Biennale Gherdëina

Biennale Gherdëina, located in the unique setting of the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites, is a festival of contemporary art. Through the production, diffusion and communication of works created specifically in relation to the region’s space and culture, the Biennale Gherdëina stimulates reflection and raises public awareness by highlighting the richness of the landscape and the culture of the local area. 

Close cooperation between our region’s artisans, sculptors and professionals and international bodies in the sector offers a unique opportunity for research and development, as well as raising awareness of the area’s boundless treasures. Biennale Gherdëina also provides an opportunity for social development and education in the name of art through a series of fringe events, such as talks and conferences, plus related publications.

Zënza Sëida is a non-profit organisation committed to the promotion of contemporary culture, creating, enhancing and promoting art as a fundamental tool for growth and development in Val Gardena and South Tyrol. One of the association’s main activities is the Biennale Gherdëina. Founded by Doris Ghetta in 2008 in the unique setting of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Dolomites, the Biennale Gherdëina commissions and produces contemporary works of art, which are exhibited during the festival in Ortisei and the surrounding area. The Biennale Gherdëina fosters dialogue between innovation and the renowned tradition of wood sculpture, which formed the starting point of the event. Over the course of the various editions, the dialogue with artistic and geographical traditions has grown more and more. In the wake of the eighth edition, curated by Lucia Pietroiusti and Filipa Ramos, today the Biennale Gherdëina has become a major institution rooted in South Tyrol, hosting local, national and international artists, thinkers and audiences who engage with the fascinating traditions of Val Gardena.