Biennale Bumped to 2021

In early March the Biennale bumped its opening date from May 23 to August 29. Even with Italy entering lockdown at the time, the three-month delay seemed tenable. But in the ensuing months the reality of the coronavirus, not to mention the possibility of a second wave of infections later in the year, have pushed other events to 2021 and made the possibility of an August opening more and more unlikely. In this context today's announcement from La Biennale di Venezia is hardly surprising.

So the dates of the 17th International Architecture Exhibition will be May 22 to Sunday November 21, 2021. In turn, the art exhibition that the Biennale alternates with will move to 2022 (April 23 - November 27).

The decision to postpone the Biennale Architettura to May 2021 is an acknowledgment that it is impossible to move forward – within the set time limits – in the realization of such a complex and worldwide exhibition, due to the persistence of a series of objective difficulties caused by the effects by the health emergency underway.

The current situation, up to now, has definitely prejudiced the realization of the Exhibition in its entirety, jeopardizing the realization, transport and presence of the works and consequently the quality of the Exhibition itself. Therefore, after consulting with the Curator Hashim Sarkis and in consideration of the problems, the invited architects, Participating Countries, institutions, Collateral Events are facing, thanking all of them for their efforts so far, La Biennale has decided to postpone the opening date of the Biennale Architettura to the year 2021, extending its duration back to the customary six months, from May 22nd to November 21st.