Low Kee Hong Named Artistic Director of the 2028 Biennale of Sydney

The Biennale of Sydney has appointed Low Kee Hong as Artistic Director of its 26th edition, to be staged in 2028. One of the most distinctive voices in contemporary multi-artform curation, Low will lead an edition that keeps an exhibition of contemporary art at its core while drawing in music, architecture, performance, literature, philosophy, food, fashion and nature — bringing together artists from Australia and around the world.

Low is currently Creative Director of Factory International, based at Aviva Studios in Manchester, described as the most significant UK cultural landmark since the opening of Tate Modern in 2000. There he oversees the curatorial team and, with Artistic Director and Chief Executive John McGrath, shapes the organisation’s artistic program, including the biennial Manchester International Festival. He recently curated Ai Weiwei‘s largest-ever site-specific exhibition, Ai Weiwei: Button Up!, and co-created the artist’s first 24-hour durational performance, Sewing a Button, at Aviva Studios.

His earlier roles include Founding Director and General Manager of the Singapore Biennale, Artistic Director and General Manager of the Singapore Arts Festival, Associate Artistic Director of TheatreWorks in Singapore, and Head of Theatre and Performing Arts at Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District Authority.

“Sydney is a city of extraordinary energy, creativity and diversity, and the Biennale offers a unique platform to bring artists and audiences together in ways that are both meaningful and unexpected,” Low said. “My hope is to create an edition that feels generous, proposing new ways of assembly and rebuilding communities and celebrating our capacity for joy in these challenging times… inviting people from all walks of life to share in the experience.”

Biennale of Sydney Chief Executive Officer Barbara Moore said Low’s appointment came “at a time when people are seeking authentic connection, hope and shared experiences,” adding that his vision “offers warmth and kindness, embracing a shared sense of humanity through difference and change.”

New South Wales Minister for the Arts John Graham welcomed the appointment, noting that across 52 years the Biennale has “changed and enriched our city.” Low, he said, “has made a career out of curating fun and joyous creative programs that bring people together, activate unexpected spaces and transform cities — from Singapore to Hong Kong to Manchester, and next, Sydney.”

The 26th Biennale of Sydney opens to the public on 11 March 2028, with the Vernissage professional preview running 8–10 March 2028.