Hoor Al Qasimi appointed as Artistic Director of the 25th Sydney Biennale

The Biennale of Sydney appointed Hoor Al Qasimi as the Artistic Director of the 25th Biennale of Sydney, which will take place from 7 March – 8 June 2026.

Hoor Al Qasimi is the President and Director of Sharjah Art Foundation, the independent public arts organisation in the UAE founded by her in 2009 as a catalyst and advocate for the arts around the world. Al Qasimi has been the Director of Sharjah Biennial since 2002, an internationally recognised platform for contemporary artists, curators and cultural producers, and curated the critically acclaimed Sharjah Biennial 15 in 2023. She was appointed as the President of the International Biennial Association (IBA) in 2017 and serves as the President of The Africa Institute, Global Studies University, Sharjah and President and Director of the Sharjah Architecture Triennial.

Al Qasimi was appointed as the Artistic Director of the sixth Aichi Triennale (2025), becoming the first person to be chosen for the role from outside of Japan. She has also co-curated exhibitions at leading organisations around the world, including the Serpentine Gallery in London and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

Hoor Al Qasimi, Artistic Director of the 25th Biennale of Sydney, said: “Sydney has a multicultural community at its core, with people from different cultures from across the world choosing and calling this vibrant city as their home. I’m interested in exploring the multifaceted cultures and perspectives within this city, working with local artists and communities, as well as bringing new voices to the Biennale. It is an honour and privilege to be nominated and then selected to be Artistic Director of the 25th Biennale of Sydney, which I have been visiting for over a decade now. I have seen the developments over the years, including the amplification of Indigenous voices both local and global, which has made it an essential platform for rewriting art history.”

Al Qasimi’s curatorial approach centres on the histories of each place and multidisciplinary programming, with a collaborative approach and emphasis on supporting experimentation and innovation in the arts. Over the past 20+ years, she has worked extensively with various mediums including film, music, dance, talks, publications and more, to bring together all forms of art in conversation. For the 25th Biennale of Sydney (2026), Al Qasimi will collaborate with local communities, artists and academics, whilst drawing on her own international network, to develop and realise the concept for the 2026 edition.

 

Source: Biennale of Sydney

Image credit: Daniel Boud