Venice International Performance Art Week

What Venice International Performance Art Week does

The Venice International Performance Art Week (VIPAW) is an independent, nonprofit, non-funded, and noncommercial live art exhibition project founded in 2012 and headquartered in Venice, Italy. Founded, directed, and curated by the artist duo VestAndPage (Verena Stenke and Andrea Pagnes), VIPAW operates as a recurring annual platform for performance art, hosting live performances, exhibitions, talks, and educational programs that convene international emerging and established performance artists in a single themed program. The project has produced nine editions since 2012, with a tenth scheduled for December 10-13, 2026, and maintains a primary operational base at the European Cultural Centre's Palazzo Mora in Venice's Cannaregio district, with additional or historical use of Palazzo Bembo, Palazzo Michiel, and the C32 performingartworkspace at Forte Marghera in Mestre-Venice.

VIPAW's product portfolio spans the core annual Art Week editions; the original Trilogy of the Body themed exhibitions (2012-2016); the Co-Creation Live Factory residency framework introduced in 2017; the Body Matters residential programs at C32; the DigiLabAir digital residency and video exhibition program launched in 2023 with five European cultural partners; the PAV Performance Art Video online dissemination platform launched concurrently; Summer Class workshops with residential character; talks, roundtables, and performance art studies; an open research base; and limited-edition post-event catalogues published through VestAndPage Press and distributed via Unbound. Editions have evolved thematically from the early Trilogy of the Body (Hybrid, Ritual, and Fragile Body) through Co-Creation Live Factory iterations to recent focuses on emergencies of the contemporary, portals and constellations, and the ongoing Gaza Monologues partnership with ASHTAR Theatre.

The organization operates as a noncommercial cultural platform with no commercial revenue model, relying on in-kind sponsorships, partner contributions, donor support, and governmental patronage from Regione del Veneto and the City of Venice. Operational execution is supported by a small core team (approximately six personnel) augmented by per-edition volunteer executional teams exceeding 60 individuals, and is sustained through strategic partnerships with the European Cultural Centre (venue host), Live Art Development Agency, Fondazione Bonotto, Live Arts Cultures, We Exhibit, Venice Open Gates, and an international network of more than 50 cultural partner organizations.

Name

Venice International Performance Art Week

Legal name

Venice International Performance Art Week

Website

https://veniceperformanceart.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Venice International Performance Art Week is a nonprofit live art exhibition project founded in 2012 by artist duo VestAndPage, producing annual performance art events, residencies, publications, and a digital video platform in Venice, Italy, for international emerging and established performance artists and cultural audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Performance Art Exhibitions and Cultural Events

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Arts, Culture, Entertainment & Fan Conventions Organizers (THAHABAN), Virtual Community Festivals & Cultural Events (Online Celebrations) (MPAGAOAK)

Keywords

• Performance art exhibitions
• Live art festivals
• Art residency programs
• Cultural event production
• Artist-led curation

Headquarters

HQ city

Venice

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Noncommercial Cultural Project: The Venice International Performance Art Week is explicitly described as an independent, nonprofit, non-funded, and noncommercial live art exhibition project. It relies on support from artists, in-kind sponsors, partners, donors, and supporters. No commercial revenue model is pursued; the project operates through contributions and institutional support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Venice International Performance Art Week is a nonprofit live art exhibition project that annually produces themed performance art events in Venice, combining live performances, exhibitions, talks, and residencies curated by artist duo VestAndPage. The project also runs co-creation residencies (Co-Creation Live Factory, Body Matters), educational Summer Classes at C32 Forte Marghera, publishes limited-edition catalogues and an open research base, and operates the PAV Performance Art Video online platform for digital dissemination of works.

Product overview

Venice International Performance Art Week is an independent, nonprofit live art exhibition project conceived and curated by artist duo VestAndPage (Verena Stenke & Andrea Pagnes). The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs: the core annual Venice International Performance Art Week events featuring live performances, exhibitions, and talks; the Trilogy of the Body (2012-2016) foundational series; the Co-Creation Live Factory residency program for international artists; Body Matters residencies at C32 in Mestre-Venice; DigiLabAir for digital video works; Performance Art Film Programs; and comprehensive educational offerings including Summer Classes, Talks, Studies, Publications, and an Open Research Base. The project is hosted by the European Cultural Centre at Palazzo Mora and Palazzo Bembo in Venice, and publishes limited edition catalogues through VestAndPage press.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Venice International Performance Art Week (Annual Event) The core annual themed performance art exhibition event held in Venice each year, combining live performances, exhibitions of archived and new works, talks, roundtables, and international artist participation curated by VestAndPage.
• Co-Creation Live Factory (Residency Program) Residency-based program inviting international artists to develop their individual practice within a temporary autonomous zone of co-creation, first launched in 2017 as a new direction for the Art Week and continued in 2020.
• Body Matters Residency Residential project creating temporary artistic communities for collaborative performance art practice, held at C32 performingartworkspace in Mestre-Venice.
• Summer Class (Educational Workshops) Residential annual workshops offered at C32, Forte Marghera, giving international practitioners the opportunity to engage with performance art methodologies.
• DIGILABAIR (Digital Art Residency & Exhibition) Digital art residency and exhibition program focused on performance-based video works, delivered with five European cultural partners and disseminated through the PAV Performance Art Video online platform.
• PAV Performance Art Video (Online Platform) Online platform for disseminating performance art video works, launched in 2023 as part of the DIGILABAIR program with five European cultural partners.
• Open Research Base Free online resource of downloadable performance art-related materials and resource links provided by Art Week artists and collaborators.
• VestAndPage Press Catalogues Limited-edition hardcover post-event catalogues documenting each VIPAW edition, published in collaboration with international scholars and available for order online.
• Performance Art Film Program Program of performance art films presented in partnership with museums, featuring works by and about notable performance artists.
• The New Gaza Monologues (ASHTAR Theatre Project) Ongoing theatrical project by ASHTAR Theatre featuring staged readings addressing the situation in Gaza, presented online (2025) and in Venice (2026).

Quantifiable outcome

• 9,000+ visitors during inaugural 2012 week-long event; over 2,000 visitors at opening alone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• Fondazione BonottomajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Italian foundation providing co-curatorial contributions to the ART WEEK, supporting the international cultural programming.
• TRANSMUTED International Performance Art NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Mexico City-based artist-run network founded in 2010, directed by Martin Renteria. Curates and presents live performances by Mexican artists at the 2014 edition.
• VIDEOPLAYmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Argentina-based international platform for video art dissemination, co-curating photography and video works of South American performance art (1970s-1980s) for the 2014 edition.
• PAV Performance Art VideomajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2013Partner platform for disseminating performance art video works. Launched the PAV online platform in 2023 as part of the DIGILABAIR project with five European cultural partners.
• VestAndPagecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Artist duo Verena Stenke and Andrea Pagnes serve as the founders, directors, and curators of the Venice International Performance Art Week. They conceived and initiated the project in 2012 and continue to provide artistic direction and curation for all editions.
• European Cultural Centre (ECC) ItalycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Primary hosting institution providing prestigious venues (Palazzo Mora, Palazzo Bembo, Palazzo Michiel) for the annual ART WEEK editions since 2012. The ECC is a key institutional partner enabling the project's operations in Venice.
• Studio Contemporaneo Non-Profit Cultural AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Venice-based nonprofit cultural association that collaborates on the realization of the ART WEEK. Listed as a key production partner in the project's organizational structure.
• Live Arts Cultures Non-Profit Cultural AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Partner organization operating the C32 performingartworkspace at Forte Marghera, where Summer Classes and residencies are hosted. Contributes to educational programming.
• We ExhibitcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2012Production and logistic management partner for the ART WEEK. Provides exhibition management, technical supervision, and event production services across all editions.
• Venice Open GatesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Local partner organization providing support manager, public relations, and local institutional relations for the project in Venice.
• Live Art Development Agency (LADA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012London-based organization providing co-curatorial contributions and hosting the Study Room at ART WEEK editions. Contributes to international artist networks and educational programs.
• Regione del VenetosupportingOthers · 1 January 2012Regional government providing patronage for the project, supporting the cultural initiative.
• Città di VeneziasupportingOthers · 1 January 2012Municipal government providing patronage and recognition for the Venice International Performance Art Week through 'Le Città in Festa' and Assessorato alle Attività Culturali.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/VeniceInternationalPerformanceArtWeek
• Instagraminstagram.com/veniceperformanceartweek
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/venice-international-performance-art-week

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Venice International Performance Art Week