Open call: Curator in residence summer 2025

Grim Residency for Artists and Curators hereby invites all curators to apply for our residency program, taking place in the summer of 2025 in Kristiansand, Norway.

About the exhibition location:
On the grounds of the historic Grim mill where GRAC’s premises are located, a small stream that in its heyday used to power the mill now trickles through an overgrown canal. Next to it is a previously overlooked green spot that we like to refer to as The Garden..

This is not a traditionally manicured garden but an untamed and overgrown space that had been largely ignored for years. The lot is characterized by tall grass, wild vegetation, and a sense of raw potential. It’s a place where nature has been left to grow freely, creating an atmosphere that feels both wild and evocative, characteristic of non-spaces in between the confines of industrial areas.

The Garden offers a unique setting for creative exploration, with its uneven terrain and natural enclosures formed by the overgrowth. It’s not a place for traditional garden parties or formal events but rather a space for experimental projects and gentle interventions. Its untamed character invites visitors to rethink their relationship with cultivated and uncultivated spaces, making it an inspiring backdrop for artistic interventions and community activities. We welcome you to use this space as a natural carte blanche, where the surroundings are neither sleek nor white but bring their own suggestions and associations, both thematically and physically.

*Specifications to Consider for Your Curatorial Project:

For the Garden Exhibitions the only limitations to what can be done is what can be covered by the budget, and that whatever is done can be reversed. Slight changes to the landscape is possible, like cutting grass and planting things, or creating constructions on top of the land. Cutting down trees is not permitted.

The circumstances of this round of our program set certain limitations on what is feasible. We recommend researching local artists and incorporating solutions that minimize travel to align with time and budget constraints. We are here to support and assist you in realizing your vision and welcome any questions leading up to your application deadline as well as in the preparation fase before the residency starts.

Installtion view CiR 2024 HULIAS Presents Purest Lounge For Now People; pictured Lea Stuedahl, Untitled (2024) MDF, wooden frame, glass, passe-partout, paper 16.5 × 31.9 × 26.9 cm

What We Offer:

• Housing and workspace
• An opportunity to curate an outdoors exhibition
• A budget and support to realize your project
• Local Host – Your go-to person in Kristiansand, an artist who will warmly welcome you to the local art milieu. They’ll help you navigate the community, connect with other creatives, and feel at home in your new surroundings.
• Connection to GRAC’s extensive network of local collaborators in Agder
  Support in deepening your research and refining your project by providing access to GRAC’s network of local experts, workshops, and specialized guidance tailored to your project’s unique needs

We welcome applications from both emerging and established curators. International applicants are encouraged, though participation may require travel arrangements which we cannot support financially.

Apart from the budget for the realization of the exhibition, we provide housing and encourage applicants to secure additional funding for their stay. We are happy to assist you with writing funding applications should your project be chosen for the residency.

Please submit the following in a single PDF file (max. 5 MB):

• Project Proposal: A description of your proposed project*
  Portfolio and CV
  Requirements and goals for your stay: List any specific needs for production, installation, or means for research so that we can best connect you with the right people during your stay.

*We recognize the effort it takes to develop detailed projects before realization and welcome submissions at all stages of development, from initial ideas to fully detailed plans.

Projects should be tailored to fit our Garden showroom, as outlined on the following page.

• Deadline: March 31, 2025
• Notification: April 15, 2025
• Project Timeline: June – August 2025

Submission: Send your application to post.grac@gmail.com with the subject line:

Open Call CIR 2025 - [Your Name]

Questions? Feel free to contact us at post.grac@gmail.com

We look forward to receiving your proposals and sharing this exciting journey with yo.