Biennale of Sydney

Australia's largest and most important contemporary visual arts event

Founded in 1973 by Italian-Australian businessman Franco Belgiorno-Nettis, the Biennale of Sydney was conceived as a Pacific counterpart to the Venice Biennale. From a 37-artist debut at the Sydney Opera House it has grown into Australia's most significant international art exhibition — and, since Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev's 2008 expansion to Cockatoo Island and Brook Andrew's NIRIN (2020), into a platform that pairs Asia-Pacific dialogue with First Nations curatorship.