About

The proliferation of large-scale international recurrent exhibitions of contemporary art has been an important recent transition in the contemporary art world. Intersecting new and existing networks, these exhibitions and the institutions that produce them have been responsible for reshaping the contemporary art world over the past twenty-five years. Over one hundred biennial organizations operate around the globe. They often share similar objectives, practices and considerations, from curatorial and artistic strategies to political and economic agendas.

Objectives

Biennial Foundation:

  • operates internationally as an independent organization providing an open PLATFORM for contemporary biennial organizations and professionals within the biennial industry;
  • establishes contact between disparate biennial organizations and facilitates the exchange of information, experiences and expertise within a GLOBAL NETWORK of partner organizations;
  • assists partner organizations to critically reflect upon their mission and to DEVELOP and implement the highest standards of practice;
  • supports interdisciplinary research and production of KNOWLEDGE related to contemporary biennial organizations and exhibitions around the world;
  • diffuses knowledge and promotes public AWARENESS of contemporary art biennials, focusing on their shared objectives and common practices while acknowledging and celebrating their diversity;
  • reaches out to and actively COLLABORATES with other organizations that provide support for biennials around the world and/or share Biennial Foundation’s aims and values;
  • provides CONSULTANCY for individuals, associations, institutions and government bodies intending to enrich their local infrastructure for contemporary art by setting up
    a new international exhibition or perennial art event.

Legal Status

Biennial Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Athens, legally registered in the Netherlands, and global in its practice. Chamber of Commerce: 34364923

Biennial Foundation Team

The activities of Biennial Foundation are lead by the Director with the support of
a group of international professionals.

Mrs. Marieke van Hal (NL) Founding Director
Mrs. Maria Ververidou (GR/FR) General Management
Ms. Susanne Boecker (DE) Communication
Ms. Zoe Tahtara (GR) Archives and Administration
Mr. Seb Sueur (NL) Accounting

Administrative Board

The Administrative Board consists of specialists in the field of culture, marketing, law and business development. The Administrative Board is closely involved in the management of Biennial Foundation. The Administrative Board operates as a governing body. Control of Biennial Foundation and all its activities is vested in the members of this Board.
Click here to view biographies

Mrs. Marieke van Hal (NL) President, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Mr. Nikos Ververidis (GR) Treasurer, Athens, Greece
Mr. Victor N. de Vries (NL/GR), Shanghai, China
Ms. Venetia Giannisi (GR), Athens, Greece
Mrs. M. Ververidou (GR/FR), Johannesburg, South Africa

Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee of Biennial Foundation is composed of senior professionals
in the biennial industry from all over the world. Click here to view biographies

The current members of the Committee are:

Mr. Paul Domela – Programme Director Liverpool Biennial, United Kingdom
Mrs. Ursula Zeller – Director of Triennale Oberschwaben, Germany
Mr. Yongwoo Lee – Founding & Managing Director The Gwangju Biennale, South Korea
Mr. Khalil Rabah – Artist, Director of Riwaq Biennale, Palestine
Ms. Elena Filipovic – Art historian, Curator and Critic based in Berlin,
Curator of the 5th edition of Berlin Biennial (2008), co-editor The Biennial Reader (2010)
Prof. Yacouba Konaté, Curator, Artistic Director of the 2006 edition
of Dak’Art – Biennale de l’Art Africain Contemporain, Senegal
Mr. Jorge Antonio Fernández Torres – General Vice Director of Bienal de La Habana, Cuba
Mrs. Marah Braye – Chief Executive Officer of the Sydney Biennial, Australia

The members of Advisory Committee are dedicated to work in collaboration
with the Biennial Foundation team on the following tasks:

  • to contribute to the formulation of conceptual frameworks
    and policies for Biennial Foundation;
  • to provide advice on the current objectives and activities of Biennial Foundation;
  • to put in place a long-term plan for Biennial Foundation
    and annually evaluate its execution;
  • to act as ambassadors for Biennial Foundation and promote it within
    international forums of contemporary art;
  • to help Biennial Foundation establish new contacts and discover
    new opportunities, in particular within relevant regional networks;
  • to ensure the adequate representation of all international biennials
    in the activities of Biennial Foundation;
  • to stand for the sovereignty and integrity of Biennial Foundation.

Support

Biennial Foundation is supported by:

The Mondriaan Foundation (NL) stimulates visual arts, design and the cultural heritage from the Netherlands. It is committed to strengthening the international position of contemporary visual arts and design, and accomplishes this by offering financial support to enable institutions, companies and authorities, both national and international, to reach their audience.

IFA, the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (DE) is the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations and Germany’s leading organization for international cultural exchange. IFA operates both nationally and worldwide to promote the artistic exchange and dialogue between civil societies, and to provide information about foreign cultural policy.

The Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture (Fonds BKVB), financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, represents the national body responsible for enabling visual artists, cultural mediators, designers, and architects to develop their work. Fonds BKVB is especially active in the field of internationalization.

ArtnSports (Athens, GR) is a multi-faceted production company providing solutions for integrated digital campaigns, innovative communications strategies and content for Internet platforms and TV. ArtnSports’ products such as elculture.gr and the web-based television channel elctv reflect the company’s interest and activities in arts and culture at large.