Alexandria Biennale to Return Next September After 12-Year Pause
After years of still water in Egypt’s cultural scene, the country is ready to reassert itself as a central node in Mediterranean and African art. Save to My Ocula
One of Egypt’s premier art events will return next September.
The Alexandria Biennale will hold its 27th edition next year after years of silence following political and budget instability in the midst of Egypt’s 2011 Revolution.
A brief revival in 2014 faced further financial and logistical hurdles, leading to 12 years of hiatus.
First launched in 1955 under President Gamal Abdel Nasser, the Alexandria Biennale is the world’s third-oldest, after Venice and São Paulo, and has aimed to foster dialogue among Mediterranean nations, historically bringing together artists from southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
Next year’s edition—titled This Too Shall Pass—will feature around 50 artists, primarily from the Mediterranean basin, emphasising regional dialogue and creative exchange.
The edition will be curated by Alexandria-born artist Moataz Nasr, who represented Egypt at the Venice Biennale in 2017 and founded the influential Darb 1718 art space in Cairo. Nasr has also long been a vocal advocate for stronger art funding in Egypt.
The biennale will unfold across Alexandria’s museums and ancient cultural landmarks—including a Roman amphitheatre—and will be complemented by capsule exhibitions, performances, lectures, and public educational programming.
The 2026 edition introduces a hybrid patronage model combining government support with private backing. While the Ministry of Culture provides seed funding, a circle of local patrons—including Mai Eldib, Ahmed Shaboury, Hisham El-Khazindar, Rasheed Kamel, and architect Omniya Abdel Barr—ensures financial stability and autonomy.
This public-private partnership signals a historic shift from past reliance on state funding, aiming to secure resilience and align the biennale with international practices. —[O]
Main image: Roman Amphitheatre of Alexandria, Egypt (2016). CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Daniel Mayer.
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