Aukje Lepoutre Ravn Appointed New Artistic Director
Aukje Lepoutre Ravn joins Nikolaj Kunsthal with significant curatorial expertise gained through positions at institutions such as Copenhagen Contemporary, Röda Sten Konsthall in Gothenburg, and O—Overgaden Institute of Contemporary Art, where she has also served as Acting Director. Commenting on her upcoming role as Artistic Director of Nikolaj Kunsthal, Aukje Lepoutre Ravn says:
“Nikolaj Kunsthal is a truly special place – architecturally, historically, and artistically – and a unique cultural institution in the very heart of Copenhagen. I am both proud and excited to be given the opportunity to lead the development of the art centre’s next phase. I very much look forward to working closely with artists, staff, and partners to strengthen Nikolaj Kunsthal’s international profile and to activate the building’s distinctive qualities through engaging, site-sensitive art experiences. Experiences that can connect with the people of Copenhagen as well as a broad public and that make contemporary art relevant and meaningful in our time.”
Marius Hansteen, Director of Art & History – the organisational umbrella under which Nikolaj Kunsthal operates – expresses his enthusiasm for the appointment:
“It’s a great pleasure to finally be able to reveal who will be leading Nikolaj Kunsthal and building on the many strong results the institution has achieved in recent years. I have high expectations that Aukje Lepoutre Ravn’s visionary and ambitious approach to presenting relevant contemporary art at a high level will further strengthen both the exhibition programme and audience development at Nikolaj Kunsthal, to the benefit of local residents and the city’s many visitors alike.”
Aukje Lepoutre Ravn will take up her position as Artistic Director of Nikolaj Kunsthal on 2 February 2026.
About Aukje Lepoutre Ravn
Aukje Lepoutre Ravn (b. 1979) holds an MA (mag.art.) in Art History from Aarhus University. She is a visionary and strategically minded arts leader with over 15 years of experience at Danish and international contemporary art institutions. Throughout her career, she has held prominent positions including curator at Röda Sten Konsthall in Gothenburg, artistic director of GIBCA (Gothenburg International Biennial for Contemporary Art), artistic director of CAW – Copenhagen Art Week, as well as curator and acting director at O—Overgaden. Most recently, she served as Senior Curator at Copenhagen Contemporary. Aukje Lepoutre Ravn will assume the role of Artistic Director of Nikolaj Kunsthal on Monday, 2 February 2026.
