European Commission Asks Venice Biennale To 'Clear Its Name'

The Venice Biennale is under formal pressure from the European Commission, which has given the exhibition 30 days to address concerns over the inclusion of the Russian Pavilion in its 2026 edition. At issue is a possible breach of EU sanctions against Russia - and a €2 million grant tied to the 2028 edition that the commission says it may suspend or terminate.

According to a report in La Repubblica, the EU Commission's Education and Culture Executive Agency sent a letter to Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco on April 10, asking the organization to respond to the allegations and outline any corrective measures it intends to take. The deadline is May 11, two days after the Biennale's public opening on May 9.

The commission's concern centers on the Russian Pavilion's status as a national pavilion backed by the Russian government. In the letter, officials argued that the Biennale's acceptance of Russian artists as a“governmental delegation” could amount to indirect support for the Russian state in exchange for a cultural platform. If the Biennale changes course, the commission is expected to move ahead with the grant.

The pressure is not limited to the Biennale itself. The European Commission also sent a March 26 letter to Italy's foreign ministry, asking for the government's position on Russia's participation. That letter warned that the pavilion could be used for messages sponsored by Russia or otherwise contribute to the circumvention of EU sanctions. Italy has not yet formally replied, though officials told La Repubblica that the foreign ministry is coordinating with the culture ministry on a response.

The issue is now moving through multiple political channels. The EU Foreign Affairs Council is scheduled to discuss Russia's inclusion at an April 21 meeting, and the question is expected to surface when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Wednesday at Palazzo Chigi. Ukraine last week announced sanctions against five Russian culture figures connected to the 2026 Russian Pavilion, including commissioner Anastasia Karneeva.

Meloni has so far avoided taking a direct position, while emphasizing the Biennale's autonomy from the Italian government. Her deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, took a sharper line, calling the commission's funding threat“vulgar blackmail” and saying,“We are truly at madness,” according to Euro News.

The dispute places one of the art world's most visible exhibitions at the center of a broader struggle over sanctions, cultural diplomacy, and the limits of institutional neutrality during wartime.

MENAFN13042026005694012507ID1110976532