New Danish Initiative Builds on "Arts on Prescription" to Support Vulnerable Youth

In a major boost for youth mental health and social inclusion, seven municipalities on the island of Funen (Fyn), Denmark, have been awarded 7 million DKK (approximately €940,000) from the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces to launch the project Fynsk KulturRum – Fællesskab og frirum – fynske unges fremtid (Fynsk KulturRum – Community and Breathing Space – the Future of Young People on Funen).

The funding comes from the national Culture Pass Initiative, which supports programmes that use culture, sports, and community activities to improve mental well-being, social integration, employment, or education outcomes for vulnerable youth aged 15–24 who are currently outside the education system and the labour market.

The municipalities involved are Odense, Nordfyns, Assens, Nyborg, Kerteminde, Svendborg, and Faaborg-Midtfyn. Their joint proposal was selected as one of only 15 funded projects out of 130 applicants, underlining the strong relevance and quality of the initiative. The grant represents nearly one-fifth of the total national funding pool of 40 million DKK.

This funding enables us to build on the experiences we’ve already gained with culture-based youth programmes in our regional ‘Arts on Prescription’ initiatives, said Søren Windell, City and Culture Alderman in Odense Municipality. We can now take the next step in using culture to support vulnerable young people—not only on Funen but potentially across Denmark.

Rooted in the Baltic Sea Region Experience

Fynsk KulturRum draws heavily on the successful experiences of the EU-funded project Arts on Prescription in the Baltic Sea Region, as well as the regional Fyn-based pilot Culture on Prescription for Youth. The new project will explore and test two distinct programme models:

• In three municipalities, young people will take part in group-based cultural and leisure activities, combined with internships or culture-related job experiences.

• In the remaining four municipalities, the well-established “Culture on Prescription” concept will be further developed with longer courses, expanded target groups, new partnerships, and the inclusion of sports activities.

Chair of Culture Region Funen, Anne Møllegaard Mortensen, emphasized the broader ambition: With Fynsk KulturRum, we aim to test sustainable models that promote mental well-being, education, and employment among vulnerable youth. We are focusing on recruitment strategies, co-designing programmes with young people, and creating meaningful communities that offer both space and depth.

The initiative seeks to enhance young people’s engagement in culture and leisure communities, build confidence, and improve mental health. Participants will also gain valuable skills such as responsibility, teamwork, and routine-building to prepare for future education or employment.

The project will run through the end of 2026, with ongoing knowledge exchange and evaluation among the participating municipalities and the national agency.

Project lead:
Mathilde Kihl Kellermann, Kulturregion Fyn, email: makk@odense.dk

Title photo: @Charlotte Pelle Egedgaard, KulturRum svendborg Kommune

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