E.U. Withdraws Venice Biennale Funding Over Russia’s Return
The European Union withdrew about €2 million (around $2.3 million) in Venice Biennale funding after Russia resumed participation, saying public money should support cultural events that uphold democratic values and freedom of expression. European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said those values “are not respected in today’s Russia,” while the Biennale stated the loss would have “no significant impact” on its budget or scheduled activities. Russia’s return was announced in March, ending a four-year hiatus that began after its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine; Italy’s culture minister Alessandro Giuli boycotted the event, and the Commission warned about compliance with EU sanctions. The Russia Pavilion, featuring “The Tree is Rooted in the Sky” commissioned by Anastasia Karneeva (daughter of Rostec deputy chief executive Nikolay Volobuyev), was open only during preview week in early May and drew protests, including an action by Pussy Riot on May 6.
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This story was covered in Culture Wars and AI’s Art Power Play