Sona Stepanyan
An important reason for joining the association was the desire to combine the theoretical world of curatorial education at Stockholm University with the practical realities that await every graduate of the MA program because of the applied nature of the profession as well as the lack of working infrastructure and financial support. Another goal was to introduce discourses relevant to the curator’s work into the academic environment and as a foreign student it was also vital to strengthen my connections with Swedish colleagues.
What are some of the issues that the association plans to address?
• Advocating for curation as an outstanding practice with decades of history
• Advocating for new legal perspectives for curatorial employment conditions
• Gathering knowledge of the current curatorial field, and needs of practitioners via surveys, conferences, and public meetings.
Is there a certain reform you would like to see for curators in Sweden and beyond?
It would be amazing to have an MU-agreement tailored for freelance curators, ensuring clear and standardized contract terms. Next on my list would come the recognition and implementation of copyright rules among curators themselves and hiring institutions.
Martí Manen
Sweden has been historically a place where experimentation with the exhibitional has been important. Paradoxically, the role of the curator as a professional figure hasn’t been part of many cultural plans.
What are some of the issues that the association plans to address?
To feel togetherness regarding our role within the arts, to be a voice and to be able to include curatorial practices as part of the cultural vocabulary.
Is there a certain reform you would like to see for curators in Sweden and beyond?
We need a better understanding of what the curatorial work is and how we curators work together with other cultural practitioners.
Marianna Garin
I felt the pressing need to raise awareness about the current working conditions for curators in Sweden, especially in the wake of the pandemic. It has become increasingly evident that curators are often overlooked in the Swedish governmental support system, particularly when compared to other artistic practices.
Despite the professionalization of the field through the various curatorial programs established over the past 20 years, there has been no fair support system for curators to develop their practice and strengthen their position in a Swedish context. It’s time for a fundamental structural change, to work towards a more democratic division of the governmental funds. This inequality has existed for far too long.
What are some of the issues that the association plans to address?
The association is in the early stages of defining its role: how to operate, how to build sustainable networks and enroll new members. The list of hopes and aspirations is long, with one key priority being to find ways to improve the economic conditions for curators. This includes advocating for equal access to work grants, stipends, project funding, and other subsidy schemes. To initiate meaningful structural change, it is crucial to first acknowledge the vulnerable position in which curators currently find themselves. Conducting a survey to map curators’ actual working conditions could provide valuable insights into their needs. The Norwegian Association of Curators has undertaken a similar initiative, which could serve as a model for our efforts.
Equally important is the exchange of experiences with our peers, to nurture a broader understanding of the ongoing discussions within the curatorial field. Improving support for curators will not only strengthen their position but will also have a positive impact on the visual arts sector as a whole.
Is there a certain reform you would like to see for curators in Sweden and beyond?
Swedish curators should be eligible (as in neighbouring Nordic Countries) for support and crisis grants from the Swedish Art Grant Committee like other artistic professions, such as theatre and film directors, composers, conductors and choreographers. It is essential to establish clear working contracts and set appropriate fees for curatorial work. We have a long path ahead and these changes might take time, but we are starting to initiate some things and knowing we are part of a united group is already a significant step forward.
Karin Bähler Lavér
Stemming from experience, I have long felt the urge to engage in discussion and organization around issues of precarity affecting cultural workers in general and curators (seeing that this is my profession) in particular. This feeling of course became even more palpable during the pandemic when it also became clear that curators were largely discounted for in terms of bursaries and support. I also think Swedish art institutions have a lot to benefit from engaging more with independent curators (when it comes to questions of e.g. representation) and hope to promote a more dynamic and diverse landscape.
What are some of the issues that the association plans to address?
One aim is to conduct a survey that will map the conditions for curators in Sweden today, in order to ultimately improve them. Currently there is no such framework as the MU agreement which determines the base levels for fees and so forth, and I think this type of survey could help lay the foundations for such a contract. Any form of improvement that could lead to less competition and more solidarity and trust (not just between curators but within the arts community as a whole) I think would be beneficial.
Is there a certain reform you would like to see for curators in Sweden and beyond?
The most substantial and important reform I think would be for the state to issue a work grant for curators. Seeing that curating involves so much groundwork (e.g. research, studio visits, administration etc.) a form of more reliable bursary would really relieve a lot of the precariousness felt.
Magdalena Malm
The curatorial profession has been established in Sweden for over 30 years, but the support systems have been very slow in adapting. Curators create a lot of value for the art scene; possibilities for artists to exhibit, for the audience to see work, facilitating international exchange as well as development of the scene and its contexts. The visual arts sector lacks a strong, unified voice, which is evident in how cultural policies develop. The Curatorial Association can play a crucial role within this larger collective, that needs to speak up and contribute in a constructive way to the development of the visual arts in Sweden.
What are some of the issues that the association plans to address?
There are several critical issues that must be addressed, starting with the working conditions and funding for curatorial work. National and local grants need to be accessible to curators as they are for directors, choreographers and other artistic professions that collaborate with artists. It is also essential that the curatorial profession is recognized as an artistic practice in its own right, for instance by critics. Ten random works in a row is not the same as an exhibition! The association can also be a network for curators to support each other and exchange ideas and knowledge.
Is there a certain reform you would like to see for curators in Sweden and beyond?
The key reform is for the Art Grants Committee (Konstnärsnämnden) to open their stipends and residencies to curators. Not to do that is actively preventing development of the visual arts sector, and it is also discriminatory compared to other artistic fields. Another important reform, as detailed in the study ‘Återstart för Kulturen’, involves establishing funding specifically for freelance curators to facilitate exhibitions in institutions across the country. This funding would serve as a crucial replacement for the support previously provided by Riksutställningar, which was discontinued without replacement. Such support would create work opportunities for curators and artists, strengthen local arts organizations, and enhance access to visual art for audiences throughout Sweden.