Titled NIRIN, meaning ‘edge’, the 22nd edition of the Sydney Biennale seeks to harness the creative powers of our world’s creators, artists and thinkers to resolve past anxieties and imagine how our futures could evolve.
Alongside the Venice and São Paulo biennales, the Sydney Biennale is one of the longest-running periodic exhibitions around the world, having first exhibited in 1973 and since shown artists from over 100 countries. In other words, the Sydney Biennale is an important 87-day event on the world’s calendar. (Featured image: 20th Biennale Open Night – Lee Bul, Willing To Be Vulnerable, 2015–16)
Across six locations, 2020’s edition will showcase 98 artists challenging the dominant narrative of their times and communities, providing a voice for indigenous communities and making forgotten stories visible.
1. The Art Gallery of New South Wales, The Domain
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Closing in on a century and a half of existence, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is one of Australia’s leading museums and cultural institutions, continually pushing the envelope with regards to exhibitions curated and educational programs it provides to people of all ages. Entry is free, so make sure to catch as many of the talks, lectures, workshops, film screenings and exhibitions (up to 40 per year) as you can. Especially NIRIN.
Art Gallery Rd, Sydney
2. Artspace, Woolloomooloo
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Committed to testing out new ideas and shaping the public conversation, Artspace is the place where audiences mingle and interact with artists and creators. Since1982, Artspace has dedicated itself to providing an interdisciplinary space for the production and presentation of contemporary and experimental art that enriches our culture.
The Gunnery, 43–51 Cowper Wharf Roadway, Woolloomooloo
3. Campbelltown Arts Centre, Campbelltown
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Campbelltown Arts Centre, the multi-art cultural hub, has positioned itself as the point of exchange between artists, creative disciplines and communities in Western Sydney. Having opened in 2005, the CAC has now approximately 1500 words in its permanent collection and offers residencies to artists – a secure platform for them to take risks and open up national and international dialogue on issues important to local communities.
1 Art Gallery Rd, Campbelltown
4. Cockatoo Island
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From First Nations people to convicts, an industrial school for girls, and the official dockyard of the Australian Navy, Cockatoo Island has seen just about everything. Sitting pretty large at 18 hectares and named after the sulphur-crested cockatoo present on the island, Cockatoo Island is run by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust and is one of Sydney’s most unique locations.
5. Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, The Rocks
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Australia’s leading contemporary art museum, the MCA attracts over 1,000,000 visitors per year with their exhibitions highlighting the world’s living and working artists. Now containing over 4000 works from Australian artists, the MCA has become a place where the voice of the artist and the experience of the visitor is truly valued, as made evident by their exhibitions, workshops and programs like Lights On Later and Artbar.
140 George St, The Rocks
6. National Art School, Darlinghurst
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The National Art School, a tertiary level institution, has for close to two centuries been a home to art in Sydney as well as many notable artists. Having recently been granted a 45-year extension to their lease, the National Art School will continue to be a place to participate in and experience the arts for years to come.
Cnr Forbes St &, Burton St, Darlinghurst
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