Helsinki International Curatorial Programme 2020 - open call

Every year, the Helsinki International Curatorial Programme (HICP) offers residencies in Helsinki for curators of contemporary art. The programme is co-organised by Frame Contemporary Art Finland and HIAP – Helsinki International Artist Programme.

The aims of the programme are two-fold: To help internationally active, professional curators connect with the local contemporary art scene and plan projects in collaboration with artists and partner organisations in Finland, and also to support curatorial research in its diverse and emergent forms. They will also contribute to Frame’s public programme Rehearsing Hospitalities.

The HICP curators-in-residence will live and work at HIAP’s international residency centre on the island of Suomenlinna, a 15 minute ferry-trip away from the centre of Helsinki. HIAP offers the resident curators a combined workspace and accommodation.

Frame provides them with a working grant (39 euros per residency day) and a travel allowance from and to the curator’s place of residence. Both organisations provide the curator fellows with individualised assistance and networking support tailored to their project or research.

The HICP curators have access to the international residency community and programme of events at HIAP, while Frame provides contacts with extensive networks of Finnish artists and other art professionals.

The length of the curatorial residency is one calendar month.In 2020, the residencies will be organised as follows:

April 2020: 2 one-month curator residencies
September 2020: 2 one-month curator residence

The selected residents for spring 2020 will have a possibility to contribute to Frame’s programme for autumn 2020 by engaging with a local artist (residents selected for April 2020 are offered the possibility to return to Helsinki for a second visit).

In their application form, the applicants are asked to state which residency period they prefer. If they are interested contribute to Frame’s programming its mandatory to indicate how their research would connect to Frame’s programme. The selections will be made by a jury of local artists and art professionals, including representatives of Frame and HIAP. The selected curators will be notified by the end of December 2019.

The applicant should have at least 2–3 years professional experience in curating (relevant, formal education is not obligatory but can be considered as an advantage), either within an institutional context or independently.

Application should contain a clearly stated research interest or a project outline. Please note that HICP supports first and foremost curatorial research, professional development and connections. The programme can be connected with other, production-oriented projects, but it does not generally allow the realisation of large-scale productions.

Deadline for applications: 31 October 2019