ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Finnish National Gallery adopts ethical funding rules after artists' boycott over Zabludowicz ties

institutional · 2026-04-20

After a five-month protest by artists, the Finnish National Gallery has established new ethical funding policies for its museums, including Kiasma, and has cut ties with the Kiasma Support Foundation, which was co-founded by Chaim ‘Poju’ Zabludowicz. Leevi Haapala, the museum director, has stepped down from the foundation's board. The new guidelines prohibit donations from organizations on Finland's sanctions list or associated with oil and gas, tobacco, weapons, or hazardous chemicals, affecting Ateneum, Kiasma, and Sinebrychoff Art Museum. The boycott, led by artists Terike Haapoja and Eero Yli-Vakkuri, attracted 220 participants, including Pilvi Takala, who condemned the normalization of the occupation of Palestine. Zabludowicz advocates for a Two-State Solution and clarified that he, not his father, founded Tamares.

Key facts

  • The Finnish National Gallery announced new ethical funding guidelines after a five-month artists' boycott of Kiasma.
  • Kiasma severed ties with the Kiasma Support Foundation co-founded by Chaim ‘Poju’ Zabludowicz.
  • Museum director Leevi Haapala resigned from the foundation's board.
  • Guidelines ban donations from entities on Finland's sanctions list or linked to oil and gas, tobacco, weapons, or hazardous chemicals.
  • The boycott started with an open letter from artists Terike Haapoja and Eero Yli-Vakkuri, growing to 220 artists.
  • Artist Pilvi Takala, who represented Finland at the 2022 Venice Biennale, participated in the boycott.
  • Zabludowicz co-founded the pro-Israel lobbying group BICOM and opened the Zabludowicz Collection in London, New York City, and Sarvisalo.
  • An update corrected that Tamares was founded by Poju Zabludowicz and no longer invests in Knafaim Holdings or Palantir Technologies.

Entities

Artists

  • Terike Haapoja
  • Eero Yli-Vakkuri
  • Pilvi Takala

Institutions

  • Finnish National Gallery
  • Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma
  • Kiasma Support Foundation
  • Ateneum
  • Sinebrychoff Art Museum
  • Tamares
  • Zabludowicz Collection
  • BICOM (Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre)
  • Amnesty International
  • Venice Biennale

Locations

  • Helsinki
  • Finland
  • London
  • United Kingdom
  • New York City
  • United States
  • Sarvisalo
  • Israel
  • Palestine

Sources