Venice Biennale opens May 9 to Nov 22

La Biennale di Venezia says its 61st International Art Exhibition, “In Minor Keys,” will open on May 9 and run through November 22, 2026. (labiennale.org) The preview days are May 6, 7, and 8, with the official inauguration and awards ceremony set for Saturday, May 9. The main exhibition spans the Giardini, the Arsenale, and other sites across Venice. (labiennale.org 1) (labiennale.org 2) La Biennale says the central exhibition will feature 110 invited participants, including individual artists, duos, collectives, and artist-led organizations. A separate announcement says the broader edition also includes 100 national participations and 31 collateral events. (labiennale.org 1) (labiennale.org 2) The exhibition was conceived by Koyo Kouoh, the Cameroon-born curator who was appointed artistic director of the Visual Arts Department in December 2024 and died in May 2025. La Biennale says it is carrying out the project with the support of her family and by following the exhibition she had already defined. (labiennale.org) (designboom.com) That means Kouoh’s title, artist selection, editorial structure, graphic identity, and spatial layout remain the backbone of the 2026 show. Her curatorial team — Gabe Beckhurst Feijoo, Marie Hélène Pereira, Rasha Salti, Siddhartha Mitter, and Rory Tsapayi — has continued the work. (designboom.com) (labiennale.org) One of the national presentations already drawing attention is Canada’s pavilion, where Abbas Akhavan will represent the country. The National Gallery of Canada says Akhavan was born in Tehran and works between Montreal and Berlin. (gallery.ca) Another project tied to preview week is “1922 Revisited,” a live arts program organized by Third Space Art Foundation. The foundation says Tsedaye Makonnen and Jermay Michael Gabriel will present “Waves of Ash” between May 5 and May 9. (finance.yahoo.com) (pr.washingtoncitypaper.com) La Biennale has also published practical details ahead of opening: summer hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from May through September, with late Friday and Saturday hours at the Arsenale until 8 p.m. Tickets and guided tours are sold online only. (labiennale.org) So the 2026 Venice Biennale is not just another edition on the calendar. It is the public unveiling of a show that La Biennale says will preserve Koyo Kouoh’s exhibition as she conceived it, opening in Venice on May 9. (labiennale.org)