Alexandria Biennale to Return in 2026

The MENA region’s oldest biennale makes a comeback

Did you know the world’s third oldest biennale is the Alexandria Biennale? And that the Alexandria Biennale is the oldest biennale in the MENA region? Established in 1955 under President Gamal Abdel Nasser, the Alexandria Biennale is the third oldest in the world after Venice and Sao Paulo. Now, after a 12-year break, it is making a return in 2026 with the title “This Too Shall Pass.”

The Alexandria Biennale last took place in 2014 and took a pause due to finances and logistics. The Biennale was also suspended in 2011 amidst the Egyptian revolution. The 2026 edition will gather 55 artists from across the Mediterranean and will take place in historical sites and venues across the city including the Alexandria Library, the Qaitbay Citadel, and the Roman amphitheater amongst many others. In addition, there will also be smaller exhibitions hosted at museums across Alexandria that highlight emerging Egyptian artists. In addition to exhibitions, the Biennale will also present performances and educational programmes.

For its 27th edition, the Biennale will be curated by Alexandria-born artist Moataz Nasr. While an established artist in his own right - Nasr represented Egypt in 2017 at the Venice Biennale - he is also a highly regarded curator, having run Cairo’s Darb1718 between 2008 and 2024, and having also curated three editions of Cairo’s Something Else off-biennial. “If you want to return, you have to do it to a high standard,” 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.” Nasr has said that he wishes the Biennale to be curated to the very highest standards, even telling The Art Newspaper that: “When the Ministry of Culture called me to propose working on the Alexandria Biennale, they said: ‘You’ve been complaining about curatorial work in Egypt for years. Now’s your chance. Show us how it’s done.’”

The Alexandria Biennale has always focused on artists from the Mediterranean, celebrating Alexandria’s place as the cultural capital of the region and as a platform for Mediterranean artistic exchange. Over the course of its history, the Alexandria Biennale has exhibited works by several major Egyptian artists including Inji Aflatoun, Gazbia Sirry, and Adham Wanly. Like the Venice Biennale - which it is reported the Alexandria Biennale is modelled after - the Alexandria Biennale also has a series of prizes. In fact, the winner of the 2009 Grand Prize - Wael Shawky - went on to represent Egypt at the 2024 Venice Biennale, with a multi-part opera - Drama 1882 - that was filmed in a historic theatre in Alexandria.

In terms of the organisation of the Biennale, a new scheme is in place to ensure that there is less reliance on state funding and to ensure its longevity in the future. While the government has provided the initial startup capital, local companies have also made their own contributions. The blend of private partners with public investments is expected to result in a sustainable model for not just the Alexandria Biennale, but also the development of other cultural projects in the city.

The return of the Alexandria Biennale not only signals the city’s importance within the global art world, but also brings a spotlight to Alexandria’s status as both a historical and a contemporary cultural hub. We can’t wait to see what the oldest biennale in Africa has in store when it returns.