Taiteilija Virve Lukka balances museum work with art practice as funding cuts bite

Taiteilija Virve Lukka can no longer support herself through her art alone and now works as a museum guard at Helsinki’s Kiasma, a shift she calls “a more functional solution.”

Lukka has sold work online, but the irregular income has never covered living costs. After a period of full-time art practice followed by unemployment, she returned to paid employment a decade ago. “It was financially stressful, especially with small children,” she said. “Working while making art has turned out to be the better choice.”

Her situation reflects broader pressures on Finnish artists. Weak economic conditions and government cuts to arts funding have reduced opportunities across the sector, according to Teemu Mäki, chair of the Finnish Artists’ Association. Theatre, film and television productions have declined, galleries buy fewer works, and public arts budgets have been cut for the first time since the Second World War.

Survey data from the 2025 Artists’ Barometer show that visual artists earn a median €167 per month from their art, rising to about €290 when grants are included. Writers fare similarly. These are the lowest earnings among trained artists, many of whom combine multiple income streams to make ends meet.

Lukka, who holds a master’s degree in fine art, encourages aspiring artists to pursue their passion but advises securing an additional revenue source.