The British Council keeps on taking part in the Curatorial Exchange Programme for young Russian curators under the aegis of EUNIC (European Union National Institutes for Culture). In 2012 EUNIC is organising Programme for the second time, with our mission to develop topical initiatives for young Russian curators, whose education and professional growth remain a priority for the Russian arts sector.

In 2011 the British Council successfully organised the internship at Turner Contemporary gallery for Alisa Savitskaya (National Centre for Contemporary Arts, Nizhniy Novgorod). In 2012 we are proud to offer placements with two leading UK visual arts organisations – Liverpool Biennial and Modern Art Oxford. These are exciting opportunities for young Russian curators to develop their professional experience, study the European art market and international networks through practical experience at these prestigious institutions.

This year we were pleased to receive many applications from across Russia, and after careful consideration, shortlisted curators were selected for interviews. We are now happy to announce and congratulate the following winners: Masha Godovannaya (Saint-Petersburg) will be placed at Liverpool Biennial, and Elena Yushina (Moscow-Saint-Petersburg) – at Modern Art Oxford.

	Masha Godovannya (Saint-Petersburg) A filmmaker and visual artist, born in Moscow. Masha studied music, literature and book publishing before leaving for the United States where she received her BA in Film Production from Brooklyn College CUNY, in 1998. Recently she has completed her MFA degree in Film/Video at Bard College, New York. Her curatorial practice includes special programmes for Anthology Film Archives (USA); Independent Film Show (Italy); Centro Cultural Banco do Brazil (Brazil), Avanto Film Festival (Finland), Moscow International Film Festival and others. Masha’s own films and visual works have been shown at many international film festivals, screenings and galleries. After living in New York for seven years, she returned to St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2003 where she continues pursuing her artistic career and teaches film/video classes at the Department of Liberal Arts and Science (Smolny College) of St. Petersburg State University.
	Elena Yushina (Saint-Petersurg) An emerging curator and contemporary art critic. Holder of a Master’s Degree on the topic “Biennials as Actual Forms of Intercultural Cooperation” (2011). Has studied at Curators’ School at Loft Project ETAGI in Saint-Petersburg as well as at Moscow Summer School of Victor Misiano and Victoria Foundation under Russian State University for the Humanities. Has been collaborated with Marina Gisich Gallery, Paperworks Gallery, Forsblom Gallery, since 2012 – works for Regina Gallery. Head of Cosmoscow Fair’s parallel programme; curator of “Zero Kilometre” video-project at New Holland and a solo show of Tatiana Akhmetgalieva “Synthetic Syndrome” at Tkachi creative space in Saint-Petersburg. Blogger at Baibakov Art Projects, organiser of the first TEDx conference in Saint-Petersburg.

Austria,Germany, Romania, France and Sweden are also taking part in the project. You can find information about their winners and internships being offered on the official websites of the cultural institutions organising the project. There you will also find current project news and updates from the curators’ placements.  

The curators will start internships at different time and will come together after their return for a EUNIC event in Moscow to share their experiences and achievements. We hope that the long-term outcome of this project will be the participants’ professional updating, the establishment of new professional contacts between the countries, and the development and adaption of new curatorial practices in Russia.

We would like to thank all applicants for their interest in the project, and their enthusiasm and patience while waiting for the results. We also encourage emerging curators to take part in the competition next year, when we will continue to develop this promising project, bringing new EUNIC countries to host placements (the Netherlands has already confirmed and we hope to add more).