Sydney’s art world hums with a fresh provocation: what happens when we dig up the past we’ve buried? The 25th Biennale of Sydney, Rememory, runs from 14 March to 14 June 2026 across the city’s most beautiful venues—and promises to serve as the cultural pulse check we didn’t know we needed.
Rememory: Morrison’s Ghost In The Machine
The Biennale of Sydney, an international festival of contemporary art, takes place every two years and stands as the longest-running contemporary art exhibition in the Asia-Pacific.
Curator and global heavyweight Hoor Al Qasimi riffs on Toni Morrison’s “rememory,” a gut-wrenching reassembly of fractured histories, from First Nations truths to migrant tales of exile and belonging.
You’ll get a front-row seat as Australian and international artists unpack Australia’s layered identity at free-entry venues including the Art Gallery of NSW (Naala Badu building), White Bay Power Station, Campbelltown Arts Centre, the Chau Chak Wing Museum (University of Sydney), and Penrith Regional Gallery.
Since 1973, the Biennale has launched the careers of more than 2,400 artists from 130 countries, drawing 777,000 visitors to the 2024 edition alone.
First Nations Front And Centre
In a fascinating turn, Bruce Johnson McLean (Wierdi artist, ex–National Gallery bigwig) steps in as Fondation Cartier pour First Nations Curatorial Fellow, building on Tony Albert’s 2024 commissions. “I am honoured to work with the Biennale of Sydney and the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain… [the] 25th edition… will mark an important moment for First Nations art and artists globally,” Johnson McLean says.
Notably, it’s a move artistic director Hoor Al Qasimi calls pivotal, highlighting that “Bruce Johnson McLean’s appointment advances a vital step deeply rooted in connection, history and the transformative power of art.”
White Bay Fires Up Again
The hulking heritage beast in Rozelle (Sydney’s newest cultural flex) returns as the headline venue, fresh off proving it’s more than a pretty industrial shell. Besides, Biennale CEO Barbara Moore says that “The Biennale of Sydney was the first cultural organisation to bring White Bay Power Station to life,”
White Bay Power Station returns as the undeniable star of the 2026 Biennale, and it demands attention. Building on its past success, this heritage-listed former coal powerhouse has fully reinvented itself as one of Sydney’s most dynamic arts destinations.
Inside, the vast Turbine Hall and Boiler Room host monumental installations that bring Rememory to life. For instance, Kaylene Whiskey’s walk-in TV set Kaylene TV 2.0 pulses with Aṉangu superheroes, pop icons and a dance floor set to Rihanna’s tunes, while Dylan Mooney’s mural celebrates queer Indigenous resilience, weaving Yuwi and Torres Strait motifs with bold pride colours.
Meanwhile, Frank Young’s Kulata Tjuta Project commands attention with its striking display of Aṉangu spears, symbolising ancestral strength. Additionally, visitors can dive deeper through guided tours (Tuesday–Sunday, 11:15 AM and 1:45 PM) that explore eight major works, with only 20 spots available per tour.
“We are proud to return to White Bay Power Station in 2026 for the 25th edition, in one of the city’s most exciting new creative precincts. Moore added that the Biennale of Sydney welcomes visitors for free.
NSW Arts Minister John Graham throws his support behind the venue, calling White Bay Power Station a “bold canvas for the colour and creativity of the Biennale of Sydney so it’s great to see it coming back next year,”. The Inner West Mayor Darcy Bryne describes the Station’s comeback “another significant step in establishing the Inner West as one of Australia’s premier arts and culture destinations,”
Lights On Opening Night
Lights On is the Biennale’s marquee opening bash, transforming White Bay Power Station on Friday, 13 March 2026 from 7–11pm into a throbbing hub of Hoor Al Qasimi’s Rememory visuals, immersive art and fusion beats. Ticketed and wheelchair accessible, it gives you a first shot at the installations plus a guest-curated music program by Josh Milch that spans genres and histories.
The opening program features Hand to Earth‘s Yolŋu songlines in the Turbine Hall and Nourished by Time headlining. It also includes Niecy Blues’ gospel-tinged R&B debut, DJ Haram‘s bass-heavy Middle Eastern clubs set, INBRAZA BAILE‘s Sydney baile-funk takeover and Joe Namy’s car-cruiser Automobile activiton
The 25th Biennale of Sydney is on from 14 March to 14 June 2026. Find the full list of artists showcasing here.