Italy's culture minister will boycott Venice Biennale opening over Russia's reinstatement

Italy’s culture minister, Alessandro Giuli, said he will not attend the Venice Biennale’s preview days or its May 9 opening because Russia has been allowed back into the event. (euronews.com) Italy’s culture ministry said Giuli will not travel to Venice for the pre-opening days of the 61st Biennale Arte, and he will also skip the opening ceremony on May 9, 2026. (euronews.com) Russia had not taken part since 2022, the year it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco approved the reopening of the Russian pavilion for 2026. (euronews.com 1) (euronews.com 2) The 61st International Art Exhibition runs from May 9 to November 22, 2026, with preview days on May 6, 7 and 8. La Biennale says the show includes 100 national participations. (labiennale.org) The Russian Federation pavilion is set to remain closed to the public for the entire run of the exhibition, from May 9 to November 22, while being accessible only to media during the preview days, according to Euronews, citing Adnkronos. (euronews.com) That has not stopped the dispute from widening beyond Venice. The European Commission has threatened to freeze or revoke €2 million in funding allocated to the Biennale through 2028 unless it clarifies its position within 30 days. (euronews.com) Latvia said on April 21 that its call to exclude Russia from the Biennale had backing from 20 other countries plus Ukraine. The Latvian statement said Russia’s presence risked “normalizing” the war against Kyiv. (ansa.it) The Biennale has defended the decision by saying it has not breached sanctions on Moscow. In March, it said “no regulations have been violated” and argued that sanctions had been fully respected. (ansa.it) Buttafuoco has also argued that the Biennale should make room for dissidents, saying the 2026 edition would include projects tied to the legacy of the 1977 “Biennale of Dissent.” (ansa.it) The split runs through Italian politics as well. Giuli has pushed for Russia’s invitation to be revoked, while Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has said art and culture should not exclude anyone. (euronews.com) (ansa.it) Giuli’s boycott leaves Italy’s own culture minister absent from the opening of one of the country’s biggest art events, even as the Russian pavilion itself stays dark. (euronews.com)