Although the Fundação Bienal is recognized for the organization and production of the Bienal de São Paulo editions since 1962, it also dedicates itself to other initiatives focused on promoting the dissemination of contemporary art, as well as the preservation of its memory.

The Bienal’s Special Projects area is dedicated to these activities that complement its primordial mission. The most traditional activities are the national representations in the art and architecture exhibitions at the Biennale di Venezia, which began to be exercised by Brazil through the initiative of Ciccillo Matarazzo in 1950.

The Bienal was also officially responsible, through the agreement signed by the Ministry of External Relations (MRE), for the Brazilian representations at international exhibitions such as the biennials of Cuenca (2004), Valencia (2007) and New Delhi (2005).

Between 2006 and 2010, the Bienal was responsible for managing a never-before-seen project of promoting Brazilian contemporary art abroad in partnership with ApexBrasil, the Brazilian Agency of Promotion of Exports and Investments, and the Ministry of Culture. The insertion of Brazilian contemporary art in the international market relied much on supporting galleries to participate in international art fairs and inviting journalist, curators, international critics to come to Brazil so that they could enhance their knowledge of Brazilian art scene. In doing so they will disseminate it in their countries and its institutions. After being perfected, the project was taken over in 2011 by the Brazilian Association of Contemporary Art (ABAC).

In 2009, the Fundação Bienal signed an agreement of technical cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, as a partner of the Programa Brasil Arte Contemporânea [Contemporary Art Brazil Program] (BAC) and launched grants for awarding artists, researchers and editors. The project’s objective is to stimulate the production and diffusion of knowledge within the community and the general public and promote Brazilian contemporary art in the international circuit. More recently, the projects São Paulo Polo Arte Contemporânea and Bienal Digital came about. The first came together with the 29th Bienal de São Paulo and the union of 29 cultural institutions around the largest contemporary art event in our country. The second, in 2009, was created to think about and develop experiences in the digital and virtual environment.

Other projects already executed are the itinerancy program of selected works (national and international) of the Bienals de São Paulo to other Brazilian cities and the Museo de Arte Contemporaneao de Santiago de Chile (MAC).

For 2011, the year in which the Fundação Bienal turns 60, we have the itinerancy program of the 29th Bienal and the exhibition In Name of the Artists, which will bring to Brazil for the first time hundreds of works of the the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, an important Norwegian collection of contemporary art.

These initiatives are possible through partnership agreements signed with public and private organs and expand the presence and importance of the Bienal for cultural formation in our country and for visibility of our production abroad.