BENEFITS OF THE CANBERRA BIENNIAL

• An international cultural event to promote leadership in architecture and design.
• National and international cultural tourism.
• Promotion of community design and architectural awareness.
• Demonstration of the economic significance of design to Australia’s business sectors and institutions.
• New strategies to help position Canberra as a major city of ideas.
• Employment creation, training and inward investment.
• Support for Canberra-based designers with specific projects that will showcase their work nationally and internationally.
• Provision of resources for research projects and design practice – to attract national and international students and researchers.
• Educational opportunities that will make learning from Canberra a means of improving one’s understanding of design and its application to everyday life experience.

The Canberra Biennial has no Australian precedent. The Canberra Biennial is different from all other festivals of design or architecture. Like no other cultural festival in this country it explores the experience and possibilities of architecture and design. Internationally, the Biennial links Canberra to only a handful of emerging festivals of similar nature, none of which incorporate both architecture and design.

The year of the 5th Biennial will coincide with Centenary of Canberra in 2013, by which time the event will be well established, both nationally and internationally, and already have begun making a significant contribution to Canberra’s celebrations.

The Canberra Biennial is a joint initiative of the University of Canberra, represented by the School of Design and Architecture; the Commonwealth of Australia, represented by the National Capital Authority (NCA); and the ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA).

Economic/Cultural/Social Benefits of the Canberra Biennial
The Canberra Biennial aims to promote design and architecture, particularly in Australia and the Asian Pacific region. As such the Canberra Biennial aims to make links with similar festivals to share developments and will invite contributions from around the world.

There are perceived benefits to the ACT
Profile the relationship between planning, architecture and urban design.
Continue the role of competitions in ‘building’ Canberra.
Contribute to Canberra’s centenary celebrations via symbolic recognition of the occasion with the creation of a significant new building for Canberra.
Encourage corporate support for Canberra’s development

There are perceived benefits to the National Capital
Enhance the role of the Capital in Australian national life
Focus attention on the history of design in the national capital.
Education of the role and function of design in the Capital
Continue the role of competitions in ‘building’ the Capital.

Involve the national cultural institutions in exhibitions, debates and seminars on the importance of design in modern life.