On Monday, 27th October, the Biennale of Sydney announced 16 additional artists and collectives for the 25th edition, Rememory. Along with project highlights and initial programming, the announcement sets the intentions for the major international and contemporary art festival. With five major exhibition sites: White Bay Power Station, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, Campbelltown Arts Centre and Penrith Regional Gallery, the Biennale of Sydney will run free to the public from 14 March—14 June, 2026.

Artistic director Hoor Al Qasimi, on the theme Rememory: “I am struck by the profound timeliness of this edition. The Biennale has always been a site for the most vital, urgent, and resonant art of its moment. Yet this edition feels especially present, even insistent—an irony, perhaps, as Rememory turns to the written, visual, and oral histories of culture, context, family, and country.”

Public programs include Lights on, The Art After Dark program, Denis Golding’s beaded jewellery making workshop and the Inner West Council’s new performance series, Working Memory. Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Steve Kamper on the impact of the festival: “The Biennale of Sydney is one of the longest running biennales in the world and a highly anticipated cultural experience on our state’s major events calendar next year… Major cultural events like the Biennale of Sydney not only enrich our state’s vibrant arts and culture scene but also boost our local economy and showcase NSW as Australia’s leading destination for world-class experiences.”

First artworks announced:

—Multidisciplinary artist Nikesha Breeze will present an interactive installation titled Living Histories at White Bay Power Station. 

—Painter Nancy Yukuwal McDinny will produce her largest work to date at White Bay Power Station.

—Eritrean artist Nahom Teklehaimanot presents three new large-scale canvases at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, titled This is My Silence You Name the Sound. 

—Senior Anangu (Pitjantjatjara) artist Frank Young will lead an installation of hand-carved spears for the latest iteration of the Kulata Tjuta (Many Spears) Project at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

—Artists Behrouz Boochani, Hoda Afshar and Vernon Ah Kee, present a multi-channel video work at Campbelltown Arts Centre. aAs part of their newly commissioned Code Black/Riot project.

—Lebanese filmmakers and artists Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige create a new work exploring patterns of human migration.

—Yindjibarndi Elder Wendy Hubert expands her arts practice to create a large-scale native plant garden that celebrates ancestral knowledge at Penrith Regional Gallery.

—Monica Rani-Rudhar presents a vibrant and poetic new multi-channel video installation at Penrith Regional Gallery.

—Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) based artist Benjamin Work, of Tongan and Orcadian/Shetlander hohoko (lineage), presents a new commission at Chau Chak Wing Museum.

—At Chau Chak Wing Museum, Warraba Weatherall builds on his established practice of challenging institutional power structures.

—London-based Lebanese artist and musician Joe Namy presents a new iteration of his work Automobile.

New artists announced for Rememory (2026):

Behrouz Boochani (Kurdistan / Iran / Aotearoa (New Zealand)), Hoda Afshar (Iran / Australia) and Vernon Ah Kee

(Kuku Yalandji, Waanji, Yidinji and Gugu Yimithirr, Australia)

Benjamin Work (Tonga / Aotearoa New Zealand)

Emily Jacir (Palestine / Italy)

Helen Grace (Australia)

Hou I-Ting (Taiwan)

Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige (Lebanon / France)

Joe Namy (Lebanon / USA / UK)

Kiri Dalena (Philippines)

Kuba Dorabialski (Poland / Australia)

Massinissa Selmani (Algeria / France)

Monica Rani Rudhar (Australia)

Nahom Teklehaimanot (Ethiopia / Kenya)

Natalie Davey (Bunuba / Walmajarri, Australia)

Nikesha Breeze (USA)

Richard Bell (Kamilaroi/Kooma/Jiman/Gurang Gurang, Australia)

Sandra Monterroso (Maya Q’qchi’, Guatemala)

The current artist list for Rememory (2026):

Abdul Abdullah (Australia / Thailand)

Ángel Poyón (Maya Kaqchikel, Guatemala)

Angélica Serech (Maya Kaqchikel, Guatemala)

Behrouz Boochani (Kurdistan / Iran / Aotearoa (New Zealand)), Hoda Afshar (Iran / Australia) and Vernon Ah Kee

(Kuku Yalandji, Waanji, Yidinji and Gugu Yimithirr, Australia)

Benjamin Work (Tonga / Aotearoa New Zealand)

Bouchra Khalili (Morocco / Austria)

CAMP (India)

Cannupa Hanska Luger (Standing Rock Indian Reservation, North Dakota / New Mexico, USA)

Carmen Glynn-Braun (Kaytetye, Arrernte, Anmatyerr, Australia)

Chang En Man (Paiwan, Taiwan)

Chen Chieh-jen (Taiwan R.O.C.)

Daisy Quezada Ure.a (USA)

DAAR (DECOLONIZING ARCHITECTURE ART RESEARCH) (Palestine)

Deirdre O’Mahony (Ireland)

Dennis Golding (Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay, Australia)

Dread Scott (USA)

Edgar Calel (Kaqchikel, Guatemala)

Elverina Johnson (Yarrabah, Australia)

Ema Shin (Japan / Australia)

Emily Jacir (Palestine / Italy)

Fernando Poyón (Maya Kaqchikel, Guatemala)

Frank Young & The Kulata Tjuta Project (Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, Australia)

Gabriel Chaile (Argentina / Lisbon)

Gunybi Ganambarr (Yolŋu (Ŋaymil) people, Australia)

Helen Grace (Australia)

Hou I-Ting (Taiwan)

John Harvey (Kalaw Kawaw Ya/Saibai Island, Torres Strait, Australia) & Walter Waia (Kalaw Kawaw Ya/Saibai Island, Torres Strait, Australia)

John Prince Siddon (Walmajarri, Australia)

Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige (Lebanon / France)

Joe Namy (USA / UK/ Lebanon)

Kapwani Kiwanga (Canada / France)

Kiri Dalena (Philippines)

Kuba Dorabialski (Poland / Australia)

Lamia Joreige (Lebanon)

Marian Abboud (Australia)

Maritea Dæhlin (Norway / Mexico)

Massinissa Selmani (Algeria / France)

Merilyn Fairskye (Australia) & Michiel Dolk (Netherlands / Australia)

Michael Rakowitz (USA)

Monica Rani Rudhar (Australia)

Nahom Teklehaimanot (Ethiopia / Kenya)

Nancy Yukuwal McDinny (Garrwa / Yanyuwa, Australia)

Natalie Davey (Australia)

Nikesha Breeze (USA)

Richard Bell (Kamilaroi/Kooma/Jiman/Gurang Gurang, Australia)

Rose B. Simpson (Santa Clara Pueblo, USA)

Sandra Monterroso (Maya Q’qchi’, Guatemala)

Tania Willard (Secwepemc.lecw, Canada)

Taysir Batniji (Gaza, Palestine / France)

Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn (Vietnam / USA)

Warraba Weatherall (Kamilaroi, Australia)

Wendy Hubert (Yindjibarndi Country, Australia)

Yaritji Young (Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, Australia)

Read Art Guide Australia’s 25th Biennale of Sydney’s theme announcement. 

25th Biennale of Sydney: Rememory
Multiple Locations
14 March—14 June 2026