In partnership with the Arts Promotion Centre Finland and the City of Rovaniemi, Res Artis 2018 annual meeting Exploring Sustainability under the Midnight Sun was organized in Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland from 18 – 20 June 2018.
This 3-day meeting addressed the theme of Residencies and Sustainability from different angles – The sustainability of the arts residencies field; Indigenous aspects; Interdisciplinary residencies; the intersections between curators and residencies; and the concept of ‘ethical tourism’. Questions that will be discussed include: How can residency operators pursue their activities to better meet the principles of sustainability? How can residencies contribute to sustainable regional development? And what is the social and economic impact of residencies?
The meeting also served to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Res Artis, which over the past two and a half decades has become the largest worldwide network of arts residencies in response to exponential growth in the field.
Invited Speakers
Speakers included Áile Aikio (Sámi Museum Siida, Finland), Erich Berger (independent artist, curator and cultural worker, Finland), Lee-Ann Tjunypa Buckskin (Australia Council for the Arts, Surry Hills, Australia), Mario A. Caro (independent critic, historian, and curator, United States), Oron Catts (The University of Western Australia, Australia), Taru Elfving (Frame Contemporary Art, Finland), Frederik Hardvendel (Danish Art Workshop, Denmark), Aira Huovinen (Rovaniemi Art Museum, Finland), Mami Katsuya (Kyoto Art Center, Japan), Rangi Kipa (independent cultural worker, New Zealand), Riikka Koivula (Creative Europe Desk Finland, Finland), Timo Koivurova (Arctic Centre and Lapland Arctic Council Host Committee, Finland), Irmeli Kokko (University of the Arts, Finland), Tina Kuckkahn-Miller (The Evergreen State College, United States), Riitta Kuusikko (Rovaniemi Art Museum, Finland), Lucy Latham (Julie’s Bicycle, UK), Rebekka Lewin (Danish Art Workshop, Denmark), Veronika Liebl (Ars Electronica, Germany), Esko Lotvonen (representant of the City of Rovaniemi, Finland), Coral Lu (independent curator, China), Antti Majava (artist, Finland), Marques Hanalei Marzan (artist and cultural worker, Hawaii, United States), Nadia Myre (representant of the Kitigan Zibi Anishnabeg Nation, Canada), Lea O’Loughlin (ACME Studios International, UK), Eliza Roberts (Res Artis, Australia), Tiina Sanila-Aikio (President of the Sámi Parliament of Finland, Finland), Ika Sienkiewicz-Nowacka (Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art, Poland), Sofie Ilsøe Sjöblom (Nordic Culture Point, Finland), Päivi Tahkokallio (Tahkokallio Design+, Finland), Antti Tenetz (artist and experimental documentarist, Finland), Paula Tuovinen (Arts Promotion Centre, Finland), Kirsi Väkiparta (Arts Promotion Centre, Finland), Soile Veijola (University of Rovaniemi, Finland),Leena Vuotovesi (Micropolis Ltd., Finland)
Program Overview
The conference theme of sustainability was divided across a 3-day program focusing on indigenous residencies and ethical tourism, and intersections with science and technology. The program comprised around 30 local and international speakers, including Indigenous representatives from Finland, Norway, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Participants had the opportunity to engage with Sámi culture and undertake excursions to nearby arts residency centres and the Arctic Circle.
This meeting aimed to introduce participants to the dynamic of arts and culture in the Arctic region, and to discuss best-practice approaches that result in meaningful cultural and artistic exchanges.
Additional information can be found here
