Open call for concept proposals

The United Arab Emirates Pavilion has issued an open call for concept proposals to curate the UAE’s upcoming exhibition at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale, which will run from May to November 2025.

Applicants are invited to submit a concept proposal with a clear narrative that contextualises a research idea that resonates with local, regional, and global industry discussions related to architecture and our lived environment. Proposals should articulate an untold story from the UAE while reflecting the Biennale’s reputation as a platform for the dissemination and exchange of ideas. Potential curators can include architects, designers, artists, historians, or researchers, or all of above.

The open call is eligible for UAE citizens, residents of the UAE, and international applicants that have worked or studied within the UAE, Middle East, North Africa, or South Asia (MENASA) regions. If the proposal is a team effort, then a team leader needs to be identified with one member being a practising architect and at least one member must be UAE based.

An appointed selection committee of industry leaders and subject matter experts will review all proposals. The selection is based on the content and quality of the proposal, the ability to execute the final exhibition in Venice, and most importantly, what is the UAE story being told and what is that story’s relevance on a global level. The selection process is in three phases; (1) Submission of concept proposals before the deadline. (2) Up to ten proposals will be selected, and individuals or teams will be invited to work up a fully developed exhibition proposal. (3) Up to three finalists will be invited to present their ideas to the selection committee who will then nominate one proposal to represent the UAE.

Applications will close at midnight UAE time (GMT+4) on September, 24 2023. Selected finalists will be invited to present a full proposal for the second round of the process. Full details and submission guidelines are available here.

United Arab Emirates Pavilion at the Venice Biennale’s participation in the Architecture Biennale started in 2014, and in 2021, the pavilion won the Golden Lion for best National Participation. The current exhibition, Aridly Abundant, curated by Faysal Tabbarah investigates what architectural possibilities can become possible when we reimagine arid landscapes as spaces of abundance.

United Arab Emirates Pavilion at the Venice Biennale
The United Arab Emirates Pavilion at the Venice Biennale is an award-winning pavilion which curates’ untold stories about the UAE’s arts and architecture through its participation in the International Art and Architecture Exhibitions organized by the Venice Biennnale and provides a high-profile platform for curatorial concepts that address critical international conversations from a distinctive local perspective. United Arab Emirates Pavilion is an independent non-profit organization, commissioned by the Salama bint Hamdan AI Nahyan Foundation and supported by the UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth.

Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale was established in 1895 and is today acknowledged as one of the most prestigious cultural institutions. The Venice Biennale stands at the forefront of research and promotion of new contemporary art trends and organizes events in all its specific sectors: Arts (1985), Architecture (1980), Cinema (1932), Dance (1999), Music (1930) and Theatre (1934) alongside research and training activities.