Biennale excludes countries

The Venice Biennale jury said on April 23 it will not consider Russia or Israel for the 2026 exhibition’s top awards. (internazionale.it) The five-member jury said it would exclude any country whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, a standard that currently applies to Russia and Israel in this case. The policy affects the Golden Lion and Silver Lion prizes at the 61st International Art Exhibition. (artnews.com) The exhibition is still set to open in Venice on May 9 and run through November 22, 2026, in the Giardini and Arsenale. La Biennale di Venezia said the jury was appointed for curator Koyo Kouoh’s exhibition, titled *In Minor Keys*. (labiennale.org) The move lands in a fight that was already bigger than the prizes. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said this week the bloc would cut funding after the Biennale decided to allow Russia to participate in the 2026 edition. (politico.eu) The Associated Press reported the funding loss at 2 million euros, about $2.3 million. That penalty is tied to Russia’s return to the 61st show, not to the jury’s separate decision on awards. (apnews.com) The Biennale’s structure helps explain the clash: countries can still mount national presentations even if they are shut out of prize consideration. Reuters reported that Russia and Israel remain able to take part in the exhibition despite the jury’s awards ban. (internazionale.it) Pressure over Israel had been building for weeks before the jury spoke. The Art Newspaper reported on March 17 that nearly 200 Biennale artists, curators and art workers signed a letter calling for Israel’s exclusion from the event. (theartnewspaper.com) The legal backdrop is the International Criminal Court’s cases against national leaders. Reuters said the court has issued warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes, with Netanyahu also facing alleged crimes against humanity tied to the Gaza war. (usnews.com) So the Biennale now heads into its May 9 opening with both countries still in the show, both barred from the main prizes, and the event facing a multimillion-euro funding hit from Brussels. (apnews.com)