Alexandria Becomes the Biennale

“This is Alexandria’s destiny, to stand at the foreign of the arts.” With those words, Egypt’s Minister of Culture Ahmed Fouad Henno marked the long-awaited return of the Alexandria Biennale.

Founded in 1955 and known as the world’s third-oldest biennale, the event is stepping back onto the stage after more than a decade away. A year ahead of its September 2026 opening, the stakeholders driving its comeback gathered at Alexandria’s El Horreya Centre for Creation. And it was clear that this will not be a one-man show.

Alongside the Ministry and Governorate, a 20-person cross-disciplinary committee is steering the effort, pulling together voices from the arts, culture, civil society, heritage, and restoration. It is a collective built on love for the city and faith in Alexandria’s historic role as a cultural hub and Mediterranean crossroads.

Leading the Biennale as curator is Moataz Nasr, pioneering contemporary artist and founder of Darb 1718. Who picked the theme ‘This Too Shall Pass’ for the 27th edition. “This is a message of optimism, this mantra is present in Egypt’s culture, in sufi tradition and in global cultures as well,” Nasr tells CairoScene.

Every statement today echoed a similar sentiment, the Biennale is not meant to be an artistic spectacle imposed onto the city, but something rooted in its streets, history, and public spaces. It is shaped by Alexandria’s artists and meant to move with the city rather than take it over.

Over the next year, the biennale will seep into Alexandria, staging citywide events that build toward its return.