Traveling to different places not only helps us relax, but also stimulates our thinking and creativity along the way. However, in the post-pandemic era, everyone has had to adjust their way of life, shifting social interactions from outdoors to indoors, including creators. But for those of you who love to seek inspiration and create outside, have you ever thought about staying on the other side of the world and exchanging art with creators from different countries?
The Hong Kong Arts Promotion Office and the Finnish art institution Helsinki International Artist Programme jointly planned the “Suomenlinna Island Exchange and Exhibition Program”. HIAP was established in 1998 and actively organizes art exhibitions and cultural activities locally, inviting and supporting artists from around the world to participate in the island’s residency program, connecting international and local creativity, engaging in artistic dialogue from diverse perspectives, in which Hong Kong also participates.
The residency proposal collection aims to allow Hong Kong artists or cross-media creative talents to experience and exchange art in completely different regions, integrating unique ideas to showcase the artistic charm of Hong Kong to audiences around the world. Participants must first submit creative visual arts or cross-media proposals, and one selected participant will travel to Finland in 2023 to participate in a 3-month residency and exhibition event.
The Suomenlinna Fortress is located southeast of the city center of Helsinki and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. A 15-minute ferry ride from Helsinki Harbor will take you to this beautiful island where nature, history, and culture coexist. Over the years, the historical buildings on the island have been preserved and transformed into museums, studios and exhibition halls for artists and craftsmen, restaurants, shops, and residences, making it home to approximately 800 residents.
Artisans and workers on the island still retain the use of traditional craftsmanship, and through the promotion of tourism and cultural development, various types of cultural and artistic activities are held in Suomenlinna, Finland every year, making it a platform for the exchange of traditional crafts and contemporary art with the world.
The Island Residency Program will provide artists with studio and apartment space, materials and technical assistance, as well as a living stipend in the local area. If you want the opportunity to participate in international art exchange programs, all artists remember to seize this rare opportunity. The program will close for applications this Sunday, September 18th at 8 pm.
Details of the “Suomenlinna Residency Exchange and Exhibition Program”: Click here
Image source: facebook@apo.there
