Résonances – Curatorial Exchange Programme between France and Sweden

Cofounded by IASPIS, Institut français de Suède and Institut suédois in Paris in 2023, Résonances is a curatorial exchange programme between France and Sweden, aimed at connecting visual arts institutions, exhibition curators and artists from both countries.

Résonances supports lasting exchanges between French and Swedish institutions in the visual arts sector, creating a growing network of contemporary arts centres, museums, artist residencies, festivals and biennales. The aim of the programme is to encourage mutual understanding, visibility and professional opportunities for curators and artists.

Specifically, Résonances establishes Franco-Swedish partnerships between museums and institutions, mainly outside the capitals. Reciprocal visits are organised, as well as seminars and discussions on key topics. After the success of the first year – which demonstrated the relevance and vitality of this type of curatorial dialogue – the programme is continuing in 2025/2026 with a new series of partnerships between institutions.

Discussions this year will focus on common challenges, such as economic sustainability, environmental issues and pressures on curatorial freedom. A series of webinars will enable different organisations to present artists based in France or Sweden, promoting their visibility. This year also sees the launch of a creation support scheme: a development fund offers institutions the opportunity to obtain funding for joint projects, aiming to strengthen cooperation.

2025/2026

The season began in autumn 2025 with a study visit to Sweden, coinciding with Göteborg International Biennial for Contemporary Art (GIBCA), a key event in the contemporary art calendar. Planned activities included visits to Gothenburg’s leading cultural and art institutions, as well as studio visits, enriched by participant-led presentations and engaging discussions that explored new perspectives and collaborative opportunities.

Participating institutions and individuals 2025/2026:

– Biennale de Lyon (Lyon): Isabelle Bertolotti, Artistic Director; Frédérique Gautier, Production Manager
– Borås Art Museum (Borås): Caroline Gustafsson, Curator; Linda Wallenberg, Director
– Centre International d’Art et du Paysage (Vassivière Island): Alexandra McIntosh, Director
– Centre Pompidou-Metz (Metz): Anne Horvath, Head of Programming Unit; Chiara Parisi, Director
– Fondation Fiminco (Romainville): Julia Petit, Coordinator; Katharina Scriba, Director
– FRAC Grand Large (Dunkirk): Keren Detton, Director
– Färgfabriken (Stockholm): Anna-Karin Wulgué, Director
– Konstepidemin (Gothenburg): Charlotta Eidenskog, Project Manager Coordination & development; Linnea Jardemark, Coordinator International work
– Moderna Museet Malmö (Malmö): Elisabeth Millqvist, Director
– OpenArt (Örebro): Mattias Käll, Exhibition Producer; Elin Persson, Head of Unit
– Vandalorum (Värnamo): Emilia Rosenqvist, Curator; Elna Svenle, Director
– Le Voyage à Nantes (Nantes): Jenna Darde; Emmanuel Divet, Project Managers

2023/2024

The first group of French curators travelled to Sweden in November 2023 to meet the partners they had been paired with and share their respective knowledge and experience, before meeting together in Stockholm for a curated programme of visits.

Visits continued in September 2024 with a study and exchange seminar bringing together directors and exhibition curators at the Institut suédois in Paris. The agenda included visits and meetings with Parisian institutions, presentations on the French art world ecosystem and discussions about mutual and respective challenges.

Participating institutions and individuals 2023/2025:

– Art Inside Out (Halmstad): Stina Edblom, Artistic Director
– Bildmuseet (Umeå): Brita Täljedal, Curator
– CAPC Musée d’Art Contemporain (Bordeaux): Alice Cavender, Head of Exhibitions
– Finis-terrae (Ushant Island): Ann Stouvenel, Director
– FRAC Bretagne (Rennes): Alice Maligne, Curator
– Kalmar konstmuseum (Kalmar): Jonas Holmberg, Director
– Kin Museum of Contemporary Art (Kiruna): Maria Lind, Director
– Magasin CNAC (Grenoble): Céline Kopp, Director; Alexia Pierre, Curator
– Malmö Konsthall (Malmö): Mats Stjernstedt, Director
– MOCO (Montpellier): Delphine Goutes, Director of general coordination
– Palais de Tokyo (Paris): Daria de Beauvais, Senior Curator and Head of International Relations; François Piron, Curator
– Röda Sten Konsthall/GIBCA (Gothenburg): Ioana Leca, Artistic Director Göteborg International Biennial for Contemporary Art; Mia Christersdotter Norman, Director; Amila Puzić, Curator
– Triangle Astéride (Marseille): Victorine Grataloup, Director
– Wanås Konst (Knislinge): Malin Gustavsson, Curator; Milena Høgsberg, Director

Launched in 2023 as part of a long-standing commitment to Franco-Swedish artistic and cultural dialogue, the programme was initiated by:

– IASPIS (Stockholm): Lena Malm, Head of Visual Arts
– Institut français de Suède (Stockholm): Anne-Dominique Chouteau, Cultural Attaché
– Institut suédois (Paris): Sara Arrhenius, Director

The Résonances team:

– IASPIS (Stockholm): Lena Malm, Head of Visual Arts
– Institut français de Suède (Stockholm): Anne-Dominique Chouteau, Cultural Attaché; Maria Charlotte Hustad, Cultural Project Manager
– Institut suédois (Paris): Marion Alluchon, Project Manager; Sara Arrhenius, Director; Julia Nordström, Project Manager
– Graphic design: Stina Gromark, STSQ

Résonances is modelled on Cross Pollination: Curatorial Exchange across Sweden and Russia (2020–2023), initiated by Maria Lind, Embassy of Sweden in Moscow; Lena Malm, IASPIS; Alisa Prudnikova, Nemoskva.