In the last decades, the artistic scene of the Arab world has been characterised by an increasing dynamism. The establishment of galleries and museums of modern and contemporary art, the organization of courses at university level and the presence in the international art market of a growing number of artists from the Arab world are witnesses to this trend. Through the years, Venice and the Biennale have become engaged in promoting the art of the Arab world and in providing fertile ground for the growth of new theories and practices and the establishment of cultural exchanges. The presence of national pavilions from Arab countries at the Venice Biennale, however, is still limited, perhaps as a consequence of the deep political and economic crisis that some of them have been experiencing in recent times.

By taking into account this dichotomy, the aim of the conference is to bring into focus some of the key features of the Arab artistic scene both in the dynamic international context of the Venice Biennale and the academic world. This  2-day conference wants to investigate where contemporary art from the Arab world is heading to and the role played by Venice as a long-term showcase for the international art scene.