María Rut Reynisdóttir, New Managing Director of Iceland Music, and Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, Minister of Culture and Business Affairs, sign an agreement for the expanded new Iceland Music office at the ceremony of the first allocation of Iceland’s New Music Fund

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‍The first allocation of Iceland’s new Music Fund took place at a ceremony on Friday 23 February in Iceland Music’s new office in Austurstræti 5 in Central Reykjavík. At the same occasion, María Rut Reynisdóttir, Director of the Music Center and Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, Minister of Culture and Business Affairs, officially signed the contract for the new Iceland Music Office.

"We have managed to greatly strengthen the framework of music in Iceland in accordance with our clear vision for the future. It is a pleasure to see the new Iceland Music start working and for the first time allocate from a new and powerful Music Fund here in Iceland. We have a large number of excellent artists who’ve made a name for themselves in Iceland as well as abroad. All this work is dedicated to them,"
said Lilja Alfredsdóttir, Minister of Culture and Business Affairs during the even

The new and expanded role of Iceland Music with the new Music Fund is a part of new Music Laws 33/2023 that were approved by Iceland’s parliament on 7 June 2023. There it is stipulated by law that a new Music Office shall operate in Iceland with a multifaceted role in elevating our music. The new office was formally established in Harpa on August 15 of the same year. On October 2, it was announced that María Rut Reynisdóttir would be the Managing Director of the new office.

The new office will assume their role and responsibilities of the previous Music Information Centre and the Iceland Music Export Office (ÚTÓN/Iceland Music), and teams of both offices have been transitioned into the new office. It will continue to operate internationally under Iceland Music, with its Icelandic title being ‘Tónlistarmiðstöð’ In addition to their teams, the new office has made some new hires. 

“It is a very exciting challenge to be able to lead the new Iceland Music and work for Icelandic music throughout Iceland and abroad. The creation of the Music Centre is a major step forward for Icelandic music, bringing together the Iceland Music Export Office (ÚTÓN), the Music Information Centre (IMIC)  and local investments under the same umbrella, where efforts will be made to promote all aspects of music life,”

— María Rut Reynisdóttir, Director of the Music Centre

‍The Music Centre also operates the new Music Fund, which consists of Tónlistarsjóður (the previous Music Fund), Hljóðritasjóður (Recording Fund) and Útflutningssjóður (Iceland Music Export Fund). ‍‍

The first allocation took place on 23 February from the Departments of Live Music Performance and Infrastructure and information on the grants awarded can be accessed here. In April, applications for grants from all departments will be open.

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