Organizer Information
The GRAC (Gallery / Regional Art Center) is a contemporary art institution based in Kristiansand, southern Norway, focused on fostering experimental, site-responsive, and community-engaged artistic practices. The organization plays a key role in supporting regional and international artistic exchange, with a particular emphasis on developing curatorial and artistic research within the Agder region.
GRAC operates as both an exhibition platform and a residency host, working with emerging and mid-career practitioners across Curatorial, Exhibition, and Interdisciplinary Arts fields. Its programming is grounded in regional exploration, collaboration with local artists, and the activation of underrepresented cultural ecologies in Norway’s southern coastal landscape.
Through its Curator-in-Residence program (CIR26), GRAC positions itself as a research-driven institution that prioritizes deep contextual engagement over conventional exhibition production, offering curators a structured yet flexible framework to develop new exhibition models rooted in place-based research.
Title & Description
Curator in Residence Open Call 2026 – GRAC (Agder, Norway)
GRAC invites applications for its 2026 Curatorial Residency, offering one curator or curatorial duo the opportunity to develop a research-led exhibition grounded in the contemporary art scene of the Agder region in southern Norway.
The program is structured as a three-phase residency combining immersive field research, independent curatorial development, and full exhibition production. Selected participants will engage directly with local artists, institutions, and cultural environments while developing a cross-disciplinary exhibition for GRAC’s 270 sqm industrial exhibition space.
The residency emphasizes Site-specific and Interdisciplinary Arts approaches, encouraging curators to work across mediums such as installation, performance, sound, video, and experimental formats. The goal is to produce an exhibition rooted in regional artistic ecosystems while remaining open to broader international perspectives.
The Role Overview
- Position: Curator in Residence (CIR26)
- Contract Type: Project-based residency
- Fee: 20,000 NOK curatorial fee (post-residency invoicing)
- Production Budget: 40,000 NOK
- Travel Support: Up to 20,000 NOK (covered by GRAC)
- Housing: Provided during the residency and production phases
- Reporting To: GRAC production team / Head of Production
- Programme Type: Curatorial Residency + Exhibition Production
- Work Model: On-site residency in Kristiansand with independent working phases
Position & Tasks
- Conducting field-based Research into the Agder artistic ecosystem
- Participating in studio visits, institutional visits, and field excursions
- Mapping and evaluating regional artistic practices
- Developing a curatorial concept based on residency findings
- Selecting and collaborating with artists primarily based in Agder
- Designing a cross-disciplinary exhibition using GRAC’s industrial exhibition space
- Coordinating production in collaboration with GRAC’s technical and curatorial staff
- Ensuring fair artist compensation and contractual compliance
- Overseeing installation and final exhibition realization
- Engaging with both local and international artistic networks
Categories
- Curatorial
- Residency
- Research
- Exhibition
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Installation
- Performance
- Video/Film
- Sound/Music
- Contemporary Art
- Site-specific
Eligibility
This opportunity is open to:
- Professional curators in early-career stages
- International applicants (worldwide eligibility)
- Individuals or curator duos
- Independent practitioners able to work autonomously
Applicants must:
- Demonstrate curatorial practice or emerging curatorial experience
- Be able to live and work independently in Kristiansand
- Show interest in regional artistic ecosystems and field research
- Be open to Cross-disciplinary exhibition-making
- Engage with artists from the Agder region as a primary focus
Program Benefits
- Curatorial fee of 20,000 NOK
- Production budget of 40,000 NOK
- Accommodation in Kristiansand (residency + production period)
- Travel reimbursement up to 20,000 NOK
- Access to GRAC’s institutional network and local artists
- Curatorial field trips across the Agder region
- Dedicated production support from GRAC team
- Opportunity to curate a full institutional exhibition
- Use of a 270 sqm flexible industrial exhibition space
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Portfolio of relevant work
- Motivation letter
- Optional recommendation letters
No project proposal is required at the application stage.
How to Apply?
Applications must be submitted via email to: post.grac@gmail.com
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 21 June 2026
- Residency Period: 4–24 September 2026
- Development Phase: October–December 2026
- Production/Exhibition Period: January–February 2027 (approx.)
- Information Reference Date: 20 May 2026
Location
Kristiansand, Norway
Additional Details
- The exhibition must prioritize artists from the Agder region
- Minimum artist fee: 1,000 NOK per participating artist (mandatory policy)
- All participating artists must invoice GRAC directly
- Exhibition must be Cross-disciplinary in structure
- Works may include painting, sculpture, sound, video, food-based art, and performance
- Residency includes bicycle and workspace access
- The program is designed for deep regional engagement, not network-based curation
- Production space is a flexible industrial former flour mill (270 sqm)
- Strong emphasis on ethical curatorial practice and fair remuneration
- Remaining production funds cannot be converted into personal salary