11th General Assembly

The International Biennial Association (IBA) is pleased to announce that our 11th General Assembly will take place in partnership with La Biennale de Lyon between October 11–14 during the staging of the 17th Lyon Biennale—“Les voix des fleuves, Crossing the water”.

The title of the 11th General Assembly will be “Mending the Shores: Transforming Biennials for a Sustainable Future” to strengthen and reiterate the commitment of our members to act responsibly and create resilient institutions.

Within an ongoing climatic crisis and with conflicts brought about by an increasing number of anti-democratic political actors ruling over large parts of the globe, we feel the urge to ask ourselves key questions regarding the sustainability and resilience of the biennial model and how to maintain these as key spaces for dialogue and production of vital critical discourses.

As we gather under a title which evokes a duty of care and the need to keep our organisations versatile and adaptable to future challenges, we invite participants to engage in a series of discussions, workshops, and panels led by experts and peers, including curators, artists, and biennial organisers from across the world. With a rich and diverse program, we aim to explore best practices that can reduce the ecological impact of biennials while fostering inclusivity, social justice, and artistic freedom.

The 11th General Assembly will include a full day of public program designed to provoke thought and inspire our members and the wider public of La Biennale de Lyon. The program will begin with a keynote address by renowned historian Didier Gondola, setting the stage for three dynamic panels. The first panel, “Sustainability Through De-Growth? Between Ecological and Strategic Thinking,” will explore new ways through which biennials can reposition themselves and move away from a logic of incremental growth while highlighting their positive cultural impact. The second panel, “Inclusivity and Diversity: How to Broaden the Role of Society in All Its Complexity?” will reflect on the current status of biennials and address ways to make biennials more representative and inclusive of diverse voices. Finally, the third panel, “Solidarity and the Global Networks: What Role Can Biennials Play in Times of Global Polarisation and Conflict?” will examine the critical role that biennials can play in fostering solidarity and collaboration in an increasingly divided world.

As a fitting conclusion to this year’s General Assembly, we will witness the historic signing of the “Guiding Principles” document—the first-ever code of conduct for biennials. This groundbreaking initiative establishes a shared commitment among our members to uphold ethical standards and embrace sustainable, inclusive, and culturally responsible practices. The document marks a pivotal step in redefining the role of biennials in a rapidly changing world and reaffirms our collective dedication to fostering positive change.

Why participate?
IBA is first and foremost a community and, as such, its most important quality lies in the possibility of gathering and discussing together, to provide support, advice and collaborative structures to each of its member organizations. Throughout the last decade and together with its members, IBA has developed cooperation programs between biennials, acted as an advocacy platform for biennials in need, and provided a platform for biennials to showcase their projects while at the same time building a valuable archive.

With the goal of establishing deeper connections within our growing network of biennials, we invite biennial professionals from all over the world to consider becoming members of IBA and attending our 11th General Assembly in Lyon. Details about our program and how to RSVP may be found on our website.