Baltic Curators Begin London Fellowships at Hayward & Camden

Baltic Practitioners Secure London Residencies

The Upė Foundation has confirmed two new appointments within the capital's contemporary art sector. Diāna Mikāne from Latvia and Martyna Ratnik from Lithuania will assume curatorial positions at the Hayward Gallery and Camden Art Centre respectively. This initiative marks the inaugural cohort of Baltic specialists entering UK institutions via the foundation's dedicated training scheme. By prioritising long-term immersion over temporary visits, the organisation seeks to embed Northern European perspectives directly into London's cultural infrastructure.

The fellowship model places emerging professionals into active operational workflows spanning twelve to eighteen months. Rather than offering brief observational stints, the programme integrates participants into live exhibition cycles, public outreach strategies, and institutional research pipelines. Aligning with established metropolitan venues allows the scheme to facilitate sustained dialogue between regional practices and broader international networks. Early-career practitioners gain access to substantial resources while contributing fresh analytical frameworks to existing programmes.

Institutional Placements and Professional Development

Within the Southbank Centre's Hayward Gallery, Mikāne will investigate regional artistic trajectories while assisting in the realisation of large-scale shows. Her remit extends across audience development and the technical preparation of interpretive content. The arrangement aims to cultivate a versatile skill set within a high-profile public gallery setting renowned for its Brutalist architecture and history of presenting boundary-pushing work since 1968.

Meanwhile, Ratnik will integrate into Camden Art Centre's exhibition department. Drawing upon her background in moving image media and critical analysis, she will help shape upcoming presentations and related events. The placement offers direct exposure to one of Britain's most prominent independent spaces for visual culture, housed within a converted Victorian library building that has championed experimental practices since 1965.

Both candidates navigated a rigorous selection procedure involving multiple evaluation stages. Final decisions followed face-to-face discussions with senior staff from each venue alongside foundation leadership. Interview panels included senior and assistant curators from the Hayward, alongside the director and exhibitions curator at Camden, all working in tandem with the foundation's founders to assess practical competence and conceptual alignment.

Practitioner Backgrounds

Mikāne operates from Riga, where her practice examines spatial dynamics and parafictional methodologies. Her work frequently addresses post-socialist frameworks across the region. Recent engagements include projects at Part Time Gallery, the National Gallery of Art in Vilnius, Living Room Athens, and VARES Architecture Residency. She holds a master's degree from the Art Academy of Latvia and previously completed a placement in Helsinki following an award grant.

Ratnik divides her time between London and Vilnius, specialising in film curation and critical analysis. Her portfolio spans collaborations with the London Short Film Festival, the Institute of Contemporary Arts, and the Independent Vilnius Cinematheque. She recently earned recognition at the national Visual Art Criticism Awards and completed a master's thesis on flexible institutional structures at the Royal College of Art.

Looking Ahead

The foundation is currently designing its subsequent intake, which will incorporate a residential component paired with a solo presentation at Gasworks. Prospective applicants should anticipate announcement details later in 2026. These appointments underscore a growing commitment to cross-border mentorship and the systematic integration of Baltic voices into major metropolitan cultural infrastructures. As global art centres increasingly prioritise geographic diversity, such structured pathways offer vital mechanisms for sustaining underrepresented discourses within established institutional ecosystems.