ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Venice Biennale 2026: National Pavilions Announced

exhibition · 2026-05-08

The 61st Venice Biennale, opening 9 May 2026, has announced national pavilion artists and curators. The main exhibition follows the late Koyo Kouoh's curatorial plan. Over 80 countries are participating, with pavilions across Giardini, Arsenale, and various Venice venues. Notable selections include Lubaina Himid for Great Britain, Yto Barrada for France, and Dana Awartani for Saudi Arabia. The Holy See pavilion features FKA Twigs, Brian Eno, and Patti Smith. Controversies include the Israeli pavilion's cancellation demand and Russia's return. The biennale runs until 22 November 2026.

Key facts

  • 61st Venice Biennale opens 9 May 2026
  • Main exhibition curated by late Koyo Kouoh
  • Over 80 countries participating
  • Lubaina Himid represents Great Britain
  • Yto Barrada represents France
  • Dana Awartani represents Saudi Arabia
  • Holy See pavilion includes FKA Twigs and Brian Eno
  • Biennale runs until 22 November 2026

Entities

Artists

  • Genti Korini
  • Matías Duville
  • Zadik Zadikian
  • Khaled Sabsabi
  • Florentina Holzinger
  • Faig Ahmed
  • Lavar Munroe
  • John Beadle
  • Miet Warlop
  • Mladen Bundalo
  • Rosana Paulino
  • Adriana Varejão
  • Gery Georgieva
  • Maria Nalbantova
  • Rayna Teneva
  • Veneta Androva
  • Beya Gille Gacha
  • Sylvie Njobati
  • Bienvenue Fotso
  • Zora Snake
  • Neals Niat
  • Abbas Akhavan
  • Claudia Pagès Rabal
  • Norton Maza
  • Sammy Baloji
  • Arlette Bashizi
  • Patrick Bongoy
  • Damso
  • Gosette Lubondo
  • Nelson Makengo
  • Aimé Mpané
  • Léonard Pongo
  • Géraldine Tobé
  • Dubravka Lošić
  • Roberto Diago
  • Marina Xenofontos
  • Jakub Jansa
  • Selmeci Kocka Jusko
  • Maja Malou Lyse
  • Óscar Santillán
  • Armen Agop
  • José Oscar Molina
  • Merike Estna
  • Tegene Kunbi
  • Jenna Sutela
  • Yto Barrada
  • Henrike Naumann
  • Sung Tieu
  • Lubaina Himid
  • Andreas Angelidakis
  • Enock Placide
  • Alexander Kluge
  • Bhanu Kapil
  • Brian Eno
  • Carminho
  • Caterina Barbieri
  • Devonté Hynes
  • FKA Twigs
  • Holly Herndon
  • Mat Dryhurst
  • Ilda David'
  • Jim Jarmusch
  • Kali Malone
  • Kazu Makino
  • Laraaji
  • Meredith Monk
  • Moor Mother
  • Otobong Nkanga
  • Patti Smith
  • Precious Okoyomon
  • Raúl Zurita
  • Suzanne Ciani
  • Tatiana Bilbao
  • Terry Riley
  • Kingsley Ng
  • Angel Hui
  • Endre Koronczi
  • Ásta Fanney Sigurðardóttir
  • Alwar Balasubramaniam
  • Sumakshi Singh
  • Ranjani Shettar
  • Asim Waqif
  • Skarma Sonam Tashi
  • Agus Suwage
  • Syahrizal Pahlevi
  • R. E. Hartanto
  • Nurdian Ichsan
  • Theresia Agustina Sitompul
  • Mariam Sofrina
  • Rusyan Yasin
  • Isabel Nolan
  • Belu-Simion Fainaru
  • Chiara Camoni
  • Ei Arakawa-Nash
  • Ardak Mukanova
  • Gulmaral Tattibayeva
  • Natalya Ligay
  • Anar Aubakir
  • Asel Kadyrkhanova
  • Smail Bayaliyev
  • Nurbol Nurakhmet
  • Mansur Smagambetov
  • Oralbek Kaboke
  • Brilant Milazimi
  • Alexey Morosov
  • Bruno Birmanis
  • Nabil Nahas
  • Eglė Budvytytė
  • Aline Bouvy
  • Adrian MM Abela
  • Charlie Cauchi
  • Raphael Vella
  • RojoNegro
  • Pavel Brăila
  • Nomin Bold
  • Gerelkhuu Ganbold
  • Tuguldur Yondonjamts
  • Dorjderem Davaa
  • Siniša Radulović
  • Amina Agueznay
  • Dries Verhoeven
  • Fiona Pardington
  • Klara Kristalovav
  • Benjamin Orlow
  • Tori Wrånesv
  • Velimir Zernovski
  • Haitham Al Busafi
  • Faiza Butt
  • Antonio José Guzmán
  • Iva Jankovic
  • Sara Flores
  • Jon Cuyson
  • Bogna Burska
  • Daniel Kotowski
  • Alexandre Estrela
  • Rirkrit Tiravanija
  • Sophia Al-Maria
  • Tarek Atoui
  • Alia Farid
  • Fadi Kattan
  • Anca Benera
  • Arnold Estefán
  • Mark Francis
  • Dana Awartani
  • Davide Bugarin
  • Angel Cohn Castle
  • Caroline Gueye
  • Predrag Djaković
  • Amanda Heng
  • Neja Tomšič
  • Martin Bricelj Baraga
  • Nika Grabar
  • Miloš Kosec
  • Ayan Farah
  • Warsan Shire
  • Asmaa Jama
  • Goen Choi
  • Hyeree Ro
  • Oriol Vilanova
  • Miriam Laura Leonardi
  • Yul Tomatala
  • Nina Wakeford
  • Gianmaria Andreetta
  • Luca Beeler
  • Sara Shamma
  • Li Yi-Fan
  • Veronica Pereira Maia
  • Etson Caminha
  • Juventino Madeira
  • Nilbar Güreş
  • Zhanna Kadyrova
  • Alma Allen
  • Margaret Whyte
  • Manon Awst
  • Dylan Huw
  • Franklyn Dzingai
  • Gideon Gomo
  • Pardon Mapondera
  • Eva Raath
  • Felix Shumba
  • Koyo Kouoh
  • Jo-ey Tang
  • fierce pussy
  • Big Chief Diamond
  • Bugarin + Castle
  • Derrick Adams
  • Verónica Pereira Maia
  • Magda Stawarska
  • Binna Choi
  • Hans Ulrich Obrist
  • Ben Vickers
  • Soundwalk Collective
  • Hildegard of Bingen
  • Benedictine Nuns of the Abbey of St. Hildegard Eibingen
  • Carlo Scarpa

Institutions

  • Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Albania
  • Directorate for Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship (Argentina)
  • Creative Australia
  • Austrian Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport
  • Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan
  • The Friends of the Arts in The Bahamas Foundation
  • National Art Gallery of The Bahamas
  • Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture (Bahamas)
  • Flemish Community of Belgium
  • Fundação Bienal de São Paulo
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Brazil)
  • Ministry of Culture (Brazil)
  • Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria
  • National Gallery, Sofia
  • Ministry of Art and Culture (Cameroon)
  • National Gallery of Canada
  • Institut Ramon Llull
  • Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage (Chile)
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Chile
  • China Arts and Entertainment Group (CAEG)
  • Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia
  • National gallery Prague
  • Slovak National Gallery
  • Danish Arts Foundation
  • Museum of Anthropology and Contemporary Art of Ecuador
  • Egyptian Ministry of Culture
  • Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art
  • Frame Contemporary Art Finland
  • Institut Français
  • French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs
  • French Ministry of Culture
  • Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen
  • German Federal Foreign Office
  • British Council
  • Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki
  • Greek Ministry of Culture
  • Ministry of Culture and Sports (Guatemala)
  • Embassy of the Republic of Haiti in Italy
  • Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See
  • Hong Kong Museum of Art
  • Hong Kong Arts Development Council
  • Ludwig Museum
  • Icelandic Art Center
  • Ministry of Culture, Government of India
  • Ministry of Culture (Indonesia)
  • Douglas Hyde Gallery
  • Culture Ireland
  • Arts Council Ireland
  • Ministero della Cultura (Italy)
  • Japan Foundation
  • Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan
  • National Gallery of Kosovo
  • Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports of the Republic of Kosovo
  • Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic
  • Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art
  • Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia
  • Lebanese Visual Art Association
  • Lithuanian National Museum of Art
  • Lithuanian Council for Culture
  • Casino Luxembourg
  • Kultur lx Arts Council Luxembourg
  • Arts Council Malta
  • Embassy of the Republic of Moldova to the Italian Republic
  • Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication (Morocco)
  • Government of Nauru
  • Mondriaan Fund
  • Creative New Zealand
  • Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa
  • Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū
  • Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma
  • Moderna Museet
  • OCA – Office for Contemporary Art Norway
  • Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Culture, Sultanate of Oman
  • Ministry of National Heritage and Culture of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
  • Panama Ministry of Culture
  • Philippine Arts in Venice Biennale
  • Polish Pavilion in Venice
  • Ministry of Culture of Portugal
  • Romanian Ministry of Culture
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Romania)
  • Romanian Cultural Institute
  • FR Istituto d’Arte Contemporanea
  • State Secretariat for Education and Culture (San Marino)
  • Visual Arts Commission, Ministry of Culture (Saudi Arabia)
  • Mount Stuart Trust
  • Scotland + Venice
  • Creative Scotland
  • British Council Scotland
  • National Galleries of Scotland
  • Ministry of Culture, Crafts and Tourism of the Republic of Senegal
  • Belgrade City Museum
  • Singapore Art Museum
  • National Arts Council Singapore
  • Arts Council Korea
  • Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation
  • Acción Cultural Española
  • Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia
  • Ministry of Culture (Syria)
  • Taipei Fine Arts Museum
  • Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
  • Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts
  • Ministry of Culture of Ukraine
  • Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation
  • American Arts Conservancy
  • Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (US)
  • National Institute of Visual Arts, National Directorate of Culture, and Ministry of Education and Culture (Uruguay)
  • Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation
  • Wales in Venice
  • Arts Council of Wales
  • National Gallery of Zimbabwe
  • The Art Newspaper
  • La Biennale di Venezia
  • Central Pavilion
  • Austria Pavilion
  • Timor-Leste Pavilion
  • Great Britain Pavilion
  • Korea Pavilion
  • Pavilion of the Holy See
  • Giardini
  • Arsenale
  • Discalced Carmelites
  • Complesso di Santa Maria Ausiliatrice
  • Galerie Magazine

Locations

  • Venice
  • Italy
  • Giardini
  • Arsenale
  • Albania
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahamas
  • Belgium
  • Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Brazil
  • Bulgaria
  • Cameroon
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • China
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Slovakia
  • Denmark
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Ecuador
  • Egypt
  • Estonia
  • Ethiopia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Great Britain
  • Greece
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Haiti
  • Holy See
  • Hong Kong
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Ireland
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kosovo
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Latvia
  • Lebanon
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Mexico
  • Moldova
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Morocco
  • Nauru
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Aotearoa
  • Norway
  • Sweden
  • North Macedonia
  • Oman
  • Pakistan
  • Panama
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Qatar
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • San Marino
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Scotland
  • Senegal
  • Serbia
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • Slovenia
  • Somalia
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Switzerland
  • Syria
  • Taiwan
  • Timor-Leste
  • Turkey
  • Uganda
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United States
  • Uruguay
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vietnam
  • Wales
  • Zimbabwe
  • Castello
  • Cannaregio
  • Dorsoduro
  • San Marco
  • Palazzo Malipiero
  • Palazzo Zorzi
  • Palazzo Mora
  • Palazzo Donà dalle Rose
  • Palazzo Bollani
  • Palazzo Querini
  • Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello
  • Palazzo Navagero
  • Palazzo delle Prigioni
  • Palazzo Canal
  • Palazzo Correr
  • Palazzo Caboto
  • Centro Culturale Don Orione Artigianelli
  • Sala Tiziano
  • Scuola Grande di San Marco
  • Antico Refettorio
  • Il Giardino Bianco Art Space
  • Associazione Culturale Spiazzi
  • Docks Cantieri Cucchini
  • Spazio Berlendis
  • Spazio Castello
  • Spazio Santa Veneranda
  • Chiesa dei Santi Geremia e Lucia
  • Ex Cappella Buon Pastore
  • Ex Farmacia Solveni
  • Ex Chiesa di Santa Caterina
  • Tana Art Space
  • Fondamenta de la Tana
  • Fondaco Marcello
  • Tesa 42, Arsenale di Venezia
  • Isola di San Servolo
  • Liceo Guggenheim
  • Instituto Santa Maria della Pietà
  • Università IUAV di Venezia, Cotonificio campus
  • Ca' Faccanon
  • Giardino Mistico dei Carmelitani Scalzi
  • Complesso di Santa Maria Ausiliatrice
  • Museo Storico Navale di Venezia
  • Chiesa di Santa Maria del Pianto
  • Squero Castello
  • Artenova
  • Pietà Venezia
  • Patronato Salesiano Leone XIII
  • Campo de la Tana
  • Campo della Tana
  • Case Nuove 2738/C
  • Castello 1636/A
  • New Orleans
  • Southeast Asia
  • Korea
  • Eibingen

Sources