Turncoats: End the Era of Biennales?

Hundreds of biennales now flood the global design, architecture, and art worlds with under-funded, often impenetrable events. Frequently more focused on press than participants, these grandiose platforms dress up poorly paid trade shows with a veneer of glamour.

The most recent Venice Biennale, for example, resembled a tech-bro fever dream bristling with AI-generated exhibits and corporate sponsorships. Other biennales are little better, relying on contributors to forgo workers’ rights to turn abstract themes into mediocre curatorial spectacles with minimal wider impact.

Is it time to end the era of international art and architecture festivals? Join us at Set Social for a debate blending comedy, argument, and vodka.

Speakers/performers

• Lee Ivett (chair), Baxendale and Head of the Grenfell-Baines Institute of Architecture in Preston @_baxendale (@lsofarch)
• Zarina Muhammad, White Pube and co-author of Poor Artists @zarinamuhammad (@thewhitepube)
• Meneesha Kellay, Senior Curator at the V&A and co-curator of the 2023 British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale @mishkk
• Curator at Cosmic House @misanthropocene
• Smith Mordak, Chief curator of the 2019 Oslo Architecture Triennale and former CEO of the UK Green Building Council, @smithmordak
• Comedian @charliepartridgecomedy

Curated by: Phineas Harper @phinharpe, Deepika Upadhyaya @deepikaupadhyaya, Lucas Facer @lucalucalucasluca, and Smith Mordak @smithmordak.

Turncoats is presented in partnership with the Future Architects Front and Architecture Foundation.

Tickets

Tickets range from £8-£15.

Please note: There will be no physical tickets, your name will be on the door. The site will show an error message until you enter an address in the checkout.

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