Global Biennales Overview

An extensive analysis of 86 carefully selected international art biennales, triennales, and recurring exhibitions shaping contemporary discourse across six continents

Featured Exhibitions Global Statistics Complete Directory Regional Analysis

Global Distribution & Analysis

Understanding the geographic and typological landscape of our selected contemporary art exhibitions worldwide

86
Total Exhibitions
63
Biennial Format
18
Triennial Format
6
Continents
32
European Events
67
Focus on Art

Our Full Directory

Extensive catalog of selected international biennales, triennales, and recurring art exhibitions

Name Link Location Region Type Focus Description
Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art → Adelaide, Australia Oceania Biennial Art Australia's longest-running survey of contemporary Australian art
AFiRIperFOMA Biennial → Lagos, Nigeria Africa Biennial Performance Nigeria's premier platform for performance art
Aichi Triennale → Nagoya, Japan Asia Triennial Art One of Japan's largest international contemporary art festivals
Americas Biennial → Various cities, United States Americas Biennial Art Exploring contemporary art practices across the Americas
Andorra Land Art → Andorra Europe Biennial Land Art Site-specific land art in the Pyrenees mountains
ANOZERO – Coimbra Biennial → Coimbra, Portugal Europe Biennial Art Contemporary art event in Portugal's historic university city
Antarctic Biennale → Antarctica Antarctica Biennial Expedition A unique cultural expedition exploring art in Earth's southernmost continent
Anren Biennale → Anren, China Asia Biennial Art Contemporary art exhibition in a historic Chinese town
Asia Pacific Triennial → Brisbane, Australia Oceania Triennial Art Major platform for art from Asia, the Pacific and Australia
Bahia Biennale → Salvador da Bahia, Brazil Americas Biennial Art Contemporary art event exploring cultural connections between Brazil and Africa
Ballarat International Foto Biennale → Ballarat, Australia Oceania Biennial Photography Australia's leading contemporary photographic arts festival
Baltic Triennial → Vilnius, Lithuania Europe Triennial Art Major international contemporary art event in the Baltic region
Bamako Encounters → Bamako, Mali Africa Biennial Photography Africa's principal event dedicated to photography and lens-based media
Bangkok Art Biennale → Bangkok, Thailand Asia Biennial Art Contemporary art festival utilizing Bangkok's historical landmarks and urban spaces
Bangkok Biennial → Bangkok, Thailand Asia Biennial Art Artist-initiated, open-access platform utilizing decentralized pavilions across Bangkok
Beaufort Triennial → Belgian Coast, Belgium Europe Triennial Public Art Outdoor sculpture exhibition along the Belgian coastline
Bergen Assembly → Bergen, Norway Europe Triennial Art Contemporary art triennial offering an experimental approach to art and research
Berlin Biennale → Berlin, Germany Europe Biennial Art A prestigious platform for radical contemporary art approaches and international discourse
Busan Biennale → Busan, South Korea Asia Biennial Art Contemporary art event exploring the cultural identity of the port city
CAFAM Biennale → Beijing, China Asia Biennial Art Contemporary art biennale organized by the Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum
Cairo Biennale → Cairo, Egypt Africa Biennial Art One of the oldest contemporary art biennales in the Arab world
California-Pacific Triennial → Newport Beach, United States Americas Triennial Art Exhibition focusing on contemporary art from countries bordering the Pacific Ocean
Carnegie International → Pittsburgh, United States Americas Every 3-5 years Art The oldest North American exhibition of international contemporary art
Chicago Architecture Biennial → Chicago, USA Americas Biennial Architecture North America's largest international survey of contemporary architecture
Contour Biennale → Mechelen, Belgium Europe Biennial Moving Image Exhibition dedicated to moving image, exploring relationships between visual art and film
Dak'Art → Dakar, Senegal Africa Biennial Art Africa's most significant contemporary art biennale, dedicated to promoting African artists
Dallas Biennial → Dallas, USA Americas Biennial Art Artist-run biennial presenting contemporary art in various locations across Dallas
DeCordova New England Biennial → Lincoln, USA Americas Biennial Art Showcasing the work of established and emerging artists from the New England region
Desert X → Coachella Valley, USA Americas Biennial Land Art Site-specific exhibition of contemporary art installations set in the desert landscape
Design Biennale Zurich → Zurich, Switzerland Europe Biennial Design Exhibition exploring contemporary design practices and their implications
Diriyah Biennale → Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Middle East Biennial Art Saudi Arabia's first contemporary art biennale
documenta → Kassel, Germany Europe Every 5 years Art One of the world's most influential contemporary art exhibitions
East Africa Art Biennale → Various cities, East Africa Africa Biennial Art Traveling exhibition showcasing contemporary art from East African countries
Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale → Niigata Prefecture, Japan Asia Triennial Art One of the world's largest art festivals, spanning 760 square kilometers of rural Japan
Emscherkunst → Ruhr Region, Germany Europe Triennial Land Art Site-specific installations along the Emscher River Valley
End of the World Biennial → Ushuaia, Argentina Americas Biennial Art Contemporary art exhibition held in the southernmost city in the world
EVA International → Limerick, Ireland Europe Biennial Art Ireland's biennial of contemporary art
Fellbach Triennial → Fellbach, Germany Europe Triennial Sculpture Small-scale sculpture exhibition with a focus on current trends
Florence Biennale → Florence, Italy Europe Biennial Art International exhibition of contemporary art
Folkestone Triennial → Folkestone, United Kingdom Europe Triennial Public Art Ambitious public art exhibition in the seaside town
FotoFest → Houston, USA Americas Biennial Photography The longest-running international photographic arts festival in the United States
FRESTAS Triennial → Sorocaba, Brazil Americas Triennial Art Contemporary art exhibition focusing on Brazilian and international artists
FRONT International → Cleveland, USA Americas Triennial Art Contemporary art triennial across Northeast Ohio
GIBCA – Göteborg International Biennial → Gothenburg, Sweden Europe Biennial Art Contemporary art biennial exploring sociopolitical issues
Glasgow International → Glasgow, Scotland Europe Biennial Art Festival showcasing Glasgow as a key international center for contemporary visual art
Gwangju Biennale → Gwangju, South Korea Asia Biennial Art Asia's oldest and most prestigious contemporary art biennale
Havana Biennial → Havana, Cuba Americas Biennial Art Influential platform for contemporary art from Latin America, Africa, and Asia
Helsinki Photo Biennial → Helsinki, Finland Europe Biennial Photography International photography festival featuring Nordic and international practices
Herzliya Biennial → Herzliya, Israel Middle East Biennial Art Contemporary art event exploring the intersection of art and urban contexts
India Art Fair → New Delhi, India Asia Annual Art South Asia's leading platform for contemporary and modern art
Incheon Women Artists' Biennale → Incheon, South Korea Asia Biennial Art Contemporary art exhibition focused on promoting women artists
International Public Art Festival → Cape Town, South Africa Africa Annual Public Art Street art festival transforming urban spaces through murals and installations
Istanbul Biennial → Istanbul, Turkey Europe Biennial Art Prestigious contemporary art exhibition in a city straddling Europe and Asia
Jakarta Biennale → Jakarta, Indonesia Asia Biennial Art One of Southeast Asia's longest-running contemporary art exhibitions
Japan Media Arts Festival → Tokyo, Japan Asia Annual Media Arts International festival honoring outstanding works in animation, manga, digital art
Johannesburg Biennale → Johannesburg, South Africa Africa Biennial Art Influential exhibition that marked South Africa's re-entry into the global art world
Kathmandu Triennale → Kathmandu, Nepal Asia Triennial Art Nepal's premier international platform focused on decolonization and indigenous knowledge
Kaunas Biennial → Kaunas, Lithuania Europe Biennial Art Contemporary art event exploring Lithuania's cultural identity
Kochi-Muziris Biennale → Kochi, India Asia Biennial Art India's first large-scale international contemporary art exhibition
Korea Media Art Biennale → Seoul, South Korea Asia Biennial Media Arts Exhibition focusing on digital and media arts
Lisbon Architecture Triennale → Lisbon, Portugal Europe Triennial Architecture International forum for debate and dissemination of architecture
Liverpool Biennial → Liverpool, United Kingdom Europe Biennial Art The UK's largest international contemporary art festival
London Design Biennale → London, United Kingdom Europe Biennial Design International exhibition of design installations
Lyon Biennale → Lyon, France Europe Biennial Art Major contemporary art exhibition known for its thematic curation
Manifesta → Various European cities Europe Biennial Art Nomadic European biennial that changes location every two years
Marrakech Biennale → Marrakech, Morocco Middle East Biennial Art Cultural festival promoting contemporary visual art, film, and literature
Seoul Mediacity Biennale → Seoul, South Korea Asia Biennial Media Arts Exhibition examining the relationship between art, technology, and urban environments
Mercosul Biennial → Porto Alegre, Brazil Americas Biennial Art Major exhibition showcasing art from Mercosul countries
Momentum Nordic Biennial → Moss, Norway Europe Biennial Art Exhibition showcasing contemporary art from the Nordic countries
New Frontiers Biennial → Sundance, USA Americas Biennial Art Exhibition focusing on the intersection of film, art, technology, and new media
New Museum Triennial → New York, USA Americas Triennial Art Exhibition dedicated to emerging artists from around the world
October Salon - Belgrade Biennale → Belgrade, Serbia Europe Biennial Art Showcasing Serbian and international contemporary art
Oslo Architecture Triennale → Oslo, Norway Europe Triennial Architecture Nordic region's largest architecture festival
Performa → New York, USA Americas Biennial Performance International biennial dedicated to live performance across disciplines
PhotoQuai → Paris, France Europe Biennial Photography Open-air photography exhibition showcasing non-Western photographers
Prospect New Orleans → New Orleans, USA Americas Triennial Art Contemporary art triennial founded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina
Pune Biennale → Pune, India Asia Biennial Art Urban contemporary art festival engaging with Pune's historical and social contexts
Rome Quadriennale → Rome, Italy Europe Every 4 years Art Major national survey exhibition of Italian contemporary art
Rauma Triennale → Rauma, Finland Europe Triennial Art Contemporary art exhibition set in the historic wooden town of Rauma
Riga International Biennial of Contemporary Art → Riga, Latvia Europe Biennial Art Contemporary art exhibition focusing on the Baltic region
Rio Art Biennial → Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Americas Biennial Art Contemporary art exhibition showcasing Brazilian and international artists
São Paulo Biennial → São Paulo, Brazil Americas Biennial Art The second oldest art biennial globally and Latin America's premier contemporary art platform
Setouchi Triennale → Seto Inland Sea, Japan Asia Triennial Art Contemporary art festival spread across multiple islands
Sharjah Biennial → Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Middle East Biennial Art Leading platform for contemporary art in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia
Skulptur Projekte Münster → Münster, Germany Europe Every 10 years Sculpture Prestigious decennial exhibition exploring sculpture, public space, and urban environment
Biennale of Sydney → Sydney, Australia Oceania Biennial Art Australia's largest and most important contemporary visual arts event
Taipei Biennial → Taipei, Taiwan Asia Biennial Art Major contemporary art exhibition exploring global issues through Taiwanese culture
Tbilisi Triennial → Tbilisi, Georgia Asia Triennial Art Contemporary art exhibition exploring the cultural identity of the Caucasus region
Thailand Biennale → Various cities, Thailand Asia Biennial Art Government-initiated contemporary art event held in different locations
Toronto Biennial of Art → Toronto, Canada Americas Biennial Art Exhibition reflecting Toronto's diverse communities with emphasis on indigenous perspectives
Ushuaia Biennial → Ushuaia, Argentina Americas Biennial Art Contemporary art exhibition exploring themes of borders and extremes
Venice Biennale → Venice, Italy Europe Biennial Art The world's oldest and most prestigious international art exhibition
Venice Architecture Biennale → Venice, Italy Europe Biennial Architecture The architecture section of the Venice Biennale
Whitney Biennial → New York, USA Americas Biennial Art America's preeminent survey of contemporary art
Xiamen International Art Festival → Xiamen, China Asia Biennial Art Contemporary art exhibition showcasing works from the Asia-Pacific region
Yokohama Triennale → Yokohama, Japan Asia Triennial Art One of Japan's most prominent international contemporary art exhibitions
Zürich Art Weekend → Zürich, Switzerland Europe Annual Art Contemporary art event bringing together galleries, museums, and institutions

Regional Analysis

Understanding the geographic distribution and cultural significance of contemporary art exhibitions

Europe (32 selected exhibitions)

The continent with the richest biennale tradition in our directory, anchored by historic platforms like Venice Biennale and documenta. European exhibitions often emphasize critical discourse, institutional critique, and experimental curatorial approaches.

Key characteristics: Historical significance, institutional support, critical theoretical frameworks, extensive public funding

Asia (23 selected exhibitions)

A rapidly expanding region featuring both established platforms and emerging voices in our selection. Asian biennales increasingly serve as bridges between traditional practices and contemporary global art discourse.

Key characteristics: Cultural exchange, economic growth, emerging markets, post-colonial perspectives, technological innovation

Americas (20 selected exhibitions)

From the established Whitney Biennial to emerging platforms in Latin America, our selected Americas exhibitions present diverse approaches reflecting complex colonial histories and contemporary social realities.

Key characteristics: Regional identity, post-colonial discourse, indigenous perspectives, social justice themes

Africa (6 selected exhibitions)

Though fewer in our selection, African biennales like Dak'Art in Dakar have profound cultural significance, providing essential platforms for African artists and addressing continental concerns.

Key characteristics: Cultural preservation, diaspora connections, post-independence narratives, emerging art markets

Middle East (4 selected exhibitions)

Led by the influential Sharjah Biennial in our directory, Middle Eastern exhibitions navigate complex geopolitical realities while fostering crucial artistic dialogue across cultural boundaries.

Key characteristics: Geopolitical complexity, cultural diplomacy, regional dialogue, emerging patronage systems

Oceania (4 selected exhibitions)

Australian and Pacific exhibitions in our selection emphasize regional identity while maintaining strong connections to Asia-Pacific cultural networks and indigenous perspectives.

Key characteristics: Pacific Rim connections, indigenous cultures, environmental themes, regional networks

The Biennale Phenomenon: Mapping Contemporary Art's Global Infrastructure

The proliferation of biennales and triennales over the past three decades represents one of the most significant developments in contemporary art's institutional landscape. These recurring exhibitions have evolved from sporadic cultural events into a sophisticated global network that shapes artistic discourse, establishes regional cultural identities, and facilitates unprecedented international dialogue.

This extensive directory reveals the remarkable geographic diversity within our curated selection of contemporary art's institutional infrastructure. From the Antarctic Biennale's unique expedition format to the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale's integration with rural Japanese communities, these selected exhibitions demonstrate art's capacity to engage with diverse contexts while maintaining coherent international discourse.

The prevalence of European and American exhibitions in our selection reflects historical patterns of cultural influence and institutional development, yet the significant representation of Asian platforms and the continued importance of exhibitions in Africa and the Middle East indicate a genuine democratization of contemporary art's global conversation. Each region brings distinct perspectives, curatorial approaches, and artistic concerns that collectively enrich the international art world's complexity and relevance.