interests which are automatically deemed conflicting, (Section 6, first paragraph), and ties/interests which, depending on the circumstances in the particular case, may be held to constitute such conflicts (Section 6, second paragraph).
The ties/interests automatically deemed conflicting, are all related to the connection between the person partaking in the decision-making and one or more parties privy to that decision (for more information on who is regarded privy, please see the PAA Section 2, letter e). This is normally easy to establish, as the ties/interest concern relationships such as kinship and the like.
Although no such ties/interest exist, a person may nevertheless be deemed partial/conflicted if there exist «special circumstances» which are «apt to impair confidence in his impartiality». Diku apply a strict line when assessing whether such special circumstances shall be deemed present.
A person will also be held partial if his or her closest superior is deemed impartial (so called «derived impartiality», cf. Section 6, third paragraph).
Consequences of impartiality
Section 6 of the PAA makes it plain that all involvement in administrative decision-making is unlawful for a person deemed impartial (“shall be disqualified from …»).
In cases information resulting in impartiality come to surface when a person already is involved, that person must immediately remove himself from the task and hand the matter over to a person is impartial. The new case-handler must then assess the case anew so that any biases are in the partial persons assessments are properly neutralized.
If someone with conflicts of interest has partaken in a decision-making process resulting in an individual administrative decision (cf. the PAA, Section 2, letters a) and b)), such as e.g. a decision regarding grant allocation, this will constitute a ground for appeal over the decision. Partiality/conflicts may result in the decision being held to be invalid, cf. the PAA, Section 41. For more information regarding the appealing decision, please see right to appeal.
See further
Artistic research as an artistic parallel to scientific research, is enshrined in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges, cf. Section 1.1, as a joint purpose for higher education institutions in Norway.
The program includes the entire breadth of academia within the creative and performing arts. NARP is the only national funding source for artistic research in Norway.
The Norwegian Artistic Research Programme is a member of the organizations ELIA, AEC and SAR. In addition, the programme has established a co-operation on the Nordic Journal for Artistic Research - VIS and the summer academy SAAR.
The Research Catalogue (RC) is a non-commercial, collaboration and publishing platform for artistic research provided by the Society for Artistic Research. The RC is free to use for artists and researchers. It serves also as a backbone for teaching purposes, student assessment, peer review workflows and research funding administration. It strives to be an open space for experimentation and exchange.
For information about ph.d. candidates at accredited institutions, see each institution's website.
Appointed for the period January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2026:
Members of the board:
Deputies:
The Norwegian Artistic Research Programme is part of The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Educations and Skills.
The programme board will work for universities and university colleges to accomplish artistic research at a high international level. The programme board will contribute to the further development of the Norwegian model of artistic research and promote the programme internationally. The programme shall function as a meeting place for the creative and performing professional arts communities in Norway. The programme shall also contribute to promoting reflection and insight based on artistic practice, and stimulate cross-disciplinary communication. The programme board is responsible for the announcement, allocation and follow-up of the Project programme.
The Norwegian Artistic Research Programme will help support the establishment of institutional Doctoral degrees in Artistic Research, and will operate the Norwegian Artistic Research School. The programme board will for a period, alongside the establishment of institutional Doctoral degrees in Artistic Research, continue to carry the responsibility for the Fellowship programme in accordance with guidelines from 2014, as long as fellows are active in the programme. This includes among others: admission of fellows to the Fellowship programme, common measures for the fellows in addition to the 20 credits included in the research school, to approve the Assessment Committees before the institutions appoint them, and to recommend the institution to approve or reject the final assessment of individual Fellowship projects.
The programme board makes decisions about NARP's professional activities within the administrative framework that applies for The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Educations and Skills. The programme board is quorum when at least four members, including the chair or deputy chair, is present. The programme board itself elects the deputy chair. Decisions are made by a majority of votes. In case of equality of votes, the chairman's voting is decisive.
The agenda for the program board's meetings shall be available in advance. For each board meeting a formal report with decisions and a list of participants will be made. The report is public, unless an exception has been made in accordance with a law or a legal document or resolution. Compensations will be paid in accordance with the current guiding rates in the government employee manual (“Statens personalhåndbok”). The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills functions as secretary for the programme board.
2019-2022:
Deputies:
2015-2018:
Deputies:
2010 – 2014:
Deputies:
2003 – 2009:
Deputies:
E-mail: pku@hkdir.no