Southnord is pleased to announce the open call for UP NEXT 2026, our annual exhibition dedicated to showcasing the next generation of Afro-Nordic artists. This year, we take inspiration from the Southnord Artfest 2026 opening in Helsinki in 2026, the headline exhibition of which is titled The Other Side of the Mountain. The show imagines cities as organisms and landscapes as state design that trace routes across past, present and future.  

We invite emerging artists working within the visual arts to submit work that reflects, expands upon or goes into dialogue the theme of routes, meaning a fixed path of delivery from one place to another. This can include, but not limited to, work about migration, movement, land, language and memory.  

Who Can Apply:  

• Artists aged 18-28 of African descent, born or residing in the Nordics (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden). 

• Open to all visual art disciplines, including drawing, photography, painting, sculpture, installation, digital art and videography. 

Key Dates 

• Applications Open: 27 February 2026 

• Deadline to Apply: 15 April 2026 

• Selection Announcement: 8 May 2026 

• Exhibition Dates:  2 September – 30 October 2026 

How to Apply:  

Artists must submit the following via the application portal: 

• Portfolio: 3-5 examples of your previous works as low-res images, or as links to Google Drive, YouTube or Vimeo. Please be sure to provide any necessary passwords for access. Include sketches of new works you plan to include in your concept responding to the open call theme 

• Artist Statement: A short text (max 500 words) on their practice and how the proposed works relates to the theme of repose. 

• Contact Information