Sequences Real-Time Art Festival
Sequences Real-Time Art Festival is seeking a curator or curatorial team for its 13th international art biennale , scheduled to take place in Reykjavík, Iceland, in October 2027.
The new curator or curatorial team will establish the festival’s artistic framework and work closely with the festival manager to produce a 10-day program of exhibitions and events.
For Sequences XIII, the objective is to provide an external perspective on the Icelandic art scene, aiming to illuminate the local art landscape while also embracing new artists into the community.
Background
Sequences Real-Time Art Festival is a ten-day biennial for contemporary art in Reykjavík, Iceland. Founded in 2006, Sequences began as an annual event before transitioning to a biennial format in 2011. The festival has evolved into a significant platform for Icelandic contemporary art by connecting local artists with those from around the world.
Sequences’ subtitle, “real-time art festival”, is a reference to the festival’s original emphasis on real-time and time-based media. Today, the historical significance and purpose of the festival as an artist-led initiative are honored, as well as the underlying themes of real-time and time-based media.
A mix of local and international curators has overseen past editions: Markús Þór Andrésson (2013), Alfredo Cramerotti (2015), Margot Norton (2017), artists Hildigunnur Birgisdóttir and Ingólfur Arnarson (2019), artist Þóranna Björnsdóttir and composer Þráinn Hjálmarsson (2021), and Marika Agu, Maria Arusoo, Kaarin Kivirähk, and Sten Ojavee (2023). Daría Sól Andrews is set to curate the upcoming festival in 2025.
Sequences is a collective initiative by Kling & Bang, The Living Art Museum, and the Icelandic Art Center.
Curator obligations
The selected curator will have primary academic and artistic responsibility for Sequences XIII, including the development of its conceptual and thematic framework, research and programming, exhibitions, and events. The assignment will run from June 2025 until November 2027.
The curator is responsible for the artistic outline of Sequences XIII, and in collaboration with the festival manager they will oversee the financing and production plan, installation of exhibitions, and organize festival-related events.
Application details
We welcome proposals from curators who are eager to engage deeply with the Icelandic art scene while bringing fresh perspectives from an international context. To apply, we kindly ask you to send a bio, a letter of motivation, and a written proposal (max two pages) outlining the curatorial framework, along with a list of suggested artists.
Visual materials are encouraged.
Email: sequences@sequences.is
Deadline: April 28th, 2025
Selection Process
The Call is evaluated in two stages. After screening applications for eligibility, the Sequences board will create a shortlist of candidates who will advance to the next stage. Shortlisted candidates may be contacted to refine their proposals or answer specific questions about their projects from the selection panel.
The result will be announced no later than the end of June 2025.
The highest level of confidentiality will be maintained, and the Sequences board reserves the right to consider additional applicants outside of this Open Call.
About sequences
Sequences is an international art festival held biennially in Reykjavík, Iceland. Dedicated to producing and presenting progressive art, the festival aims to foster and strengthen artistic networks across different countries. Its subtitle, Real-Time Art Festival, originally emphasized time-based media but has since evolved into a conceptual prompt—one that each edition’s curators are free to interpret in their own way. Sequences was founded by Kling & Bang Gallery (an artist-run exhibition space), The Living Art Museum (an artist-run museum), and the Icelandic Art Center.
Team: Managing director: Odda Júlía Snorradóttir – Curator: Daría Sól Andrews – Project Manager: Daria Testo