In 2024, the Helsinki International Curatorial Programme (HICP) celebrates its 10th Anniversary. During the last decade, the curatorial residency programme run by Frame and HIAP has hosted 33 contemporary art curators from 24 countries across 5 continents.
Annually, HICP offers 2–4 internationally active curators an opportunity to connect with the Finnish contemporary art field. During the residency, curators can plan projects in collaboration with local artists and partner organisations, or research future exhibition or publication projects. The one-month-long residencies take place in the HIAP residency center on the historical Suomenlinna Island in the Helsinki archipelago.
Over the years the participating curators’ profiles have varied greatly. Some work independently, while others collaborate with institutions, festivals, or biennials. This creates opportunities for different forms of collaborations with Finland-based art professionals either during or after the residency, such as exhibitions, public programs, publications, and workshops, both in Finland and abroad.
“Looking at the feedback by the residents, the value of HICP is especially the possibility to get a thorough overview of the local art scene, while being also able to focus on current research or writing. For many, the residency has offered the opportunity to get out of the production mode that is often the reality for curators working in the contemporary art field”, says Juha Huuskonen, Director of Frame. Huuskonen previously worked closely with the HICP programme as Director of HIAP.
“Many HICP curators continue having long-term connections with the Finnish contemporary art scene, feeding also future projects and collaborations.”
Part of the residencies has been realised together with Finnish art organisations. For the 2022 edition, Kunsthalle Kohta and Kunsthalle Seinäjoki acted as co-hosts for the selected HICP curators, exploring new ways of creating international networks and exhibition productions. The exhibition ‘Listening to the Earth Beyond Silence’, curated by HICP alumnus Raluca Voinea, will open at Kunsthalle Seinäjoki in May 2025.
Open Call for 2025 HICP residencies starts in early 2025.
Experiences from HICP alumni:
“The residency at HICP opened up so many doors! Wow! The time, space, connections and resources from this residency resulted in a feature-length article, a solo exhibition of a Helsinki-based artist Teo Ala-Ruona in the United States in 2019, a series of online public programs “Care Practice” co-curated with a Helsinki-based curator Ki Nurmenniemi, and a much deeper knowledge of the region’s art scene. HICP was a life-changing residency and I’m so grateful.
The residency yielded several new projects, introduced me to numerous new artists and colleagues, and also provided valuable awareness of the ecosystem for arts organizing in a different region and context.”
– Ceci Moss
Curator, HICP alumnus from 2018
“I really appreciated my residency in Helsinki. It was a fruitful time for me to delve into another thread of research (textile), which I had not been able to explore previously. I met around 20–30 artists in Helsinki. I particularly enjoyed the Suomenlinna location, the wealth of art events and venues in Helsinki, and having the time for research without having to necessarily produce something (such a rare thing that it has to be pointed out). It was the first time I could really dedicate my time to research without pressure.
In 2022, I invited artist Jaana Laakkonen, who I met in Helsinki, to participate in ‘Breaking Water’, an exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Center Cincinnati, USA.”
– Clelia Coussonnet
Curator, HICP alumnus from 2019