September 17, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2025 BONAVISTA BIENNALE WRAPS WITH RECORD ENGAGEMENT
String Games Theme Makes Resonant Connections Locally and Globally
Bonavista Peninsula, Newfoundland and Labrador, Sept 17, 2025 – The 2025 Bonavista Biennale officially concluded this past weekend, marking the end of a month-long celebration of contemporary art across Newfoundland’s Bonavista Peninsula. This fifth anniversary edition, held from August 16 to September 14, brought record engagement and resonant connections, transforming the region into a living exhibition space for String Games.
The exhibition was organized by Dr. Heather Igloliorte, Curator; Rose Bouthillier, Artistic Director; and Sue Balint, Executive Director. A special exhibition of artists from Nunatsiavut (Andrea Flowers, Sarah Baikie, and Nellie Winters) was co-curated by three of the artists’ granddaughters: Vanessa Flowers, Ella Jacque, and Jessica Winters.
This year’s Biennale drew inspiration from string games, one of the oldest forms of play and handcraft, practiced by cultures around the world. Art works in diverse media—from textiles and sculpture to sound and performance—emphasized traditional knowledge, land-based practices, and intergenerational storytelling. Installations appeared in natural landscapes and historic buildings, engaging local communities and visitors in a dynamic dialogue about place, identity, and imagination.
Global Perspectives, Local Connections
Following a foundation laid in 2023, the Biennale continued to expand its network of partnerships—locally, nationally, and internationally—enabling new co-commissions and collaborative programming. For the first time, the Biennale featured artists from across the circumpolar North and other island geographies— including Sápmi/Norway and Sweden (Ann-Sofie Kallok, Ánna-Katri Helander, Sebastian Björkman, Anthoni Hætta), Kalaallit Nunaat/Greenland (Inuuteq Storch), Japan (Haruna Sugisaki), and Hawai‘i (Sancia Miala Shiba Nash)—creating rich parallels with the experiences of artists from Newfoundland and Labrador.
Collaboration was central to String Games and made these presentations possible. Performances by artists from Sápmi/Norway and Sweden were programmed in partnership with Dáiddadállu, a Sámi artist network based in Guovdageaidnu, Sápmi (Norway). Sancia Miala Shiba Nash’s video installation, Kuroshio, was co-commission by Bonavista Biennale and the 2025 Hawai’i Triennial.
Community at the Core
The Bonavista Peninsula’s Women’s Institute, a group of more than 30 local makers, presented an exhibition of handcrafted works and produced limited-edition tote bags to commemorate the Biennale’s milestone fifth edition.
A two-day program of “Biennale Conversations” at the Garrick Theatre in Bonavista brought artists, curators, and community members together for dialogue and reflection. These events underscored the Biennale’s commitment to inclusive, community-driven storytelling and cross-cultural exchange.
The Biennale’s program and collaborative approach was also shaped by a unique partnership with Dr. Igloliorte’s Canada Excellence Research Chair in Decolonial and Transformational Indigenous Art Practices and the Taqsiqtuut Indigenous Research-Creation Lab at the University of Victoria.
Lasting Impact
An estimated 20,000 visitors explored the Biennale’s multiple sites, with strong attendance from both local residents and national and international travellers. Media coverage and critical response have positioned the Biennale as a model for place-based, decolonial curatorial practice and rural cultural programming.
Looking Ahead
As the physical works are de-installed, Bonavista Biennale looks forward to continuing its role as a platform for meaningful exchange and creative experimentation. A comprehensive String Games catalogue will be published in early 2026, in print and online. The organizers extend sincere thanks to all participating artists, site partners, funders, volunteers, and the communities of the Bonavista Peninsula for their generosity, curiosity, and enthusiasm.
For more information or to explore highlights from the 2025 Biennale, visit the website, sign up for the e-newsletter and follow on Facebook and Instagram.
High resolution press-ready images of 2025 Bonavista Biennale sites and events, as well as accompanying credits, are available here: 2025 preliminary media pack
Media Contact: David Sorensen, Publicist
About the Bonavista Biennale
The Bonavista Biennale is an innovative, rural-based public art event held every two years on Newfoundland and Labrador’s Bonavista Peninsula. It offers a unique platform for artists and audiences to explore, exchange, and challenge ideas and perspectives in dialogue with the region’s rich histories, landscapes, and cultures.
Supporters of the Bonavista Biennale’s 2025 edition include Canada Council for the Arts, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Year of the Arts, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, ArtsNL, Fortis Inc., TD Bank, RBC Royal Bank, Genoa Design International, Partners in Art, Danish Arts Foundation, Norwegian Embassy (Ottawa), NAPA (Nordic Institute in Greenland), National Centre for Art Research in Japan, and Japan Foundation (Toronto).
2025 program partners include Curating Change, Hawai’i Triennial, Fogo Island Arts, Garrick Theatre, Union House Arts, Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark, Heritage NL, Riddle Fence and Port Rexton Brewery.
Land Acknowledgement
Bonavista Biennale gratefully acknowledges that the land on which we gather is Ktaqmkuk, traditional unceded Mi’kmaw territory. We further acknowledge with respect the diverse histories and cultures of the Beothuk, Mi’kmaq, Innu and Inuit of this province, and the ongoing connections with the past, present and future in our relationships with Indigenous and other peoples in Newfoundland and Labrador.