MEDIA RELEASE:
BIENNALE OF SYDNEY COMES TO PENRITH
Penrith Regional Gallery invited as Exhibition Partner
In a prestigious and exciting first, Penrith Regional Gallery has been invited to join the 25th Biennale of Sydney in 2026 as one of five Exhibition Partner venues across Sydney, showing work by Australian and international artists
Established in 1973, the Biennale of Sydney is the third oldest art biennial in the world after Venice and São Paulo and the largest exhibition of its kind in Australia. It provides a constantly evolving platform for art and ideas and is recognised for commissioning and presenting innovative, thought-provoking art from Australia and around the globe. Since it began, the Biennale has commissioned and presented exceptional works of art by more than 2,400 national and international artists from more than 130 countries.
The 25th Biennale of Sydney, titled Rememory, will be presented free to the public from 14
March to 14 June 2026 across five venues: Penrith Regional Gallery (PRG), White Bay Power Station, Art Gallery of NSW, Campbelltown Arts Centre and Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney. The Biennale’s 25th edition Artistic Director is Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of Sharjah Art Foundation, the independent public arts organisation she founded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2009. She has been Director of the UAE’s Sharjah Biennial since 2002, was appointed International Biennial Association President in 2017, and curated the critically acclaimed Sharjah Biennial 15 in 2023.
Hoor Al Qasimi 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 here, 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 as Artistic Director of the 25th Biennale of Sydney, which I have been visiting for over a decade now.”
Penrith Regional Gallery Director Toby Chapman is looking forward to this new chapter in Penrith’s cultural story. “It’s wonderful that Hoor Al Qasimi, one of the world’s most highly regarded curators, has selected our Gallery as a Biennale Exhibition Partner and is inspired by the possibilities she sees here. This will bring a significant new audience to PRG and Penrith as a whole, and offer creative opportunities for local artists. This announcement comes at a time when the Gallery’s profile and reach is rapidly rising, with a series of major exhibitions, increased visitor numbers and significant local and national media coverage.”
Mayor of Penrith, Cr Todd Carney said: “To be invited to join the 25th Biennale of Sydney in 2026 is a major development for Penrith and Western Sydney, with the much-loved Penrith Regional Gallery as an exhibition partner, one of only a handful of venues invited to participate. This puts Penrith on the global stage for arts and culture as the Biennale is one of the most prestigious and longest-running international art events. It will bring artists and visitors from around the world, many who may not be familiar with our vibrant city, beautiful setting and cultural offerings. This new opportunity will benefit not only the Gallery, but the wider Penrith community as more audiences discover the many different attractions of this area, and reasons to return.”
About the Biennale of Sydney
Since it began in 1973, the Biennale of Sydney has become one of the leading international contemporary art events. It plays an indispensable role in Australia’s engagement with the world, and in the cultural life of the nation. The Biennale presents the most dynamic contemporary art from around the globe in venues across Sydney with exhibitions that ignite and surprise people, sparking dialogue, cultivating connections and inspiring action through engaging, shared arts experiences. The Biennale of Sydney amplifies the voices of artists and tells the stories of our local and global communities, driving momentum for lasting cultural change.
25th Biennale of Sydney Rememory 14 March – 14 June 2026 Exhibition
Penrith Regional Gallery: 25th Biennale of Sydney Exhibition Partner in 2026
