about The BienNALE

Every other year, the Biennale for Craft & Design focuses on contemporary practitioners with a strong dissemination programme, an Open Call exhibition and a prize of DKK 100,000, which is generously donated by Danmarks Nationalbank’s Jubilæumsfond. A theme is attached to each Biennale, which must help to support professional development and social relevance.

The Biennale's Vision

  • The Biennale develops and communicates an area that has a significant place in Danish culture.
  • The Biennale creates career opportunities for both established practitioners and new talents.
  • The Biennale provides a professional exhibition framework for an area that does not have many exhibition venues.
  • The Biennale attracts a large, broad audience consisting of Danish and international guests.
  • The Biennale strengthens the network between Danish and Nordic theorists and practitioners.

Open Call

Every Biennale has a theme, which is presented together with an Open Call, which all professional artisans and designers in Denmark can bid on. Subsequently, a jury of professionals will select the projects that go on to the exhibition and the prize of DKK 100,000.

The history of the biennale

The Biennale was created on the initiative of Danish Crafts & Design Association in 1995 with changing partners and exhibition venues. This ensures a changeable and up-to-date framework for contemporary professional craftsmanship and design. The Biennale is an open exhibition and competition in which all professional performers with a connection to Denmark including the Danish Commonwealth can apply for participation. The Biennale is thus both a stage for new talents as well as established performers, which creates a good synergy among the participants.