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 sixteen 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, curated by Katrín Björg Gunnarsdóttir and Úlfur Bragi Einarsson, and set to open on August 27th, was selected by the same method from proposals submitted last year.

By calling for proposals, the objective is to collaborate with a curator or curatorial team who submits a compelling proposal 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 especially encouraged to send in their proposals. In years past, the programme has proven its worth, as it has produced diverse exhibitions which have attracted attention and been well attended.

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 Art Council of Hafnarborg will review the proposals and select the winning proposal in consultation with the Director.

The deadline for submitting proposals is midnight on Sunday September 6th.

Proposals are accepted only via email at [email protected] (see further details below).

Application Process

The application process is divided into two parts and all applicants are kindly asked to familiarise themselves carefully with the process by reviewing the requirements listed below.

Part 1

For the first part of the application process, applicants are asked to provide the following:

• 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 of the project, though this is not required in the first part of the application process. Applicants are encouraged to acquaint themselves with Hafnarborg’s building 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 ways will be sought to secure special support for 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 visual art, for example in relation to its content 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 in relation to the local community, environment, museum collection, history, etc.
• Whether the exhibition makes use of Hafnarborg’s exhibition space in a creative way.
• The curator’s experience and CV.
• Suggestions for events in connection with the exhibition, such as guided tours, seminars, workshops, 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 when preparing proposals. It is not required that the exhibition proposal be designed precisely for the space at this stage.

Please send all proposals via email to [email protected], with the subject “Autumn Exhibition 2027”. 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. All applicants will be informed whether or not their proposal has been selected. All results will be sent via email.

Further information is provided by the office of Hafnarborg at (354) 585 5790.