Biennial Culture is often identified through its potential in opening-up possibilities within the art world, a widening of horizons, and an unprecedented level of cultural diversity in location, source material and artists. We welcome papers from postgraduate and doctoral students which examines such issues from curatorial, art-historical and post-colonial standpoints.

Taking the Liverpool 2006 Biennial as a starting point, the forum will discuss the position of biennials in the global politics of art. Liverpool 2006 Biennial contends art can enact ‘reverse colonialism’. This research forum will aim to explore the implications of this term for contemporary art practice and reception within the world of contemporary arts biennials.

In the post-industrial, post-colonial world, how does art deal with this loaded and controversial past? Can creative processes begin to redress previous knowledge imbalances and injustices? Do cross-cultural arts festivals absolve a city of a history of imperial aggression and human trafficking? And how is contemporary arts practice dealing with the ‘new colonialism’ of our current era? Some areas for papers could involve:

• Histories of Biennial Culture from World Fairs to Modern Expos
• Assimilation or Heterogeneity in the Global Art Scene?
• Post Colonial Issues in Contemporary Biennial Art
• Representations of Gender, Ethnicity, Race and Culture
• Curating Biennials – strategies of inclusion or exclusion?
• The Future of Biennial Culture…

The event will be chaired by Dr Steven Gartside, of MIRIAD, Manchester Metropolitan University. Proposals for papers should be 1 side of A4 in length; this is for a 20 minute presentation. The deadline for submissions is 15th September 2006.