Troubled Finnish Fund for Art Exchange gets support from abroad

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The curators and museum directors who have been cooperating with the Finnish Fund for Art Exchange (FRAME) are appealing for the continued operation of the present international promoter of Finnish art. They have sent letters on behalf of the art exchange centre to the Ministry of Education, which is the largest backer of FRAME.
     
The Ministry of Education is currently considering how the international promotion of Finnish art should be continued in the future.
     
FRAME has been the most significant provider of financial support to create opportunities for Finnish artists to produce, exhibit, and present their work abroad.
      However, the MInistry of Education announced at Easter that FRAME, which had long been suffering from a poor atmosphere in the workplace, would not be able to carry out its duties in the future.
      FRAME has annually received a state subsidy of approximately EUR 1.2 million.
     
Among those who are speaking for FRAME are for example Rene Block, the former curator of the Nordic Pavilion in Venice, Brent Klinkum, the Chief Curator and Director of Transat Vidéo in France, Vasif Kortun, the Director of the Istanbul Biennial, and Wolfgang Zeigerer, the Director of Stadtgalerie Kiel in Northern Germany .
     
A joint petition for FRAME by several art museums and curators is under way in Central Europe.
      Enrico Lunghi, the Director of the International Association of Curators of Contemporary Art, has approached even the Minister of Culture and Sport Stefan Wallin (Swedish People’s Party), saying that he is worried about the international reputation of Finland and Helsinki, if the operations of FRAME are summarily wound up.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Ministry of Education no longer willing to back Finnish Fund for Art Exchange (1.4.2010)
  Finnish Fund for Art Exchange is facing deepening crisis (14.1.2010)

Links:
  International Association of Curators of Contemporary Art
  FRAME - Finnish Fund for Art Exchange

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