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Historic Alexandria Biennale to Return After 12-Year Pause
After a 12-year hiatus, the Alexandria Biennale for Mediterranean Countries is set to return in 2026, restoring one of Egypt's most historic cultural events and the oldest art biennale in Africa.
Aug 06, 2025
The Alexandria Biennale for Mediterranean Countries will resume in 2026 following a 12-year interruption, marking the return of one of the region's most significant international art events. First launched in 1955 under the patronage of President Gamal Abdel-Nasser, the biennale has historically brought together artists from across the Mediterranean to exhibit in Egypt's coastal cultural capital.
The event was suspended around 2011 due to political instability. Though it reopened briefly in 2014, it faced ongoing financial and operational challenges that prevented further editions. The 2026 revival will mark the 27th edition of the biennale and its formal return as a platform for Mediterranean artistic exchange.
Modelled after the Venice Biennale - which first took place in 1895 and helped define the biennial art format - the Alexandria Biennale has long played a key role in spotlighting regional talent. Throughout its history, it has exhibited works by pioneering Egyptian artists including Inji Aflatoun, Gazbia Sirry and Adham Wanly.
In 2009, Alexandria-born artist Wael Shawky won the biennale's Grand Prize, and has since gone on to represent Egypt at the 2024 Venice Biennale with 'Drama 1882', a multi-part opera filmed in a historic theatre in Alexandria. The return of the Alexandria Biennale comes amid a wider effort to revitalise Egypt's cultural institutions and re-establish its role as a leading hub for Mediterranean and African art.
