Tallinn, Estonia & Helsinki, Finland

Residents: Chang Qu (China), Dorota Michalska (Poland), Emily Butler (UK), Nerea Ubieto (Spain), Jonathan Lahey Dronsfield (UK), Kevser Guler (Turkey), Lia Zaaloff (United States), Nico Anklam (Germany), Niekolaas Johannes Lekkerkerk (Netherlands), and Tainá Azeredo (Brazil).

ESTONIA  
The art scene in Tallinn and Tartu is mostly represented by exhibits in non-profit spaces. With only one commercial gallery with international visibility, the current market is in the midst of a transition since the post-Soviet years up until capitalism, which conditions Estonia’s entry into the European Union. The training of artists and organizations is mostly related to the work carried out by the Estonian Contemporary Art Development Center, directed by Karin Laansoo and Kadri Laas, as an incubator for ideas of the local community.
Activities in Tallinn included visits to the following artist studios: Jaanus Samma, who represented Estonia at the 56th Venice Biennial, Tanja Muravskaja, Marge Monko, Krista Mölder, Jaan Toomik, Tönis Saadoja, Marko Mäetamm, Kristi Kongi, Timo Toots, Flo Kaserau, Mihkel Ilus, Paul Kuimet, Liina Siib and Anu Vahtra. The event also featured discussions with local personalities such as Mart Kalm, rector of the Estonian Academy of Arts, Gregor Taul, director of the Kondas Art Center of Viljandi, Anders Härm director of the EKKM (Contemporary Art Museum Estonia), Kristel Raesaar the artistic director of Tallinn Photomonth, Kati Ilves and Eha Komissarov, curators of the KUMU Art Museum, Taaniel Raudsepp, director of the Tallinn Art Hall and curator Anneli Porri. 

FINLAND
In recent years, the Finnish contemporary art scene has gone through a profound renovation, with new initiatives and projects for the future: the Helsinki Art Museum (HAM) is on its way to be reopened after a complete renovation, Amos Anderson Art Museum is fully dedicated to planning its new building located in the heart of the city, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation is developing the Guggenheim Helsinki. At the same time, artist initiatives and non-profit art spaces are becoming active players to modernize the artistic arena and its structures. Apart from focusing on artistic practices, CPR curators studied the different systems of financial support offered by the country, such as salaries and subsidies allocated for artistic practices and exhibitions.
In Helsinki, guided by Aura Seikkula and Anna Virtanen, activities began with a presentation of the HIAP residency program and a tour around the island of Suomenlinna, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Curators visited local spaces and institutions such as SIC, Contemporary Art Space, Sorbus Galleria, Alkovi Galleria, the Finnish Society of Bio Art, Mustarinda artistic organization and Bio-research project, HAM (Helsinki Art Museum), and EMMA (Espoo Museum of Modern Art). They also visited local artist studios, the most relevant of which were Jukka Lehtinen, Minna Långström, Eero Yli-Vakkuri, and Jenna Sutela.