The art world’s biennials, triennials, and festivals are set to unfold across the globe in 2025, offering art lovers a rare chance to engage with some of the most innovative and compelling contemporary art exhibitions. Among the most anticipated events are the inaugural Bukhara Biennial in Uzbekistan, the 13th Liverpool Biennial in the UK, and the 12th Site Santa Fe International Biennial in the US. Each event promises to offer unique insights into culture, history, and the power of art to transcend borders and time.
Site Santa Fe International: Once Within a Time
Santa Fe, USA – 28 June 2025 – 13 January 2026
The 12th edition of Site Santa Fe’s biennial will be curated by Cecilia Alemani, the Italian-born, New York-based curator renowned for her impactful exhibition at the 59th Venice Biennale. Titled Once Within a Time, the exhibition draws inspiration from Godfrey Reggio’s 2022 film, which explores time, history, and the human experience.
Featuring over 60 international artists, the exhibition will take visitors on a journey through Santa Fe’s layered past, from indigenous cultures to colonial history. The show will expand beyond Site Santa Fe, extending to various venues across the city, including the Museum of International Folk Art and unconventional locations like hotel rooms and toy shops. Alemani’s curatorial approach emphasises a multiplicity of voices and perspectives, creating a dynamic and immersive experience that reflects the complexity of Santa Fe’s identity.
Bukhara Biennial: Recipes for Broken Hearts
Bukhara, Uzbekistan – 5 September – 20 November 2025
The first-ever Bukhara Biennial will explore themes of healing and transformation through art, focusing on communal participation. Curated by Diana Campbell, also known for her work with the Dhaka Art Summit, Recipes for Broken Hearts will examine how art can offer solace and hope in times of pain. Located in Bukhara, a city with a rich history centred on culture, science, and spirituality, the biennial will feature renowned artists such as Antony Gormley, Behzod Boltaev, and Himali Singh Soin. Visitors will be invited to engage with the city’s historical sites and participate in collaborative artistic experiences that encourage personal reflection and collective healing.
Liverpool Biennial: Bedrock
Liverpool, UK – 7 June – 14 September 2025
Liverpool’s 13th Biennial will be shaped by the city’s complex relationship with colonialism, migration, and history. Curator Marie-Anne McQuay has chosen the theme Bedrock to reflect the city’s sandstone foundations, which serve as a metaphor for the way the empire has shaped the region’s geography, economy, and culture. The biennial will feature 30 international artists, including Sheila Hicks, Hadassa Ngamba, and Imayna Caceres, whose works respond to themes of geography, memory, and colonial legacies. The exhibition will encourage visitors to consider Liverpool’s role in the global exchange of ideas and its ongoing connection to a colonial past that continues to resonate in the present.
Global Biennial and Triennial Highlights for 2025
While Santa Fe, Bukhara, and Liverpool stand out as major highlights, 2025 promises an exciting lineup of other important biennials, triennials, and festivals worldwide. Below is a month-by-month guide to the most significant artistic gatherings throughout the year.
January
- Islamic Arts Biennale
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – 25 January – 25 May
February
- Sharjah Biennial 16
Sharjah, UAE – 6 February – 15 June - Hawai‘i Triennial
Hawaii, USA – 15 February – 4 May
March
- Desert X 2025
Coachella Valley, USA – 8 March – 11 May
April
- (No major biennials or triennials)
May
- 14th Mercosul Biennial
Porto Alegre, Brazil – 27 March – 1 June - 24th Triennale di Milano
Milan, Italy – 13 May – 9 November - 19th International Architecture Exhibition
Venice, Italy – 10 May – 23 November
June
- 1st Boston Public Art Triennial
Boston, USA – 22 May – 31 October - London Design Biennale
London, UK – 5 – 29 June - Ljubljana Biennale of Graphic Arts
Ljubljana, Slovenia – 6 June – 12 October - 13th Liverpool Biennial
Liverpool, UK – 7 June – 14 September - Helsinki Biennial
Helsinki, Finland – 8 June – 21 September - 13th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art
Berlin, Germany – 14 June – 14 September
July
- Momentum 13
Moss, Norway – 14 June – 12 October - Folkestone Triennial
Folkestone, UK – 19 July – 19 October
August
- Edinburgh Art Festival
Edinburgh, UK – 7 – 24 August - 41st EVA International
Limerick, Ireland – 29 August – 26 October - Seoul Mediacity Biennale
Seoul, South Korea – August – November
September
- 1st Bukhara Biennial
Bukhara, Uzbekistan – 5 September – 20 November - Bienal de São Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil – 6 September – 11 January 2026 - Bergen Assembly 2025
Bergen, Norway – 11 September – 9 November - Aichi Triennale 2025
Aichi, Japan – 13 September – 30 November - 18th Istanbul Biennial
Istanbul, Turkey – 20 September – 23 November - 13th Göteborg International Biennial for Contemporary Art
Göteborg, Sweden – 20 September – 30 November - Walk&Talk Bienal de Arte
São Miguel Island, Portugal – 25 September – 30 November
October
- Made in LA 2025
Los Angeles, USA – October – January 2026 - LagosPhoto Festival 2025
Lagos, Nigeria – October – January 2026
November
- 14th Taipei Biennial
Taipei, Taiwan – November - 15th Shanghai Biennale
Shanghai, China – 8 November – 31 March 2026
December
- 6th Kochi-Muziris Biennale
Fort Kochi, India – 12 December – 31 March 2026
With a rich diversity of creative expression, these global events offer an extraordinary cross-section of the world’s most pressing issues, ranging from environmental concerns to cultural identity, all set within the historical and architectural richness of the host cities. Whether you’re visiting Santa Fe, exploring the ancient city of Bukhara, or delving into Liverpool’s colonial past, the biennials of 2025 promise to offer unforgettable encounters with the power of contemporary art. Don’t miss out on these transformative experiences—2025 is a year for art lovers to travel far and wide.
Written by: Lydia Kelly
Published: 7th January 2025