As in previous years, curators are invited to submit proposals for next year’s Autumn Exhibition at Hafnarborg. The Autumn Exhibition Series began in 2011 and since then fourteen exhibitions have been selected for production as part of the series, from numerous submissions by curators of diverse backgrounds and experience. This year’s Autumn Exhibition, Unknown Benevolence, which is curated by Þórhildur Tinna Sigurðardóttir and set to open on August 29th, was selected by the same method, from the proposals submitted last year.
By calling for proposals, the objective is to collaborate with different curators, who submit compelling proposals for an exhibition, as well as creating a platform for emerging curators to present their ideas. For this reason, curators who are new to the field are encouraged to send in their proposals. In years past, the programme has proven its worth, as it has produced diverse and thought-provoking exhibitions, which have been well received all around.
The call is for group exhibitions connecting artists (up to eight persons) or artworks through their subject matter, artistic method and/or other ideas, but exhibitions analysing or focusing on a specific aspect of one artist’s work will also be considered. Proposals for exhibitions of contemporary artists’ works or exhibitions entailing historical analysis are welcome as well. The Director and Art Council of Hafnarborg will review the proposals and select the winning proposal.
Please note that the deadline to submit proposals has been extended until midnight on Sunday September 8th.
Applications are only accepted via email at [email protected] (see below).
Application process
The application process is divided into two parts and we ask applicants to read all details about the two-part process and required materials carefully.
Part 1
For the first part of the application process, we request the following information:
- Description of the project with an emphasis on the idea underlying the exhibition (1000 words maximum).
- CV of the curator(s).
- Short CV of the participating artist(s) (up to eight persons), as well as others that might become part of the exhibition project.
Please provide as detailed a description as possible, while respecting the maximum word count. We will also accept illustrative material that is descriptive for the project, though this is not required. Applicants are encouraged to acquaint themselves with Hafnarborg’s layout and spaces before submitting their proposals. The Art Council of Hafnarborg, alongside the Director, will review all proposals and select those that will move on to the second part of the application process.
Part 2
The curators, whose proposals are selected for further review, will be invited to present their ideas and provide additional materials, such as exhibition catalogues, illustrative material or videos, as well as working on a realistic budget plan for the project. The budget plan for the exhibition, including its preparation, is expected to be in line with the museum’s financial plan, or else requiring special grants to fund the project.
When reviewing the proposals, the following will be taken into special consideration:
- Selection of artists.
- Whether the exhibition introduces an innovative view of the subject matter, for example in relation to its context and/or media.
- Whether the exhibition includes new or older works, or even a mixture of both.
- Whether the exhibition has a special relevance to Hafnarborg, for example to its collection, its surroundings, the town of Hafnarfjörður etc.
- Whether the exhibition makes use of Hafnarborg’s exhibition space in a creative way.
- The curators’ experience and CV.
- Suggestions for events in connection with the exhibition (curatorial talks, artist talks, seminars etc.).
- Ideas for a possible publication.
- That the budget of the project is within reasonable limits (a more precise cost assessment will take place in the latter part of the process).
Sketches of Hafnarborg’s floor plan can be found here. These are intended to be used as a guide, as it is not required that the curators design the exhibition to fit the space in strict terms.
Please send all proposals via email to [email protected], with the subject “Autumn Exhibition 2025”. In response, we will send a message confirming that we have received the proposal, but we urge you to contact us at (354) 585 5790, if you do not receive said confirmation. Finally, all applicants will be kept informed about the status of their proposals, in due course. All results will be sent via email.
Further information is provided by the office of Hafnarborg at (354) 585 5790.