Since 1998, the Vancouver Biennale has transformed Vancouver’s public spaces into an open air museum by installing works of art from internationally celebrated contemporary artists, freely accessible to citizens and visitors alike. Unique among biennales worldwide, the Vancouver Biennale celebrates art in public spaces, where people work, live, play and commute. Accessibility, engagement, diversity, interaction and education are the cornerstones of the Biennale.

Our next exhibition promises to be our biggest yet. Tentatively titled OPEN BORDERS/ CROSSROADS VANCOUVER, our 2013-2015 exhibition will celebrate multiculturalism and welcome the world. We hope to strengthen and enrich the cultural fabric of Vancouver by enabling citizens and visitors to engage in discussion and interact with artists from around the world. The Biennale is an opportunity for our city to create an enduring cultural legacy that celebrates the arts and highlight’s our city’s public spaces, multiculturalism and supernatural setting.

OPEN BORDERS/CROSSROADS VANCOUVER will showcase the best and brightest in international contemporary art. You can look forward to experiencing art from a variety of disciplines including sculpture, music, new media, dance and film. The Biennale’s impressive international curatorial team will work closely with each of the partnering communities (at this point Vancouver, Richmond and North Vancouver) in creating ‘live site’ pavilions easily accessible and within walking distance of rapid transit.

While art will begin appearing in sites throughout Metro Vancouver in late-2013, the exhibition will officially unveil in April 2014. A multi-evening event entitled Night Of The Arts will launch the Vancouver Biennale’s Opening Festival, a city-wide celebration of participating international pavilions, artists and galleries. Events, performances and lectures will animate the pavilions, which will remain open until October 2014. The fun doesn’t stop there, however. Additional projects and events will continue to be unveiled until December 2015. These events will run concurrently with our annual Tour de Biennale charity ride and our youth art education program, Big Ideas: Arts In Action.

We’re excited. REALLY excited. Keep your eyes on the Biennale Blog and our social media tools (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) over the coming months as this vision unfolds.