Vision
The CII Banaras Biennale envisions Banaras as a city-wide cultural canvas, where museums and galleries, universities and public spaces, temples, riverfronts, craft clusters and cultural institutions come together to create a shared platform for art, performance, dialogue and discovery. Rather than being confined to a single venue, the Biennale invites the world to experience an entire city as a living ecosystem of culture.
Its larger aspiration is to position Banaras as a global destination for cultural tourism, creative enterprise and intellectual exchange, while creating new opportunities for artists, artisans, students, entrepreneurs and local communities. For centuries, Banaras has inspired pilgrims, philosophers, poets and musicians
Engagements and Focus Areas
Bharat Kala Bhawan, Jnana Pravaha
Visual Art and Photography Exhibition
Craft, Design and Textile Exhibition
Performing Arts and Music
Heritage and Tourism
Ideas, Dialogues and Masterclasses
Curated Walkthroughs
Culinary Demonstrations
Social Initiatives
CII will launch the Varanasi Healthy Weavers Initiative, addressing gaps in primary healthcare and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and geriatric health among weaving communities. The programme will focus on the identified weaving clusters of Ramnagar, Lohta and Badi Bazar, benefiting an estimated 4,000–5,000 weavers and their families.
The Biennale will also serve as a platform for long-term skills and employment initiatives in Varanasi and eastern UP. These include the establishment of the CII Artisan Skill Training Institute, with Varanasi as the anchor hub and planned centres in Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Chandauli and Azamgarh; a CII Model Career Centre, developed in collaboration with the Employment Exchange; and the CII E2EE Career Lounge at BHU, an industry-led career development centre created through a partnership with BHU.