Egypt revives historic Alexandria Biennale after 12 years

After a 12-year hiatus, Egypt’s historic Alexandria Biennale will return in September 2026, marking the revival of the world’s third-oldest biennial exhibition after Venice and São Paulo. Curated by renowned Egyptian artist Moataz Nasr under the title “This Too Shall Pass,” the 27th edition will feature 55 artists primarily from Mediterranean countries, while operating under a new public-private partnership model rather than being entirely state-funded like previous iterations.observer

A Historic Cultural Institution Returns

The Alexandria Biennale for Mediterranean Countries was first established in 1955 under President Gamal Abdel Nasser, positioning Egypt’s coastal cultural capital as a major force in international art. According to Al-Ahram, the biennale is “the second oldest fine arts biennale in the world [after the Venice Biennale], and the oldest in the MENA region”.observer

The exhibition was suspended in 2011 due to Egypt’s political instability following the revolution, with a brief revival in 2014 before facing ongoing financial and operational challenges. The last full edition took place in 2009, when Alexandria-born artist Wael Shawky won the Grand Prize. Shawky has since represented Egypt at the 2024 Venice Biennale with “Drama 1882,” a multi-part opera filmed in a historic Alexandria theater.artdependence

New Leadership and Vision

Moataz Nasr, the 64-year-old Alexandria-born artist who now lives in Cairo, brings significant international credentials to the curatorial role. He represented Egypt at the 2017 Venice Biennale with his video installation “The Mountain” and founded Darb 1718, an influential contemporary art center in Cairo that operated from 2008 until its demolition in 2024. According to The Art Newspaper, when Egypt’s Ministry of Culture offered him the position, they said: “You’ve been complaining for years about curating in Egypt. Now here’s your chance. Show us how it’s done”.observer

The organizing committee includes officials from Egypt’s Ministry of Culture alongside private patrons active on the international art scene, such as Mai Eldib, Ahmed Shaboury, Hisham El-Khazindar, Rasheed Kamel and architect Omniya Abdel Barr. This public-private partnership reflects Egypt’s difficult economic situation while providing the event with greater independence.theartnewspaper

Cultural Revival Context

The biennale’s return comes amid broader efforts to revitalize Egypt’s cultural institutions and re-establish its role as a Mediterranean and African art hub. The Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza Pyramids, which has been in a trial phase since October 2024 and welcomes 4,000 visitors daily, exemplifies this cultural renaissance. At 500,000 square meters, the museum is twice the size of the Louvre and houses over 100,000 artifacts.observer

Other initiatives like “Forever Is Now,” which has staged contemporary art at the Pyramids of Giza since 2019, demonstrate how Egypt is reconnecting its ancient heritage with contemporary creativity. As Nasr told The Art Newspaper: “The art scene in Egypt is like a lake that has been still for a long time, with no oxygen able to reach the bottom. We want to throw a big stone into the lake and make waves. It is a time for change”.theartnewspaper