The call follows a renewed commitment by Arts Council of Wales to showcase Welsh art at the world-renowned Venice Biennale in 2026, and future editions in 2028 and 2030.
As well as the showcase in Venice, the work is also expected to be shared both digitally and physically in Wales.
Arts Council of Wales has commissioned exhibitions at the International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, nine times since 2003 - the last time being Sean Edwards’s exhibition Undo Things Done in 2019. Following the global pandemic, in 2022 ACW paused its participation and launched Wales Venice 10, a combination of ten individual fellowships for those working in the visual arts, and commissions through Artes Mundi and Disability Arts Cymru.
"The Venice Biennale represents a career-defining opportunity for Welsh artists on the global stage, it is a prestigious platform that can transform artistic trajectories and amplify creative voices internationally," said Catryn Ramasut, new Director of Arts at the Arts Council of Wales.
"We have listened to the sector and will be hosting Wales in Venice at La Biennale di Venezia in 2026, thoughtfully reengaging with one of the world's most celebrated cultural gatherings after a period of absence.
"After two decades of artistic dialogue with this renowned exhibition, we're strengthening our commitment to ensuring Welsh creativity continues to resonate at this significant cultural event.
"Today's landscape presents us with extraordinary challenges—funding constraints, Brexit aftershocks, and the imperative of climate justice—but these are precisely the catalysts that inspire fresh thinking. This is our opportunity to move forward with conviction, to rebuild with purpose, and to present a Wales that is diverse, dynamic, and forward-looking on the international stage."
The Arts Council of Wales particularly welcomes proposals from organisations based in Wales that have a track-record of exhibition-making and managing public funds, and who will create international opportunities for diverse artists living in Wales to develop their work in a way that is fair to both people and the planet.
The full guidelines for Expressions of Interest for organisations to curate and deliver the Wales in Venice exhibition, as an official Collateral Event, will go live on arts.wales website on Tuesday 6 May 2025, and the closing date for applications will be Wednesday 4 June 2025 at 1pm.
Wales in Venice is commissioned and managed by Arts Council of Wales and its international arm, Wales Arts International, with support from Welsh Government.