Gwangju Biennale

Kgw1226 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Asia's oldest contemporary art biennale, founded in 1995 in memory of those killed in 1980.

Gwangju founded its Biennale in 1995, fifteen years after the crackdown, for a reason it stated openly: to turn the city from a place remembered for violence into one remembered for art. It was Asia's first contemporary art biennale and is still the region's largest, held every two years in autumn with dozens of countries taking part. The work tends to be markedly more political than at other biennales — democracy, memory and migration recur, and that is no accident. In off years the exhibition halls stay open with smaller programmes and an art library.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Gwangju Biennale?

September–November of a biennale year

How much does it cost to visit Gwangju Biennale?

16,000 KRW; advance sales can bring it down to 8,000 KRW

How long do you need at Gwangju Biennale?

Half to a full day

What are the opening hours of Gwangju Biennale?

10:00–18:00, closed Mondays

Did you know

Founded in 1995, Asia's first contemporary art biennale.
Held every two years, usually in autumn.
It was created as a memorial to the 1980 Gwangju democratic uprising.
The halls remain open between editions with smaller programmes.

Travel tips

Check whether it is a biennale year before planning around it.
The pass covers the satellite venues scattered across the city.
Allow a full day if you want to see the main site properly.

Source: https://artexpoworld.com/gwangju_biennale_2026

Updated: 2026-08-04