Artist in Residence Finland | The Identity of Finnish Residencies

About

Artist in Residence in Finland are to be found in abundance, spread all over the country. In the current landscape, residencies hold an unmistakable important position in the artworld. Artist Residencies in Finland and internationally have known an evolution over the years and have moved away from an ‘institutional utopian framework’ that was characteristic in the 90’s: where previously the emphasis lied on creating art on site, experimentation, international mobility, and interaction, we have now reached a peak in international mobility and globalization. This approach is no longer compatible with the world we live in today; it is not sustainable in times of climate change.

We have gradually moved to where we are now: a period in time where we have to re-negotiate the place and role of art residencies according to the current state of the world. The need for reconsideration and obtaining a critical attitude towards the own practice might be the cause of a more divergent approach amongst the residencies: ‘today, residencies are their own art world within the ecosystem of contemporary art; they have their own institutional identity, their own history, operating methods, values, tasks, and goals,’ as described by the founding member and former director of HIAP (Helsinki International Art Programme) Irmeli Kokko  in Rethinking Residencies, 2023. The identities of Artist in Residence in Finland have grown into various directions, allowing for a diversified supply.

Read the full review on SEA Foundation's website.