BIEN is simple.
BIEN biennially presents textile art, handicraft and industrial design exhibitions and projects that reflect on heritage, preservation, and sustainability. The theme of the 2025 edition is “Air”.
BIEN 2025: AIR
Textile Art Biennial
May 31 – August 14, 2025
Kranj, Nova Gorica, Idrija, Jesenice, Škofja Loka / Slovenia
BIEN is a textile art biennial that takes place every two years across various locations in Slovenia. It features an international exhibition of contemporary textile art, alongside a community and knowledge-sharing programme, highlighting the transformative power of textile practices for individual wellbeing and social impact. BIEN 2025, held under the central theme “air,” runs from 31 May to 14 August 2025 in Kranj, Škofja Loka, Idrija, Nova Gorica, Gorizia, Tržič, and Jesenice. This leading Slovenian event of contemporary textile creativity is part of the official programme of the European Capital of Culture GO! 2025.
TEAM
Artistic Director and Founder: Zala Orel
2025 Curator: Lovro Ivančić
WellBIEN curator: Jasmina Ferček
Senior Program Advisor: Marija Jenko
Program Collaborators: Ajda Tomazin, Lavoslava Benčić, Nina Vastl Štefe, Jana Mršnik, Klara Debeljak, Damjana Celcar, Katja Burger Kovič, Arijana Gadžijev, Nejc Stupan, Boris Beja, Anja Jerčič Jakob, Matija Samec, Almina Durakovič, Tadeja Pance
Production Team: Urška Sadar, Kristi Komel, Marjeta Duhani, Teja Duhani, Rok Pavlin, Urban Valjavec, Janez Sagadin
Communication Team: Dominika Maša Kozar, Lea Vidmar, Maša Pirc, Urška Alič, Gal Grobovšek
Legal and Financial Affairs: Selman Čorović (general manager at Zavod Carnica)
BIEN is an initiative of the Carnica Institute from Kranj, which organizes the biennale in collaboration with the Aktivat Association, the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering at the University of Ljubljana, the Faculty of Design, an independent higher education institution, and numerous other partners.
The project is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, the public institute GO! 2025 – European Capital of Culture, Nova Gorica, and the City Municipality of Kranj.
