Overview

2005: The Texas Biennial is founded by a group of artists in Austin—Rachel Koper, Jon Lawrence, Shea Little, Arturo Palacios, Joseph Phillips, and Jana Swec—who want to provide an exhibition opportunity open to all artists living and working in the state.

2005-2009: The first three Biennials take place in Austin in multiple venues around the city

2011: The Biennial officially merges with Big Medium and expands a portion of its programming outside of Austin into Houston and San Antonio. The Participating Organizations Program is launched recognizing non-profit arts organizations across the state that supported the 2011 project with their own independently curated exhibitions and other programming.

2013: The Texas Biennial sprawls across the state with exhibitions and programming in Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum in San Antonio, CentralTrak–The Artist Residency of the University of Texas at Dallas, Lawndale Art Center in Houston, and Ballroom Marfa. In celebration of the fifth anniversary of the project, the Texas Biennial also featured a special exhibition of work by selected past Biennial artists.

2017: The Biennial returns to Austin with a single focused exhibition. 

2021: The Texas Biennial returns to San Antonio with partner institutions artpace, Ruby City, San Antonio Museum of Art, and the McNay, plus FOTOFEST in Houston.