Italy opens international call for curator of 2026 Venice Biennale pavilion
On February 27, 2025, the Directorate General for Contemporary Creativity of Italy's Ministry of Culture announced an international search for a curator for the Italian Pavilion at the upcoming 61st Venice Biennale in 2026. This initiative invites "non-conventional" curatorial concepts for the Tese delle Vergini venue, emphasizing innovative Italian contemporary art. Applicants are required to investigate current practices and social issues. Submissions, including CVs, motivation letters, and project proposals, are due by April 15, 2025. A selection committee will choose ten candidates to present comprehensive project dossiers. Evaluations will focus on feasibility, environmental considerations, budget, and coherence. The final candidates will be presented to Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli. Koyo Kouoh will curate the 2026 Biennale.
Key facts
- Call for curator of Italian Pavilion at 61st Venice Biennale opened February 27, 2025.
- Deadline for applications is April 15, 2025, 12:00 PM Italian time.
- Curator can be Italian or foreign; proposal must be 'non-conventional'.
- Pavilion located at Tese delle Vergini in Arsenale.
- Maximum of three artists to be included.
- Selection process has two phases: initial application and detailed dossier.
- Commission chaired by Italian Pavilion commissioner, includes DGCC director, CTS president, and three experts.
- Final decision by Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli after consulting commissioner.
- 2026 Biennale curated by Koyo Kouoh (Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town).
- Environmental sustainability and budget with sponsors are evaluation criteria.
Entities
Artists
- Massimo Bartolini
- Luca Cerizza
- Wang Shu
- Lu Wenyu
- Angelo Piero Cappello
- Carlo Ratti
Institutions
- Direzione Generale Creatività Contemporanea
- Ministero della Cultura
- Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa
- Biennale di Venezia
- Artribune
- Comitato Tecnico-Scientifico per l’arte e l’architettura contemporanee
- Italian Ministry of Culture
- Directorate General for Contemporary Creativity
- Padiglione Italia
- Biennale Architettura di Venezia
- Tese delle Vergini
- Commissione di valutazione
Locations
- Venezia
- Italia
- Città del Capo
- Sudafrica
- Arsenale
- Italy
- Tese delle Vergini
- Venice