Qatar is set to establish a permanent national pavilion at the Giardini della Biennale in Venice, one of the sites for the historic Venice Biennale. Qatar joins 30 other nations with permanent pavilions in the Giardini, with only two, Australia and Republic of Korea, opening in the last five decades.
The creation of Qatar Pavilion follows the signing of a Protocol of Cooperation in June 2024 between Qatar Museums and the Municipality of Venice, reinforcing the cultural and socio-economic ties between Qatar and Italy.
Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums and commissioner of the Qatar Pavilion, emphasised the importance of this development, stating, “La Biennale di Venezia stands as the pre-eminent gathering for art and architecture worldwide. Qatar is honoured to contribute to this distinguished international assembly, enhancing our role as a leader in cultural diplomacy and providing a vital platform for the creative talents of our nation and the broader MENASA region.”
The Qatar Pavilion will open in May 2025 during the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale with a major installation Community Centre by Yasmeen Lari. The installation will also be a part of the first exhibition organised by Qatar’s Future Art Mill Museum,, Beyti Beytak. My home is your home. La mia casa è la tua casa, that will be presented across the the Giardini and ACP-Palazzo Franchetti. Curated by Aurélien Lemonier and Sean Anderson, the exhibition will present work from over 20 architects, including Raj Rewal, Nayyar Ali Dada, Abdel Wahed el Wakil, and Minnette de Silva, engaging with contemporary design and shared cultural traditions.
Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, President of La Biennale di Venezia, expressed his enthusiasm for Qatar’s participation, noting the deep historical connections between Venice and the Arab world: “Venice is the only European city to have had, since the year 1000 CE, a name in Arabic, Bunduqiyyah, a fact that testifies to the teeming mixture of languages and ethnicities that have long sheltered here. In the spirit of curiosity, exploration, and sincere human exchange that characterises Venice and its Biennale, I welcome Qatar to the Giardini, as a powerful global source of creativity and cross-cultural understanding.”
The 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia will take place from April – November 2026
