THE CANBERRA BIENNIAL: CITY OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

Australia’s National Capital is a unique entity in many ways: it is one of the few cities in the world whose design is based on the early twentieth century’s ideas of utopia; it represents the main aspects of Australian cultural infrastructure; and it has access to international resources through foreign embassies and high commissions. The city of Canberra is indeed a volatile site for national and international events celebrating contemporary architecture and design.

Canberra is host to an international festival of design and architecture:
the Canberra Biennial: City of Architecture and Design. The next Biennial will be held in November 2007.

The Canberra Biennial aims:
• to create an exciting and popular program encompassing a variety of issues including contemporary concern for design and architecture;
• to celebrate the contribution to contemporary life by architecture and design from around the world in ways that can be enjoyed by the widest possible audience;
• to present Canberra as the locale of advanced contemporary ideas of design and architecture;
• to promote cultural and economic awareness of the importance of design and architecture.

The Canberra Biennial will creatively complement the nation’s existing cultural festivals.

The Canberra Biennial will provide a unique opportunity to combine cultural and educational programs with long-term strategies concerning social, physical and economic developments of the city.

Programs will include staging of events throughout the city to promote design competitions with the aim of contributing to the enhancement of the city’s historic design infrastructure. This will ensure widespread national and local participation in the festival.

The program will create new partnerships for Canberra with international architecture and design centres. The Canberra Biennial will focus attention on the vitality of the urban design of Canberra and other Australian cities.

Core exhibitions will be held in selected cultural institutions. Other institutions will be encouraged to mount satellite exhibitions related to the theme of each Biennial. 

The Canberra Biennial is owned and operated by the University of Canberra
• The Biennial Director and nucleus of expertise is provided by the University of Canberra.
• ACT/Federal Governments as partners.
• Funding comes from diverse sources including sponsorship.

The Canberra Biennial is managed by an Advisory Board that includes representatives from the University, the ACT and Federal Governments as well as organisations throughout the city.