The Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation announces an open call for mediators to work across two exhibition projects taking place in Venice, Italy.
Project 1: Uzbekistan National Pavilion at the International Art Biennale 2026
Project 2: Exhibition project as part of the Biennale Arte 2026 Collateral Events programme, located in a temporary venue in central Venice
Mediators are key representatives of the exhibition spaces and are responsible for the daily operation of the projects, as well as for professional communication with international audiences, the expert community, and media representatives throughout the Biennale period.
Who Can Apply
The open call is addressed to students and graduates of universities of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as young professionals interested in contemporary art, curatorial practice, and cultural and exhibition work.
Priority will be given to candidates seeking hands-on experience within an international art events and demonstrating strong motivation for professional development in an international cultural environment.
What Does the Mediator Programme Offer?
The programme offers participants the opportunity to gain professional experience within one of the world’s leading international events in contemporary art and to become practically acquainted with the operational processes of a national pavilion at the Biennale.
Mediators will gain experience through daily interaction with international audiences, curators, artists, and institutional partners, as well as the opportunity to visit key exhibition venues of the Biennale.
Responsibilities of Mediators
Mediators act as exhibition staff and cultural intermediaries at the Uzbekistan National Pavilion. Their responsibilities include:
● Welcoming visitors and providing information about the exhibition, its concept, and participants
● Delivering oral presentations and guiding individual and group visits
● Ensuring accurate and professional communication with international audiences
● Recording visitor statistics and collecting feedback
● Collecting contact details of media representatives and members of the professional community
● Opening and closing the pavilion on a daily basis
● Maintaining the pavilion in proper condition in collaboration with the technical team
● Preparing short texts and visual materials for communication purposes upon request
● Compiling regular reports on pavilion operations
Working Period
The duration of the mediator engagement is up to 2.5 months.
● Period 1: 4 May – 13 July 2026 (4 mediators selected)
● Period 2: 13 July – 1 October 2026 (4 mediators selected)
● Period 3: 1 October – 23 November 2026 (4 mediators selected)
The work of the mediators will be supervised by a local coordinator, as well as by a Project Manager from the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation.
The Pavilion and the parallel exhibition project will operate in accordance with the official Biennale schedule. The average workload is approximately 37 hours per week.
Prior to the start of work, selected candidates will participate in an introductory online session covering responsibilities, exhibition context, and organizational aspects.
Conditions of Participation
Selected mediators will be provided with:
● Accommodation for the duration of the engagement
● One round-trip flight from Uzbekistan to Venice
● Medical insurance for the period of stay
● Accreditation and access to the Biennale exhibition venues
● Organizational and professional support from the project team
Financial and organisational conditions will be discussed individually with selected candidates.
Requirements for Candidates
Candidates are expected to:
● Be citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan
● Have a good knowledge of Uzbek culture and contemporary art
● Be fluent in spoken and written English (knowledge of additional foreign languages is an asset)
● Be currently studying or have graduated from relevant humanities, cultural, or creative fields, or possess proven relevant experience
● Have experience participating in exhibition, cultural, or educational projects (an advantage)
We value the ability to work independently in an international environment, strong communication skills, reliability, and readiness to work under dynamic conditions.
Application Process
To apply, candidates must submit the following materials in English by 22 February 2026, 11:59 PM (Tashkent time) to the email address biennale@acdf.uz :
● Motivation letter (approximately one page)
● CV (in a single PDF file)
● A link to a video introduction in English
Please indicate the following in the email subject line:
“Open Call — Mediator, Art Biennale 2026”
In the motivation letter, applicants are also requested to indicate their expected availability, preferred participation dates, and their preference regarding the project they wish to take part in (National Pavilion or parallel exhibition project). These preferences are indicative only and not binding.