Organizer Information
BIEN — the Textile Art Biennial — is organized by the Carnica Institute, a cultural non-governmental organization based in Kranj, Slovenia, established in 2010. The Institute manages cultural public infrastructure, organizes cultural and artistic events, and develops cultural strategies connecting communities, cultural operators, and local government, with support from European, national, and local cultural funds. Since its 2020 launch, Carnica Institute has organized BIEN as a biennial international exhibition of contemporary textile art, run in collaboration with academic partners including the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering at the University of Ljubljana and the Faculty of Design, alongside numerous other institutional partners. Past editions have connected multiple Slovenian cities and featured well over 100 international and domestic artists, collectives, and student productions, with programming centered on heritage, sustainability, and social impact through textile practice. BIEN 2027 continues this format, expanding across Kranj, Tržič, Škofja Loka, and Jesenice.
Title & Description
Textile Art Biennial BIEN 2027 — Open Call for Exhibitors
Artists, designers, and researchers are invited to submit work for the Textile Art Biennial BIEN 2027, taking place between May 29 and August 14, 2027, across the Slovenian cities of Kranj, Tržič, Škofja Loka, and Jesenice. Submitted works will be selected by a jury and exhibited across several city venues, with an opening program organized so participants can attend multiple openings across the four locations.
Theme
"Traces of Grace." The organizer provides an extended explanation of this curatorial concept via a separate linked page, which was not accessible for verification at the time of writing.
Categories
- Fiber/Textile Art
- Visual Arts
- Craft
- Mixed Media
- Residency
Eligibility
- Open internationally to artists and artist collectives from around the world
- No nationality restriction stated in the source
- Applicants must submit three works that are no more than three years old
- Submitted works must be thematically aligned with "Traces of Grace"
- Works must be created primarily in the medium of textiles, or in a medium that references textiles through material, technique, or concept
- Only online submissions are accepted
- Students may apply through a separate, free application track (the Textile School of Thought form)
Program Benefits & Awards
- Main award: a residency in Kranj of up to four weeks (for one artist or an artist collective of up to two members), including coverage of travel expenses, accommodation, per diem, and production costs, to take place in 2028 or 2029
- If the main award and the international ETA Award go to the same recipient, the two awards are combined
- ETA Award (international, under age 29): a two-week residency in Kranj
- ETA Award (national, under age 29): a one-week residency at the Lottozero textile laboratory in Prato, Italy
- Return shipping of artworks is covered by the organizer
- Artworks are insured by the organizer up to a maximum value of €999, subject to exceptions in the artist agreement
Application Fee
- A non-refundable application fee of €10 is required to participate in the open call.
- If you are a student, you may apply free of charge through the Textile School of Thought application form (available at the beginning of the application).
- If you live in or are affected by a war or conflict zone, please contact us at bien@layer.si and we will provide you with a fee waiver.
- Applicants are responsible for the costs of shipping their works. The organiser is not liable for any damage that may occur during transport to the exhibition.
- The organiser covers the cost of returning the works and insures them up to a maximum value of €999 (see exceptions in the agreement). If a package exceeds the permitted dimensions and weight (maximum length of any side: 150 cm; combined length and girth: 300 cm; maximum weight: 20 kg), the organiser assumes no responsibility for returning the work at its own expense.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 21 December 2026
- Announcement of results: 10 February 2027
- Sending artworks to the organizer: April 10 – May 1, 2027
- Opening program (multiple cities): May 29 – June 3, 2027
- Exhibition duration: May 29 – August 14, 2027
- Dismantling and return of artworks: August 15 – September 30, 2027
Location
Kranj, Tržič, Škofja Loka, and Jesenice, Slovenia
Additional Details
- Applicants are responsible for shipping costs to the exhibition; the organizer is not liable for transport damage
- Maximum package dimensions: 150 cm on any side; combined length and girth up to 300 cm; maximum weight 20 kg. Packages exceeding these limits are not covered for return shipping by the organizer
- Customs duties and related charges are the applicant's responsibility
- Jury members: Dominika Krogulska-Czekalska, Almina Duraković Korošec, and Lovro Ivančić
- BIEN is co-funded by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia