Hasselblad Foundation Curatorial Intensive in Photography – São Paulo 2026
HDK-Valand and the Hasselblad Foundation invite applications for the first edition of the Curatorial Intensive in Photography, taking place in São Paulo, Brazil, in December 2026.
The intensive is based on the idea that curatorial work with photography is not only a matter of producing exhibitions, but also of asking how images circulate, gather meaning and meet different publics. Participants are invited to bring a curatorial interest, concern or direction that they want to develop through collective work, site visits, seminars and conversations.
The intensive offers a temporary learning environment in which photographic practices can be discussed in relation to place, publicness, institutions and responsibility. The emphasis is on development, dialogue and the possibility that ideas may shift through encounter.
The intensive covers travel, accommodation and participation costs for selected participants.
Who can apply?
The intensive is open to applicants based in Sweden who are in an early stage of developing a curatorial practice or a curatorial interest in photography.
You may be currently enrolled in higher education, recently graduated, working independently, or active within an institution or organisation. You do not need to have a formal background in curating, photography or the arts. We welcome applicants from a wide range of fields, including but not limited to art, design, medicine, social sciences, education and the humanities.
You might already be working as a curator, artist, educator, researcher, producer or cultural practitioner, or you might be interested in developing further into curatorial work.
The intensive is intended for people who have an active interest in photography and who want to explore how images circulate, gather meaning and meet different publics. You do not need to have a finished exhibition proposal, but you should be able to describe an interest, concern or direction that you would like to develop during the programme. English language proficiency is required.
Application
- Applications should be submitted in English as a collated PDF.
- Please use the subject line: Open Call: Hasselblad Foundation Curatorial Intensive in Photography
- Applications should be sent to: public@hdk-valand.gu.se
- If you have any questions please email: stefan.jensen@gu.se
The application should include:
-> Contact details
Name, email, phone number, city/country, and any current institutional or organisational affiliation.
-> Short CV or biography
Maximum 1 page
-> Written application
Maximum 2,500 words in total.
Please respond to the following prompts in your own way. You may answer them separately or as one coherent text.
- The why?
Why do you want to take part in the Curatorial Intensive in Photography, and how does it connect to your current practice, studies or interests? - Interest / Concern / Direction
Describe something you would like to develop during the programme. This may be a project idea, a question, a concern, a previous experience or an area of curatorial interest. It does not need to be a finished exhibition proposal. - Photography and urgency
What feels urgent to you in relation to photography, curating and public practice today?
