New Curatorial Fellowship at Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Focuses on Expanding Artistic Perspectives

Raquel Villar-Pérez

(IN BRIEF) The Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation has named Raquel Villar-Pérez as the first recipient of its Curatorial Fellowship, a two-year programme supporting research-based exhibition development in contemporary photography. The initiative aims to promote curatorial practice, enhance international collaboration, and expand the diversity of the Foundation’s art collection. Villar-Pérez will work closely with the Art Collection Deutsche Börse to develop an exhibition for 2028 and propose new acquisitions that introduce fresh perspectives. The fellowship reflects the Foundation’s commitment to evolving its programme through deeper engagement with artistic, cultural, and social themes.

(PRESS RELEASE) FRANKFURT, 16-Apr-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation has appointed Raquel Villar-Pérez as the inaugural recipient of its newly established Curatorial Fellowship. The two-year programme, valued at €10,000, is designed to support mid-career curators and foster research-driven exhibition practices in the field of contemporary photography.

The fellowship represents a new initiative by the Foundation aimed at strengthening curatorial work, encouraging international dialogue, and expanding the diversity of perspectives represented within the Art Collection Deutsche Börse. Through this programme, Villar-Pérez will develop a research-based exhibition drawing on the Foundation’s collection, while also contributing proposals for new acquisitions that reflect broader artistic and cultural narratives.

Based in the United Kingdom, Raquel Villar-Pérez is an independent curator, writer, and researcher whose work explores themes such as migration, transnational feminism, and social and environmental justice. Her curatorial approach often draws on decolonial perspectives and examines how contemporary photography engages with global social issues. Alongside her professional work, she is pursuing a Ph.D. at the Edinburgh College of Art, focusing on Latin American women artists in the UK and their relationship to expanded photographic practices.

The fellowship will begin in spring 2026 and culminate in a major exhibition scheduled for 2028. During this period, Villar-Pérez will work closely with the Art Collection Deutsche Börse to identify key themes and narratives that can shape the exhibition concept. The resulting exhibition will be co-curated with the Foundation and presented at its venue in Eschborn near Frankfurt before touring to another European photography institution.

In addition to exhibition development, the fellowship includes a strong focus on collection growth. Villar-Pérez will contribute recommendations for new acquisitions that introduce fresh artistic viewpoints and enrich the Foundation’s holdings, ensuring continued evolution in both aesthetic and thematic directions.

Anne-Marie Beckmann, Director of the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation, highlighted the importance of supporting curatorial practice as part of the organization’s broader commitment to contemporary photography. She emphasized that collaboration with internationally active curators is essential to maintaining a dynamic and forward-looking programme.

Raquel Villar-Pérez expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity, noting that the fellowship provides a valuable platform to engage deeply with the collection and to develop new curatorial ideas in collaboration with the Foundation’s team.

Through this initiative, the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation is reinforcing its role in advancing contemporary photography by integrating curatorial research into its funding activities. The programme aims to broaden artistic representation while fostering engagement with cultural, social, and political themes that shape photographic discourse today.

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SOURCE: Deutsche Börse Group