Iaspis has played a vital role in the internationalisation of Swedish art by awarding grants for international exchange and by initiating and accomplishing international networking processes between artists, writers and curators. The project Craft in Dialogue, initiated in 2003, was the starting-point for a more focused development of the endeavour to internationalise the field of applied arts, that is, design, craft and architecture. Iaspis has a public programme of lectures, seminars and exhibitions both in Sweden and abroad. The public activities are an essential part of Iaspis’ work of disseminating information internationally about Swedish art, design, architecture and craft, as well as discussing topical issues in contemporary theory and practice.

In addition, Iaspis seeks to initiate and support collaborations between Swedish and international visual artists and designers both in Sweden and abroad. Every year Iaspis arranges a number of visits by international and Swedish curators and critics to facilitate international networking and domestic collaborations. The aim is to establish a platform for meetings between practitioners in the Swedish art world and Iaspis’ international artists and other guests.

Iaspis has twelve studios in Sweden, nine of which are located in Stockholm, and three courtesy of Iaspis’ collaborative partners in Gothenburg, Malmö and Umeå. Studio residences for Swedish artists are allocated as grants. Only applicants who are Swedish citizens or whose main artistic practice is in Sweden are eligible for grants. Two of the studios are reserved for artists who have recently graduated from a Swedish art academy. International artists are invited by Iaspis. In the design area, various models of residencies will be tested in the next few years. Swedish practitioners will be offered the opportunity to work abroad for a period of time, and international designers, architects and craftspersons will be offered residencies in Sweden.