LT
Starting in 2025, SODAS 2123 is launching a new educational program, the Beginner Curators’ Platform!
This platform will serve as an educational and community space, fostering experimentation, the exploration of new forms, and the development of curatorial practices. In response to the needs of the contemporary Lithuanian art scene, the program will offer opportunities for creators interested in curatorship to realise their creative ideas and gain hands-on experience in organizing exhibitions. By focusing on curatorial practices, the platform aims to contribute to ongoing processes within the contemporary Lithuanian art field and support the formation of unique and experimental forms of art and curation.
The 2025 Beginner Curators’ Platform (BCP) program, organised by Sodas 2123 coordinator-curator Agnė Bagdžiūnaitė and curator Vsevolod Kovalevskij, will focus on the phenomenon of independent art spaces (IAS), examining their historical context, practices, and future visions. The program aims to deepen participants’ curatorial skills, encourage critical thinking, and establish international connections.
Objectives of this year’s program:
- To analyze the historical development of independent art spaces (IAS) and their impact on the contemporary art scene.
- To highlight the curator’s role within the context of independent art spaces.
- To encourage curatorial experimentation and artistic reflection through text.
- To establish connections with IAS initiatives in Lithuania and abroad.
Program duration: 6 months (May–October).
The program will consist of:
- Field trips and visits. Participants will visit independent art spaces (IAS), engage in meetings with artists and curators, and gain insight into various operational strategies of these spaces.
- Creative texts. Drawing on the knowledge acquired, participants will write essays, reviews, and interviews reflecting on historical examples, practices, and future scenarios of independent art spaces (IAS). These texts will be published on a dedicated project platform and/or in cultural media outlets.
- Exhibition. At the end of the program, an exhibition will be organized as part of the Vilnius Gallery Weekend, where participants will apply their acquired knowledge by creating independent curatorial projects.
- Discussions and Workshops. Open events will be organized to encourage broad audience engagement and stimulate discussions about independent art spaces.
Aspiring curators are invited to submit their applications here by April 6th. During the open call, two candidates will be selected. The chosen participants will receive an honorarium of 500 EUR and a dedicated exhibition budget.
The selection results will be announced on April 14th.