The artists set to represent Scotland in Venice Biennale return

Scotland has not taken part the art expo - one of the oldest art festivals in the world - in two years, however a review of its participation earlier this year opted to re-enter the event.

Bugarin + Castle - aka Davide Bugarin and Angel Cohn Castle - are to present a “multi-layered new project”, drawing on queer histories, Scottish archives and Filipino cultural heritage.

They said: ”We first met performing in the mess and noise of queer cabaret in Edinburgh. A decade later, that spirit still drives our practice.

“We’re thrilled to show new work together in Venice, transforming the venue with spatial and drag-inflected interventions that confront questions of gendered performance and colonial sound control, rooted in our lived experience. We aim to trouble easy narratives on the contested ground of identity today.”

Scotland’s participation in the Biennale was paused in 2023 amid financial concerns. However, Scotland + Venice, a partnership between a range of organisations including Creative Scotland, British Council Scotland and the Scottish Government, said earlier this year a review had opted to restart participation in the prestigious event. It said it would be a “more efficient model”, prioritising lower-carbon travel, more sustainable logistics and hybrid ways of working.

Love the arts? Us too - subscribe now to our dedicated newsletter

Although Scotland does not have its own pavilion - and is incorporated into the British Pavilion at the Bienniale, it has previously staged a number of "collateral" shows on the fringes of the main sites. A total of 29 countries have official pavilions at the event, regarded as one of the most significant international platforms within the global art world.

Alastair Evans, chair of Scotland + Venice Partnership, said: “Scotland + Venice 2026 presents a timely opportunity to showcase the diversity, innovation and internationalism of contemporary Scottish art.

“This presentation reflects the depth of collaboration, critical engagement and inclusive practice that defines the Programme’s future direction.”

Bugarin + Castle’s recent interactive film Sore Throat, shot in Edinburgh and Manila, explored colonial monsters and sound in queer Filipino spaces, showing in a solo exhibition at Fruitmarket as well as at Tate Modern and international venues.

Via custom software, gallery audience voices were unknowingly recorded and replayed within the film, implicating them as antagonists in its narrative. Bugarin + Castle also perform in drag as Hairy Teddy Bear and Pollyfilla, through Pollyanna, a Scottish queer arts company founded by Castle, now in its 10th year.

Forma, an arts charity working across the UK and internationally, will provide production support for the film element of the new work, building on the organisation’s previous Scotland + Venice experience working with Alberta Whittle in 2022.

The work will be shown in Venice from 9 May to 22 November next year.

Mount Stuart Trust, based on the Isle of Bute, will curate the project, working with the artists and a series of partners.

The Venice exhibition will return for an exhibition at Mount Stuart on Bute in Summer 2027, before further presentations in Scotland to be announced.

Emma Nicolson, head of visual arts at Creative Scotland, said: “We are thrilled to support Mount Stuart Trust and Bugarin + Castle as they lead Scotland’s return to Venice with a commission that speaks powerfully to the rich and diverse contemporary art practice that we have in Scotland.

“This project is bold, visually compelling and emotionally layered and stands as a testament to the varied and ambitious artistic voices in Scotland, rooted in place, conceptually bold, and internationally relevant. We are excited to see how this work will evolve in Venice and ripple back across communities and venues throughout Scotland and beyond.”