Scotland’s involvement in this year’s architecture showcase at the Biennale will go ahead as planned, but the search for Scottish artists to feature in 2024 has been paused.
The Venice Biennale has been running since 1895, alternating annually between art and architecture. Scotland has been staging events since 2003.
The Scotland and Venice programme is a partnership involving Creative Scotland, the British Council, National Galleries of Scotland, Architecture & Design Scotland, V&A Dundee and the Scottish government.
Graham Fagen representing Scotland + Venice at the 2015 Biennale
A spokesman for the partnership said that “the present financial and planning environment” necessitated a review into “the current model of delivery”, where they considered their position “within the wider scope of international opportunities available to Scotland’s art and architecture communities”.
He added: “This has been a difficult decision, especially given the project’s significant achievements over the last twenty years.
“The decision also acknowledges the impact that the project has on the environment, and the need to consider how it can be delivered more ethically and sustainably into the future.”
The Scotland and Venice partnership insists it will not withdraw from Venice Biennale entirely, and consultation over what a new model for involvement would entail is said to begin in the next few months.
It is understood that part of the reasoning for the revaluation is a perceived inability of the British pavilion to showcase Scottish and Scotland-based artists. Scotland has no pavilion but has staged several “collateral” shows with the Biennale’s main sites.
