Become the Host of the 14th IBA General Assembly (2027)

Call for Expressions of Interest | Become the Host of the 14th IBA General Assembly (2027)

We are pleased to invite our members to submit expressions of interest to host the 14th General Assembly, to be held in 2027.

For the first time since the 3rd General Assembly, this open invitation encourages members to actively propose a program for the most important collective moment in the IBA calendar.

Throughout the years, General Assemblies (GA) have remained a key moment to strengthen a cornerstone of IBA’s founding mission: to exchange experiences, develop collaborative projects, and strengthen mutual support among biennials worldwide through in-person meetings. They are moments of encounter where members deepen their understanding of one another’s institutional models, regional contexts, and artistic milieus in which they operate, while also building connections that extend beyond the biennial field through dialogue with local institutions, cultural actors, and international peers.

For the host institution, the GA offers a platform for visibility and engagement. Alongside the internal members’ programme, designed to provide a space for peer-to-peer discussion on issues central to current biennial practice, and to allow for the confidentiality sometimes required by professional exchange, the GA traditionally includes public-facing formats that include conferences, symposia, or roundtables. These moments create an opportunity for the host to extend the biennial’s thematic framework through the contributions of IBA members and invited thinkers, situating the exhibition more deeply within broader international discourses, as demonstrated by our previous programmes.

Since our inaugural meeting in Berlin (2014), held at Haus der Kulturen der Welt during the 8th Berlin Biennale, the GA has been staged across continents with each edition shaped by the context of its host and the urgencies of its time.

From Sharjah (2015) and Milan (2016) to Yokohama (2017) and Kochi (2018), the early assemblies established a rhythm of public conferences, keynote lectures, and member-driven exchange addressing themes such as migration, connectivity, and shifting cultural landscapes. Subsequent gatherings in Santiago (2019) and the online editions of 2020 and 2021 responded to global transformation and pandemic conditions, rethinking how we could convene and collaborate across distances. The return to an in-person format in Prishtina (2022), hosted by Manifesta 14, reaffirmed the Assembly’s role as a space for collective reflection, focus groups, and public dialogue on the future of biennials. This momentum continued with gatherings in São Paulo (2023) and Lyon (2024), where members voted to adopt and formally sign IBA’s key framework document, the Guiding Principles, marking an important step in articulating shared values for the global biennial community. In Liverpool (2025), the Assembly further expanded conversations around memory, place, and institutional responsibility, while the 2026 GA will take place in Sydney in June, continuing this trajectory of international exchange and collaboration.

Over the years, the General Assembly became a shared space of learning, solidarity, and collaboration for the global biennial community.

Invitation to Propose the 2027 Host

We now warmly invite our member biennials to submit a preliminary expression of interest to host the 14th General Assembly in 2027. This initial stage is intended as a signal of intent and acknowledgement of the hosting guidelines (available as a downloadable PDF accompanying this call). Following this phase, selected candidates will be invited into further dialogue to develop a full proposal in collaboration with the IBA team and the Programming Committee.

Deadline for Preliminary Expressions of Interest: 31 March 2026

Hosting a General Assembly is both a responsibility and an opportunity, a chance to welcome the international biennial community, to open new public conversations, and to contribute to the evolving future of biennial culture worldwide.

We look forward to seeing your vision for the 14th General Assembly!

Find all the details and requirements for the submission in this attachment.

How to Apply

Interested parties should submit a digital dossier to the IBA Office at info@biennialassociation.org. Your proposal should include:

• Statement of Intent: Why should the GA be hosted by your biennial in 2027?
• Proposed Dates: Suggested window in 2027 (considering local conditions and art calendars).
• Financial Plan: A preliminary budget outlining host contributions.