Fine Art & Photography at Venice Biennale

Independence

Trip price

Trip duration

Fine Art and Photography & Video students who will be in their second and third year of undergraduate study in the 2026/27 academic year are eligible to participate on this opportunity. There is a maximum of 30 places available, with a minimum of 15 participants required for this opportunity to take place. Students are recommended to check the eligibility criteria before applying.

Trip description

Fine Art and Photography & Video students have the chance to visit the Venice Biennale, one of the worlds most prestigious international cultural exhibitions. Students will be provided with a 3 day ticket to access the various festival sites. An itinerary of key exhibitions will be provided as well as some off site activities in the satellite venues and gallery spaces across the city.

The Biennale is one of largest scale exhibitions of its kind in the world and it will expose students to cutting edge contemporary art exhibitions and debates which form a key component of cultural discourses intrinsic to becoming an artist.

In Venice, students will participate in staff‑led visits and guided discussions alongside structured time for independent exploration and documentation. This balance supports self‑directed learning, adaptability, and critical engagement within an international cultural setting.

Learning objectives

Prior to travel, students will take part in structured, tutor‑led sessions delivered during teaching weeks. These will introduce the historical, cultural, and political context of the Venice Biennale, its role within global contemporary art, and key themes relevant to students’ current modules.

Students will undertake independent and group research tasks, focusing on specific artists, national pavilions, or curatorial approaches, developing research literacy, teamwork, and presentation skills. Sessions will also support students in setting personal learning objectives, ensuring clear links between the trip, assessment, and future professional ambitions.

Following the trip, learning will be consolidated through reflective seminars and crit sessions, encouraging students to evaluate how the experience has informed their practice, ideas, and understanding of global art contexts. Students will integrate research from the trip into existing module assessments, such as sketchbooks, reflective writing, presentations, or studio outcomes. Opportunities to share learning more widely through talks, blogs, or informal exhibitions will support professional communication and confidence. The experience will also be linked explicitly to employability and postgraduate pathways, reinforcing the relevance of international engagement to students’ future careers.

Skill development

This opportunity has been designed to help develop the following DMU Graduate Attributes:

Critical thinking

Creativity

Confidence

Growth mindset

Cultural activities

As part of the trip we will spend two full days visiting the 61st Venice Biennale, which hosts a vast exhibition of over 100 invited artists from across the world. The exhibition takes place over multiple sites across the city so will also be an opportunity to experience one of the most unique cities in Europe.

Whilst in the city students in their free time may also choose to visit the Gallerie dell’Accademia to study Venetian colour, then walk to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection for modern and surrealist works. Visits to churches like San Zaccaria and Scuola Grande di San Rocco will also give students the chance to see frescoes and narrative painting.