Uncertainty looms over Kochi Biennale 2024 due to a lack of funds and the likely sale of its prime venue, the Aspinwall House.

The sixth edition of Kochi-Muziris Biennale(KMB), also known as Kochi Biennale was scheduled to be held in December. However, due to insufficient funding and the unavailability of its main venue, the future of the event is uncertain.

The Kochi Biennale is the largest contemporary art exhibition in India. It not only draws huge audiences from within the country but also from abroad. The KMB has been held every two years since its inception in 2012, barring the pandemic year in 2020. The fifth edition of the KMB was held in 2022.

Aspinwall House is a waterfront heritage property in Fort Kochi. It serves as the prime venue for the KMB and is owned by a Delhi-based real estate company DLF. Currently, the DLF is in talks with the Coast Guard to sell the property to the latter for its daily operations.

Bose Krishnamachari, the founder of the KMB, expressed concerns about the sale of the Aspinwall House. He said as reported by TOI, “Apart from being the prime venue of the Biennale, the Aspinwall House also has historical significance. It is unfortunate that a heritage property, which attracts international tourists, is being handed over while there are so many other buildings that can be handed over for the same purpose.”

Mayor M Anil Kumar has written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, seeking the state government’s intervention. In his letter, he emphasised the importance of protecting the nation’s maritime borders but argued against selling the Aspinwall building to the Coast Guard. He expressed uncertainty about whether the Coast Guard would withdraw from their agreement with DLF if the government provided them with an alternative location. Although he is willing to discuss the issue with the Coast Guard, he noted that this matter exceeds his authority and has addressed his concerns to the Chief Minister.

Previously the Kerala government had made attempts to acquire the Aspinwall house from DLF through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board but the attempts were unsuccessful.

Apart from the unavailability of the venue, the KMB has a major fund crunch. “Due to financial constraints and unavailability of venues, this year’s Biennale has been postponed,” said a source close to the exhibition’s organising body, reported TNIE.

Earlier this year, Kerala allocated ₹5 crore in their State Budget for 2024-25  for the KMB. The allocation was a part of the ‘Conservation, Preservation and Promotion of Heritage, Environment and Culture policy’, which promotes traditional fairs, festivals, and local cultural programmes.

A source said DLF has been charging hefty amounts as rent for hosting the Biennale. “During the last edition, the firm demanded Rs 25 lakh per month as rent. The foundation ended up paying around Rs 1.5 crore to DLF,” said the source.

When contacted Krishnamachari for a statement he said, “We will be making an announcement soon regarding the next edition of the Kochi Biennale.”