Open call launched for Helsinki Design Residency 2017

UK-based design professional, apply for a residency programme in Helsinki by the British Council.

UK-based design professional, apply for a residency programme in Helsinki by the British Council.

The British Council, Helsinki International Artist Programme (HIAP), Helsinki Design Week and Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture are seeking applications from design professionals to participate in a residency programme in Helsinki.

This residency is for UK-based practitioners, who work at the intersections of art, design and architecture. This year the theme New: Material invites design practitioners and critical thinkers to research, reflect and engage with the many facets of materials. The residency will take place in two parts: two weeks in May during the Aalto festival and four weeks in August-September culminating with the Helsinki Design Week. The results of the project will be showcased as part of the Helsinki Design Week’s programme.

The first design residency was organised in 2012 when Helsinki was the World Design Capital. The residence artist of 2016 was Luca Picardi, who investigated new developing parts of the cities and their similarities in London and in Helsinki among others. In the end the project was turned into a publication.

The call is open until 26th of March 2017. Information about the applying process can be found here.

Read more about Luca Picardi’s experiences in Weekly Studio.

The British Council creates international opportunities and networks for the people of the UK and other countries. Its programmes are wide-ranging and cover arts, education, English, science and society. In the fields of design, architecture and fashion, it has developed exhibitions, exchanges, events, workshops, installations and specialist visits to create links and connections between designers and cultural institutions around the world. Recent projects include the British Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale.

HIAP – Helsinki International Artist Programme is one of the largest international residency centres in Finland and the only one operating in the capital. HIAP focuses primarily on visual arts and is open to artists and curators from various disciplines. In collaboration with local and international partner organizations, HIAP residencies are offered also for professionals in other creative fields, such as dance, theatre, literature and music.

The School of Arts, Design and Architecture is part of Aalto University, which is a multidisciplinary university operating in the fields of technology, business and commerce, and the arts. The School of Arts, Design and Architecture, previously known as University of Art and Design Helsinki UIAH, was founded in 1871. In its present form the school started operating in 2012. It has grown into one of the most international schools in Finland. Aalto builds on Finnish strengths and its objective is to become one of the leading universities in the world as a unique entity. The school has active links to the surrounding society, business and industry, and the culture sector. Our partners include the best Finnish and international universities and centres of expertise.