EU cuts €2 million grant to Venice Biennale over Russia

The European Commission has recommended terminating a 2 million euro grant to the Venice Biennale, escalating a major cultural and political dispute over the art exhibition's decision to allow Russia to reopen its national pavilion this year. The recommendation, announced by European Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen, follows a months-long assessment and cites a failure to uphold democratic values.

Russia's pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale reopened in April 2026 after being closed for the 2022 and 2024 editions following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The European Commission had warned in April that funding could be frozen, giving the Biennale Foundation 30 days to justify the decision. After reviewing the Biennale's responses, Virkkunen stated that publicly funded culture should promote democratic values, which she said are not respected in Russia today. The final decision rests with the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).

The Biennale's leadership has defended its position, arguing it followed international rules and that excluding countries would amount to censorship. Biennale President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco previously stated the...