Dates And Theme Revealed For Kochi-Muziris Biennale, India's Biggest And Longest Contemporary Art Festival | Find Out The Dates, Theme And What's New In This 110-Day Cultural Blast

The Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB), India’s biggest and among the most loved art events, is back for its sixth edition. It kicks off on December 12, 2025, and will run for 110 days, wrapping up on March 31, 2026. This time, the event comes with a fresh theme and a new curator.

What Is the Kochi-Muziris Biennale?

If you’ve never attended, think of it as India’s version of the Venice Biennale but with the charm of Kerala’s backwaters and a powerful mix of local and global art. The biennale is held every two years in Kochi, a historic port city in Kerala that has seen centuries of cultural exchange. The event spreads across multiple venues and brings together contemporary artists, performers, and thinkers from all over the world.

Why Kochi?
Kochi has always been a melting pot of cultures — with influences from the Dutch, Portuguese, Arabs, Chinese, and more. That multicultural spirit is at the heart of this biennale. It's the perfect place to host an art festival that celebrates both tradition and experimentation, local roots and global voices.

Who’s Curating This Year?

The 2025 edition is being curated by Nikhil Chopra, a multidisciplinary artist known for his powerful performance art. He’s curating the biennale in partnership with HH Art Spaces, an artist collective based in Goa. Chopra is breaking away from the usual exhibition format to create a “living ecosystem” (a space where art and people constantly interact). Instead of just putting up artworks for people to view, the idea is to create a space where art is made, shared, and experienced together. Think of it as art that breathes — where the body, memory, and emotions take centre stage.

“It’s about the body as memory, as labour, as love,” writes Chopra in the press note. “This edition is an invitation to slow down, pay attention, and connect.”

What’s the Theme?

The theme for 2025 is “For the Time Being.” It’s not just a clever title — the idea is to encourage us to live more fully in the present, to really see and feel what’s happening around us, and to engage with each other and with art in a more mindful way. According to the curatorial note, this edition is inspired by the body as a source of knowledge and memory; art as a collective process of sharing, listening, and helping; creating space for compassion, dialogue, and reflection.

What’s Happening Besides Art Exhibits?

There’s a full programme of events planned to involve people of all ages and backgrounds. Here’s a breakdown:

All this will happen across various Kochi locations — from historic spice warehouses to open-air venues and sea-facing pavilions.

What’s New In This Edition?

This time, there’s a clear focus on breaking boundaries — between artist and audience, between art and life.

1. First edition with a curator focusing so deeply on process and performance
2. Real-time art-making and interaction instead of static displays
3. More inclusive and family-friendly events
4. Collaborative storytelling, shared experiences, and meaningful dialogue

“The audience is going to experience an immersive journey with breathtaking works of art and enough space to interact with artists,” says Bose Krishnamachari, President of the Kochi Biennale Foundation. Book your tickets, plan your Kerala trip, and get ready to experience art like never before.

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