Manifesta is the European Biennial of Contemporary Art, organised in a different location every two years by the International Foundation Manifesta, whose permanent seat is in Amsterdam. Manifesta 7 in 2008 will take place in a string of locations on Europe’s north-south transit route, linking the regions of the Austrian Tyrol to the Italian South Tyrol and Northern Italy. It will be the first time that Manifesta has taken place in a Host Region instead of a Host City. After Rotterdam (1996), Luxembourg (1998), Ljubljana (2000), Frankfurt (2002), San Sebastian (2004) and Nicosia (2006 – cancelled), the Autonomous Province of Bolzano-Bozen, South Tyrol and the Autonomous Province of Trento, which together constitute the region of Trentino-Alto Adige, have been selected by the International Foundation Manifesta (IFM) for its industrial heritage and cultural infrastructure, which will form the basis for formulating a new strategy for the 2008 Manifesta.

From the outset, Manifesta was not intended to be an ordinary biennial exhibition. Instead, it was meant to provide a fairly open structure, with the goal of creating a meaningful, long-term dialogue and building up links between European and international artists and audiences. After recently initiating an edition for the very periphery of Europe, Manifesta now returns to the European heartland.

In keeping with its tradition for innovation, Manifesta has moved from a representational format, such as was used in various forms for the first five editions of the biennial, to a reflective format, characterised by the experimental school proposed for Manifesta 6 and a new emphasis on a range of different approaches to themes, ranging from education to artistic production and the use of public spaces.

Manifesta 7 will open up the region of Trentino-Alto Adige and, with its wide variety of urban and cultural networks, will investigate, develop and reflect upon new aspects of contemporary art within a European context. In the process, it will strive to confront a local, national and international audience with new forms of artistic expression and proposals for dealing with the issue of art in public spaces.

See also MJ Manifesta Journal.