Kaunas Biennial

What Kaunas Biennial does

Kaunas Biennial (Kauno bienalė) is a non-profit contemporary art festival headquartered in Kaunas, Lithuania, founded in 1997 and currently presenting its 15th edition. The organization operates as a periodic, event-driven cultural institution, mounting biennial exhibitions across multiple Kaunas venues — anchored at the historic Stumbro factory (K. Būgos g. 7) and extending to Galerija Meno parkas, Kaunas City Museum, and the Kaunas Artists' House. Programming spans a main biennial exhibition, satellite 'Lydinti paroda' (accompanying exhibition), sub-programs such as Stebuklingi kilimai (Magical Carpets), live performances and concerts, an audio guide, and open-call artist pipelines including the Future Generation Art Prize 2027.

The organization is curated in collaboration with international figures — Italian curator Lorenzo Giusti of Biennale Gherdëina 9 selected the Italian artist cohort for the accompanying exhibition, while Neringa Kulik curates the Lithuanian cohort — signaling an explicit internationalization strategy within the European biennial circuit. Audience reach is multi-segment: art enthusiasts and the general public, contemporary artists (international and Lithuanian) participating through curated selection or open calls, and cultural tourists visiting Kaunas as a destination.

The business model combines three revenue streams: (1) ticket sales through a dedicated 'Bilietai' section on bienale.lt, with all opening events free of charge; (2) government and institutional funding, evidenced by a 'Festivalį finansuoja' (Funded by) section on the website; and (3) corporate sponsorship and partnership revenue across main, information, and 'Friends' tiers. Marketing is conducted primarily through the official website and email newsletter subscription, with physical foot traffic at multi-venue installations serving as the secondary acquisition channel. The organization employs 17 people and is registered as a Lithuanian entity operating in the Baltic region.

Name

Kaunas Biennial

Legal name

Kauno bienalė

Website

https://bienale.lt

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kaunas Biennial is a non-profit contemporary art festival in Kaunas, Lithuania, currently in its 15th edition since 1997. It organizes biennial exhibitions across multiple city venues with international curatorial collaboration, serving art audiences, contemporary artists, and cultural tourists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Art Festival / Cultural Events

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks) (MPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Local Community & Multi-Category Fairs (MPAGAFAO)

Keywords

• Contemporary art festival
• Art biennial exhibitions
• Cultural event programming
• Art performance series
• Arts and culture nonprofit

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales: The festival generates revenue through ticket sales for exhibitions and events, with a dedicated 'Bilietai' (Tickets) section on the website. Opening events are offered free of charge.
2. Government and institutional funding: The festival is financed by government bodies and institutional partners, as indicated by the 'Festivalį finansuoja' (Festival funded by) section on the website.
3. Sponsorship and partnership: The festival receives support from sponsors, main partners, information partners, and friends of the biennial, generating revenue through corporate sponsorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Kaunas Biennial (Kauno bienalė) is a non-profit contemporary art festival that organizes a periodic biennial exhibition along with satellite exhibitions, live performances, concerts, and artist open calls across multiple venues in Kaunas, Lithuania. The 15th edition features the main exhibition at the historic Stumbro factory, an accompanying exhibition "Aidai tarp miškų ir kalnų" at Meno parkas gallery and Kaunas City Museum, performance and concert programming at Kaunas Artists' House, and a textile-art sub-program called "Stebuklingi kilimai" (Magical Carpets). Revenue is generated through exhibition ticket sales, government and institutional grants, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

Kauno bienalė operates as a contemporary art festival with a core biennial exhibition event, supplemented by sub-programs such as Stebuklingi kilimai (Magical Carpets), an audio guide service for visitor navigation, accompanying satellite exhibitions, and a live performance/concert program. The festival runs periodic open calls for artists and manages multiple exhibition venues across Kaunas city.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 15th Kaunas Biennial (15-oji Kauno bienalė) Core contemporary art festival edition featuring exhibitions, performances, concerts, and cultural events across multiple venues in Kaunas, Lithuania, including the historic Stumbro factory. Targets art enthusiasts, contemporary artists, and cultural visitors.
• Accompanying Exhibition "Aidai tarp miškų ir kalnų" (Echoes Between Forests and Mountains) Satellite exhibition running alongside the main biennial, featuring Italian artists selected by Lorenzo Giusti (Biennale Gherdëina 9 curator) and Lithuanian artists selected by Neringa Kulik, displayed at Meno parkas gallery and Kaunas City Museum.
• Stebuklingi kilimai (Magical Carpets) Sub-program within the 15th Kaunas Biennial focused on textile art and carpets, presented as part of the festival's thematic program.
• Performance and Concert Program Live performance and concert events as part of the biennial program, including Rat Section, Paulius Janušonis, and Doorman performances, plus concerts by Slauson Malone 1 (Jasper Marsalis) and a Hawazin O DJ set, hosted at Kaunas Artists' House and the Stumbro factory.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

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Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Biennale GherdëinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational curatorial partnership for the accompanying exhibition. Italian artists for the 'Aidai tarp miškų ir kalnų' (Echoes Between Forests and Mountains) exhibition were selected by Lorenzo Giusti, curator of Biennale Gherdëina 9. This collaboration brings international curatorial expertise and artist selection to the Kaunas Biennial.
• Galerija Meno parkascoreOthersLocal gallery venue partner for the 15th Kaunas Biennial. Hosts the accompanying exhibition 'Aidai tarp miškų ir kalnų' at Rotušės a. 27 alongside Kaunas City Museum. Provides exhibition space and local institutional support.
• Kauno miesto muziejus (Kaunas City Museum)coreOthersMunicipal museum partner hosting the accompanying exhibition 'Aidai tarp miškų ir kalnų' at Rotušės a. 15. Provides institutional and venue support for the biennial program.
• Kauno menininkų namai (Kaunas Artists' House)minorOthersVenue partner for opening night performances. Hosts 'Doorman' performance on September 12 at V. Putvinskio g. 56. Provides performance space for the festival's live programming.
• Istorinė Stumbro gamykla (Historic Stumbro Factory)coreOthersMain venue for the 15th Kaunas Biennial at K. Būgos g. 7. A historic industrial factory repurposed as an exhibition space, embodying the biennial's engagement with industrial heritage and contemporary art.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Manifesta: European nomadic biennial of contemporary art. Comparable to Kaunas Biennial because it curates periodic international contemporary art exhibitions, partners with host cities, and uses satellite venues for programming — a model similar in spirit to Kaunas's multi-venue festival approach.
• Liverpool Biennial: The UK's largest contemporary art festival, held biennially. Comparable to Kaunas Biennial because it operates on a biennial cycle, uses multiple venues across a single city, and combines exhibitions with performances and public programming.
• Biennale Gherdëina: A smaller-scale contemporary art biennial in the Italian Dolomites. Highly comparable to Kaunas Biennial given the active curator-sharing partnership in the 15th edition; similar size, biennial cadence, and curated-international-contemporary-art format.
• Istanbul Biennial: One of the most established contemporary art biennials in the wider European region. Comparable to Kaunas Biennial in format (biennial exhibition, international curators, multi-venue) and in curatorial ambition to bridge local and international contemporary art.
• Venice Biennale (La Biennale di Venezia): The original and largest contemporary art biennial. Comparable to Kaunas Biennial because it operates on a periodic biennial cycle, presents international contemporary art across multiple venues, and runs a curated exhibition program with international curators and satellite shows.
• Berlin Biennale für zeitgenössische Kunst: A periodic contemporary art biennial held in Berlin. Directly comparable to Kaunas Biennial in terms of biennial cadence, international curator-led programming, multi-venue exhibition model, and emphasis on emerging and established contemporary artists.
• Lyon Biennale: A periodic contemporary art biennial held in Lyon, France. Comparable to Kaunas Biennial due to its biennial cycle, multi-venue exhibition programming across the host city, and curator-driven international contemporary art focus.
• São Paulo Biennial: One of the oldest and most established contemporary art biennials globally. Comparable to Kaunas Biennial in biennial format and in hosting international contemporary art exhibitions curated around a central theme, though at substantially larger scale.
• Riga International Biennial of Contemporary Art (RIBOCA): The leading contemporary art biennial in the Baltic region, held in Riga, Latvia. Closely comparable to Kaunas Biennial by virtue of shared Baltic geography, biennial cadence, international curator model, and mission to put the host city on the regional contemporary art map.

Regional players

• Helsinki Biennial: A contemporary art biennial held on Vallisaari island in Helsinki, Finland. Comparable to Kaunas Biennial in biennial format and curatorial ambition, but primarily serves a different (Nordic-Finnish) geographic market and a distinct island venue model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kaunasbiennial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kaunas Biennial