Biennale of Sydney

The Biennale of Sydney is one of the leading international contemporary art events. It plays an indispensable role in Australia’s engagement with the world, and a meaningful role in the life of the nation.

Since 1973, the Biennale has showcased artworks by more than 1,800 artists from 100 countries. It connects local communities and global networks through expansive exhibitions that challenge deeply held assumptions; providing free art and thinking, for all to enjoy.

Brook Andrew, one of Australia’s most distinguished artists, is Artistic Director of the exhibition, titled NIRIN. Meaning edge, NIRIN is a word of Brook’s mother’s Nation, the Wiradjuri people of western New South Wales.

The 22nd Biennale of Sydney is an artist- and First Nation-led endeavor that will bring together artists, makers, scientists, academics and thinkers from around the world. They will deliver artworks, insights, ideas and projects that challenge dominant narratives, share Indigenous knowledge, displace conventional notions of the centre and reimagine the role of the arts institution.

In the year of the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook’s landing, art is an essential catalyst for change. The Biennale of Sydney will be one of the most important cultural events for the country in 2020.

Each visit to NIRIN will be a new and different experience. Through collaborative interventions, we will create a more inclusive culture; one that brings together people from across the city, state, country and the world.
The 22nd Biennale of Sydney will be open free to the public from 14 March to 8 June 2020. Venues include the Art Gallery of NSW, Artspace, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Cockatoo Island, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and the National Art School.