The proposed ‘Tamil Biennale’, scheduled for January 2027, is likely to be held in Chennai and adjoining tourist destination Mamallapuram, said authorities planning the event that is novel to Tamil Nadu.
Former Kochi Biennale Foundation president and former member of the board of trustees Bose Krishnamachari is expected to play a supporting role in laying the foundation of the biennale, and he reportedly met state government officials. Krishnamachari, an artist and curator, co-founded the Kochi Biennale in 2012. He declined to comment.
Two weeks ago, chief minister MK Stalin announced at the Tamil Nadu Global Tourism Summit 2026 that a Tamil Biennale will be organised to put Tamil Nadu on the map as the destination for art and cultural tourism.
Following the announcement, the commissioner and managing director of the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development, Innocent Divya, visited the Kochi Biennale last week, said an official of the tourism department. The IAS officer was among the scores of enthusiasts who came from across India to the Kerala city, but, she of course had to take notes.
“The first question to ask is should we constitute a foundation like the one running the Kochi Biennale or should it be driven by a department –– the tourism department,” said a senior official of the state government on anonymity. “Tamil Nadu does not have experience in this field. We don’t have something like the Jaipur Literary Festival. What we organise well is the Chennai Book Festival and the annual Margazhi season. So, we need to come up with ideas. The finances is the second aspect.”
{{/usCountry}}“The first question to ask is should we constitute a foundation like the one running the Kochi Biennale or should it be driven by a department –– the tourism department,” said a senior official of the state government on anonymity. “Tamil Nadu does not have experience in this field. We don’t have something like the Jaipur Literary Festival. What we organise well is the Chennai Book Festival and the annual Margazhi season. So, we need to come up with ideas. The finances is the second aspect.”
{{/usCountry}}Next, officials are planning to visit the one of the oldest curations in the world, the Venice Biennale that will run from May to November this year in Italy.
“We are thinking of organising [Tamil Biennale] in Chennai and Mamallapuram,” said a second officer. “We will also be associating with Puducherry. It’ll be good to rope in art experts from Auroville also. The thing is it has been announced as a ‘Tamil’ biennale, so we have to think about how to take it forward since the name ‘Kochi’ Biennale makes it more open.”
Since Tamil Nadu is facing assembly elections this summer, officials are hoping to use this period to structure the event. “We will give shape to it during the election season,” the first official said. “We will draw in experts to help us start.”
(With inputs from Dhamini Ratnam)