Key facts
- The European Commission has withdrawn a €2 million grant allocated to the Venice Biennale.
- The funding withdrawal is due to the reopening of the Russian pavilion.
- The Commission cited a failure to promote and safeguard democratic values as the reason for the decision.
- The Russian pavilion had been closed for the 2022 and 2024 editions following the invasion of Ukraine.
- The Biennale Foundation proceeded with the pavilion's opening despite Commission concerns.
The European Commission has officially confirmed the withdrawal of a €2 million grant designated for the Venice Biennale for the 2025-2028 period. The decision stems from the controversial reopening of the Russian pavilion, which had been closed during the 2022 and 2024 editions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and subsequent EU sanctions.
European Commissioner for Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, stated that taxpayer-funded culture in Europe must promote democratic values, which are currently not upheld in Russia. This stance was finalized after an assessment of the Biennale Foundation's responses to the Commission's concerns about the pavilion's participation.
The procedure to revoke the grant began in April after the Biennale Foundation's president, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, confirmed the pavilion's return. The Commission had initially given the Foundation 30 days to reverse its decision or provide arguments against the revocation, and later requested further clarifications. Despite these exchanges, the Foundation decided to proceed with the opening, although the pavilion operated in a limited capacity due to permit issues for public events.
The handling of the situation has drawn criticism, with Russian gallerist Marat Gelman accusing Italy of being a "weak link" in the response to Russian aggression. The League party, a member of Italy's governing coalition, also voiced strong opposition to the Commission's decision, labeling it a "Brussels diktat" and vowing to seek alternative government funding for the Biennale.