Programme of the week
Announcement 2026 – National Gallery of Iceland
The Svavar Guðnason and Ásta Eiríksdóttir Fund Invites Applications for Grants 📢
In accordance with the fund’s founding charter, grants are awarded to promising young visual artists. The first grant was awarded in 1995, and since then, 22 artists have received support from the fund.
This year, a grant of ISK 1 million will be awarded to one recipient.
Applicants are asked to submit the following information and documents to umsokn@listasafn.is:
- Full name and Icelandic identification number (kennitala)
- Postal address, email address, and telephone number
- Detailed information about their educational background
- A brief artist statement outlining their artistic career and the main themes and approaches in their work
- A selection of photographs of their artworks
Applications will be reviewed and evaluated by a selection committee consisting of representatives from the National Gallery of Iceland, the Iceland University of the Arts, and the Federation of Icelandic Artists.
The application deadline is 7 November 2026. The grant will be awarded on 18 November, the anniversary of Svavar Guðnason’s birth.
The Svavar Guðnason and Ásta Eiríksdóttir Fund Invites Applications for Grants
Announcement 2026 – National Gallery of Iceland
The National Gallery of Iceland Welcomes You During the Autumn School Break!
The National Gallery of Iceland warmly welcomes families during the autumn school break, from 22 to 26 October 2026. Children always enjoy free admission to our museums, but during the school break, we are also offering free admission to adults accompanied by children.
We especially recommend a visit to the House of Collections on Hverfisgata, home to the permanent exhibition of the National Gallery featuring works from its collection. Spread across four floors, the exhibition offers plenty of interactive activities and creative workshops to discover around every corner. Visitors can also explore Stand and Turn to Stone!, an exhibition inspired by Icelandic folktales and the rich world of stories surrounding them.
Our museums are open daily from 10 am to 5 pm.
We look forward to welcoming you!
Free admission to adults accompanied by children during autumn school break!
Event 24 October 2026 – Einar Jónsson Museum
Krummi Kids’ Club
Art Workshop: Inner and Outer Reality – What Animal Am I on the Inside?
Join us for a fun and creative art workshop with Krummi Kids’ Club at the Einar Jónsson Museum on Saturday, 24 October, from 2 pm to 4 pm.
Einar Jónsson’s sculpture Rest depicts a large face, half-hidden by basalt columns. We will take a closer look at the artwork – the more we look, the more we discover!
Inspired by the sculpture, we will create masks that cover half of our faces. The masks will take the form of animals, inviting us to explore the question: “If I were an animal on the inside, what animal would I be?”
Free admission for the whole family!
Krummi Kids’ Club: Inner and Outer Reality – What Animal Am I on the Inside?
News 2026 – National Gallery of Iceland
Where Light Remains: Ukrainian Icons Across the Centuries
The exhibition Where Light Remains: Ukrainian Icons Across the Centuries opened this past weekend at the National Gallery of Iceland. The exhibition brings together 32 rare and treasured icon paintings dating from the 12th to the early 19th centuries, from the collection of the National Art Museum of Ukraine in Kyiv. Presented outside Ukraine for the first time, these remarkable works are on display as part of an initiative to safeguard Ukraine’s cultural heritage.
The exhibition is the result of a close collaboration between the National Art Museum of Ukraine, the National Gallery of Iceland, and the National Museum of Iceland, in cooperation with Iceland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture, Innovation and Higher Education.
From the exhibition opening Where Light Remains: Ukrainian Icons Across the Centuries
Melkorka Ólafsdóttir
Course for adults 2026 – The Einar Jónsson Museum
Creative Writing Workshop at the Einar Jónsson Museum
The artist’s ideas and selected works will serve as inspiration for creative writing. Participants will be introduced to simple and practical tools for developing texts based on visual observation and personal reflection.
Note: the course will be held in Icelandic
Dates and times: November 4th and 11th, 5:15–7:00 pm
Location: The Einar Jónsson Museum, Hallgrímstorg 3
Instructor: Melkorka Ólafsdóttir, Radio producer at the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service and poet
Registration to all courses here
Creative Writing Workshop at the Einar Jónsson Museum
Steinunn Harðardóttir & Nathalie Jacqueminet
Artworks at home - how to take care of them
Conservators from the National Gallery of Iceland will share practical advice on how to care for artworks and objects at home. Topics include handling, display, hanging, packing, transportation, and storage, as well as the key factors that contribute to their long-term preservation.
Note: the course will be held in Icelandic
Dates and times: November 18th and 25th, 5:15–7:00 pm
Location: The National Gallery, Fríkirkjuvegur 7
Instructors: Nathalie Jaqueminet and Steinunn Harðardóttir, conservators
Registration to all courses here
Artworks at home - how to take care of them
Stand and Turn to Stone! – Folktales in Art
Museum Shop 2026 – National Gallery of Iceland
Museum Shop 2026 – National Gallery of Iceland
Treasures from the Museum Shop
Stand and Turn to Stone! – Folktales in Art
The National Gallery of Iceland’s museum shop is home to a variety of treasures, including the publication Stand and Turne to Stone! – Folktales in Art.
This book brings together the rich world of Icelandic folklore and visual art, taking readers on a fascinating journey through selected works from the National Gallery of Iceland’s collection. It invites readers to explore folktales and artworks from new perspectives, develop visual and cultural literacy, and engage in creative discussions.
The book draws on the National Gallery of Iceland’s educational programmes and collaborations with artists, folklorists, teachers, and students across the country. Suitable for all educational levels, it offers a wide range of ideas for creative activities and projects – whether for use in the classroom or for enjoyment and discovery at home.
The book also features a selection of Icelandic folktales, most of them drawn from Jón Árnason’s collection, inviting readers to discover the connections between storytelling, imagination, and visual art.
Please note the book is in Icelandic only
Buy it here
This book brings together the rich world of Icelandic folklore and visual art, taking readers on a fascinating journey through selected works from the National Gallery of Iceland’s collection.