Alla Biennale di Venezia 2026 serrata dei padiglioni per sciopero pro Palestina. La mappa delle proteste
On May 8, 2026, the third VIP preview day of the 61st Venice Biennale, a massive strike shut down numerous national pavilions and disrupted the exhibition. Led by the Art Not Genocide Alliance (Anga), the protest demands Israel's exclusion from the Biennale over allegations of genocide in Palestine, and also targets poor labor conditions in the cultural sector. Pavilions closed one after another due to staff shortages, and protest posters appeared around artworks at the Giardini and Arsenale. The strike involved the Biennale Foundation itself, along with about twenty contractors managing services and national pavilions, with unions Adl Cobas, USB Lavoro privato, and Cub supporting the action. Tensions rose when the UK Pavilion reportedly replaced striking staff to remain open, and the Foundation issued a statement falsely denying that its employees were covered by the strike.
This protest matters because it marks an unprecedented escalation of political and labor activism within one of the world's most prestigious art events. The Biennale has faced mounting pressure since 2024 over Israel's participation, with the jury resigning en masse ten days before opening after government interference reinstated Israel as a prize contender. By shutting down pavilions and mobilizing workers across multiple organizations, the strike demonstrates that art institutions can no longer ignore the intersection of labor rights and geopolitical conflicts. It also highlights the precarious working conditions endemic to the global art world, challenging the Biennale's veneer of glamour and neutrality.