On May 9 and 10, the association organized an open symposium at Havremagasinet Länskonsthall in Boden, featuring both national and international curatorial guests. The event included presentations and roundtable discussions that explored working conditions for curators abroad, as well as responses to the Swedish Curators’ Association’s questionnaire regarding the financial situations and working conditions of curators.
On the second day, Professor and Curator Anne Szefer Karlsen from Bergen University, alongside Silja Leifsdotter of the Norwegian Association of Curators, led a workshop titled Dream Contracts for Curators. This workshop delved into the challenges facing curators within the Baltic-Nordic network, focusing on the question: “What does the future hold for curators in the Baltics and Nordics?” Discussions covered new avenues for collaboration, the MU-Agreement (Agreement on Originators’ Rights to Compensation when works are shown, and for Participation in Exhibitions) for curators, and the importance of strengthening the role of curators without compromising the interests of artists or the broader visual arts community. Additionally, participants examined how curators can contribute to the development of art infrastructure and exhibition history within a Swedish context.
This initiative was funded by Kulturstödet support from Region Norrbotten. As part of our long-term efforts to encourage greater inclusivity in the field, the association actively highlighted the vulnerabilities of the profession during the network meetings, workshops, and open talks, emphasizing how social security influences who can pursue a career as a curator today.