The European Commission has confirmed the withdrawal of the €2 million grant earmarked for the La Biennale di Venezia Foundation, opening up a new front of tension between Brussels and one of Italy's most important cultural institutions.
The decision, formalised on Tuesday by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (Eacea) after a legal assessment and on the Commission's recommendation, is linked to Russia's controversial participation in the 2026 Art Biennale.
According to the EU executive, cultural events supported with Union funds must promote and uphold democratic values, dialogue, diversity and freedom of expression, principles that 'are not respected in today's Russia'. This is the reasoning with which Brussels has justified cutting off the European contribution.
Why Brussels decided to cut the funding
The affair stems from Russia's return to the Venice Biennale for the first time since the start of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
