Organizer Information
Kultur | lx – Arts Council Luxembourg was established in July 2020 as an initiative of the Luxembourg Ministry of Culture, created as part of the national cultural development plan "Kulturentwécklungsplang 2018–2028." It consolidated earlier sector-specific initiatives such as music:LX and Reading Luxembourg into a single platform, and its mission centers on stimulating the career development of Luxembourgish creatives, supporting and encouraging the dissemination of artistic creation, and boosting the impact and promotion of artistic creations in and outside of Luxembourg. The organization serves as the primary point of contact for professionals across architecture, design and crafts, multimedia and digital arts, visual arts, literature and publishing, music, and the performing arts. Kultur | lx has been appointed by the Ministry of Culture as Commissioner of the Luxembourg pavilions at the Venice Art and Architecture Biennales, and continues Luxembourg's participation in the international exhibition it has helped organize in recent editions.
Casino Luxembourg – Forum d'art contemporain, the co-organizer of this call, has been the country's leading contemporary art center since its founding in 1996 inside the historic 19th-century Casino Bourgeois building. The art centre is firmly focused on artistic production rather than collecting and conservation, and is geared towards the experimentation and risk-taking inherent in any creative process, positioning itself as a springboard for the careers of emerging artists. Casino Luxembourg has served as curator of the Luxembourg Pavilion at recent editions of the Venice Art Biennale, and works in close cooperation with Kultur | lx on the pavilion's programming.
Title & Description
Curator of the Luxembourg Pavilion — Venice Art Biennale 2028
Kultur | lx – Arts Council Luxembourg, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Casino Luxembourg – Forum d'art contemporain, is calling for applications from curators based in Europe to lead Luxembourg's national participation in the 62nd International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, running from May to November 2028.
The Luxembourg Pavilion has been presented at the Arsenale since 2018, one of the Biennale's two main venues, giving it strong visibility among both general audiences and art professionals. For the 2028 edition, the pavilion's organization has been entrusted jointly to Kultur | lx (as Commissioner) and Casino Luxembourg (as Organiser, responsible for curatorial oversight and realisation). The winning curator will work in close partnership with Casino Luxembourg throughout the development and delivery of the exhibition, and the resulting recommendation will go to Luxembourg's Minister of Culture for the final award of the contract.
The Role Overview
- Position Type: Curatorial commission (independent curator or curatorial duo)
- Contract Type: Project-based commission for a single Biennale edition (exhibition period of seven months, May–November 2028)
- Salary: Not specified in the source (curator remuneration is excluded from the €300,000 production budget and will be detailed in a separate budget guidance note provided to second-round candidates)
- Reports To: Works closely with Casino Luxembourg – Forum d'art contemporain (Organiser); overall recommendation goes to the Minister of Culture
- Department / Programme: Luxembourg Pavilion, Venice Art Biennale
- Working Hours: Not specified in the source
- Second-Round Fee: Each shortlisted candidate (or duo) receives €2,000 following announcement of the winning project; for the winning project this amount is deducted from the total curator fee
Position & Tasks
- Curatorial Development — Develop a curatorial concept for the Luxembourg Pavilion based on one or more identified artists connected to the Luxembourg art scene
- Curatorial Development — Articulate a distinctive, conceptually compelling approach grounded in an original perspective on aesthetic, political, or social questions in contemporary art
- Artist Selection — Identify and present the selected artist(s), who must be Luxembourg nationals or residents with a demonstrable connection to the local art scene
- Project Feasibility — Conceive a proposal specifically suited to the Sale d'Armi space, a historic monument with stringent architectural constraints
- Production Planning — Include provisions for transport, installation, maintenance, and deinstallation of the exhibition across the seven-month run
- Budget Management — Ensure the proposal is feasible within the €300,000 maximum production budget, covering artwork production, scenography, installation/deinstallation, technical teams, transport, travel and accommodation for artist(s), curator, and the Casino Luxembourg team, and accompanying publications
- Institutional Collaboration — Work with the Pavilion's institutional partners (Kultur | lx, Casino Luxembourg, Ministry of Culture) while respecting budgetary, technical, and scheduling constraints
- Second-Round Submission — Prepare a detailed project description, artist presentation, technical plans/sketches, and a provisional budget
- Presentation — Present the finalized project to the jury in a 30-minute interview in Luxembourg
Categories
- Curatorial Practice
- Contemporary Art
- Visual Arts
- Exhibition Making
- International Cultural Exchange
- Arts Administration
- Cultural Programming
- Public Art & Exhibition Production
Eligibility
- Open to independent curators and curatorial duos residing in Europe, regardless of nationality
- Curatorial duos must be established as a legal entity
- Proven experience curating major contemporary exhibitions, preferably in international contexts such as biennales
- Knowledge of the Luxembourg art scene
- Ability to collaborate with the Pavilion's institutional partners while respecting budgetary, technical, and scheduling constraints
- Proposed artist(s) must be Luxembourg nationals or resident in Luxembourg with a demonstrable connection to the local art scene
- Artists who have already represented Luxembourg at the Venice Biennale are not eligible
Program Benefits
- Curation of a national pavilion at one of the world's most prestigious international contemporary art events
- Presentation at the Arsenale, one of the Biennale's two main venues, offering high visibility to general public and professionals
- Production budget of up to €300,000 (incl. VAT) covering artwork production, scenography, installation/deinstallation, technical teams, and travel/accommodation for artist(s), curator, and Casino Luxembourg team
- €2,000 fee for each candidate (or duo) shortlisted for the second round, following announcement of the winning project
- Publications accompanying the exhibition included within the production budget
- Not specified in the source: curator's own remuneration figure (to be detailed in a separate budget guidance note for second-round candidates)
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
Round One (by 21 September 2026):
- CV and biography
- Portfolio
- Concept note (maximum one A4 page): list of identified artist(s), proposed thematic focus, and initial project outline
Round Two (by 8 February 2027, for shortlisted candidates only):
- Project description (maximum five A4 pages)
- Presentation of the selected artist(s): biography and artistic practice
- Technical description with plans and sketches
- Provisional budget
Applications may be submitted in English, French, or German.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Round One Deadline: 21 September 2026 (midnight)
- Shortlisting Jury Meets: Week commencing 28 September 2026
- Shortlisted Candidates Announced: Week commencing 5 October 2026
- Round Two Deadline: 8 February 2027 (midnight)
- Second-Round Jury Interviews: Week commencing 15 February 2027 (in Luxembourg)
- Winning Project Announced: 22 February 2027
Location
Venice, Italy
Additional Details
- The Luxembourg Pavilion occupies 240 m² within the Sale d'Armi at the historic Arsenale site
- Incomplete applications and those received after 21 September 2026 will not be considered
- The jury's decision is final; one winning project is recommended to the Minister of Culture, who awards the final contract
- Shortlisting panel includes one representative each from Mudam Luxembourg, Casino Luxembourg, Kultur | lx, and the Ministry of Culture
- Final selection panel includes representatives from Casino Luxembourg, Kultur | lx, and the Ministry of Culture, the winning artist of the previous Biennale edition, and two international professionals (announced after shortlisting)
- A detailed budget is only required at the second-round stage, not with the initial application