Brussels threatens to pull Biennale grant over Russian presence
Russian pavilion at Venice Biennale (Photo: André Filipe Correia da Fonseca/Google Maps)
The European Commission may suspend a EUR2 million grant to
the Venice
Biennale after organizers allowed the Russian pavilion to open, commission
spokesperson Thomas Regnier said on April 23.
Regnier told reporters that the Education, Audiovisual, and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), which manages the grant, sent a letter to Biennale di Venezia signaling the commission’s intent to temporarily suspend or end the three-year, EUR2 million grant. He said the move reflects the commission’s political opposition to Russia’s participation.
“I can confirm that the agency that manages the grant (EACEA) has sent a letter to Biennale di Venezia about our intention to temporarily suspend or terminate the existing €2 million grant,” Regnier said.
He added that the Biennale has 30 days to respond and explain why the Russian pavilion was opened. If the reply is unsatisfactory, the commission intends to stop or terminate the contract, he said. The commission also said the funds have not yet been disbursed.
A day earlier, EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs
and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, said the EU would reduce funding for the
Biennale and called Russia’s participation “morally wrong.”
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