LOOK UP: From Times Square New York to the La Biennale di Venezia 2026 - Invitation from the European Cultural Centre

What does LOOK UP mean to you?

Palazzo Bembo Venice Italy

LOOK UP TIMES SQUARE

A Global Public Art Movement Uniting Art, Technology, Storytelling, and Human Connection | A private invitation with sponsorship required from our supporters

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, February 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- LOOK UP, a global public art and storytelling platform transforming iconic public spaces into open-air galleries, has received a private, official invitation to participate in Personal Structures, presented by the European Cultural Centre, as part of the official Venice Biennale 2026. Participation in Personal Structures is by invitation only, and LOOK UP has been selected to present its work within the exhibition’s curatorial framework. The exhibition will take place from May 5th through November 22nd, 2026, across Palazzo Mora, Palazzo Bembo, and the Marinaressa Gardens, under the curatorial theme Confluences. http://www.lookuptimesquare.com

Founded in 1895, La Biennale di Venezia is the world’s oldest and most influential international contemporary art exhibition, serving as a global platform where artistic movements, cultural dialogue, and critical discourse have shaped the course of modern and contemporary art for more than a century.https://www.labiennale.org/en/noticeboard/495

LOOK UP enters this international dialogue as a public-facing, cross-disciplinary platform that bridges contemporary digital culture with shared human presence, positioning public storytelling as a vital and evolving contemporary art form. Originally launched in Times Square, LOOK UP uses large-scale digital billboards, video, art, movement, music, and interactive technology to invite the public into a shared question: What does LOOK UP mean to you? The project activates public space as a site for reflection, connection, and collective expression, presenting one-minute video works contributed by artists, cultural leaders, and creative voices across disciplines. Rather than presenting a singular narrative, LOOK UP creates space for multiple perspectives, forming a living archive of contemporary creative expression that exists both physically in public space and digitally through interactive platforms.

LOOK UP officially debuted in New York City on Thanksgiving Day with the support of the Times Square Alliance, activating one of the world’s most visible public stages. The debut spanned three large-scale digital billboards and featured nearly 40 contributors across visual art, dance, music, philosophy, and cultural leadership. For the first time in Times Square, QR codes embedded directly into digital billboards allowed passersby to connect instantly from the street to full video works and artist biographies on their mobile devices, transforming Times Square into an interactive, participatory open-air gallery. The debut reached hundreds of thousands of viewers in real time, with millions more engaging through global livestreams and digital distribution.
Contributing artists and cultural voices include Sir John Hurt; Andy Gotts, MBE; Jacqulyn Buglisi and Rossella Vasta (The Table of Silence Project); environmental leaders from The Perfect World Foundation; Nathan Brujis; Diane Detalle; Gordana Biernat; Helene Beck; Juan Garaizabal; Laura Geller; Greg Miller and Dance Parade NYC; Karen Bystedt (The Lost Warhols); Lindsey Nobel; August Quinn; Robert Dupont; Michel Haddi; Nikki Haskell; Max Tucci, among others. Together, these participants reflect LOOK UP’s commitment to amplifying diverse voices across disciplines while fostering meaningful dialogue in shared public environments.

All works are archived in the LOOK UP Video Library at LOOK UP TIMES SQUARE website forming a permanent and expanding digital collection designed to travel globally and evolve over time. The archive serves as both a historical record and a living platform for future contributions, ensuring long-term accessibility, authorship, and cultural continuity.

The Venice presentation of LOOK UP will feature a curated selection of past and new video works alongside site-responsive artworks by participating contemporary artists. Translating public digital culture into historic Venetian contexts, the installation reflects the Confluences theme by weaving together global voices, disciplines, and perspectives. Conceived as a long-form cultural presence rather than a temporary activation, the exhibition emphasizes continuity, participation, and the power of collective storytelling across geographies and generations traveling across the world. Following Venice it will travel to a premiere contemporary art institution in Italy, details to be announced.

Personal Structures requires secured sponsorship, a standard and essential component of the Venice Biennale exhibition ecosystem. To be fully included in the official exhibition catalogue, curatorial materials and on-site presentation, sponsorship funding must be confirmed by the catalogue submission deadline at the end of February. Sponsorship directly supports exhibition production, installation, artist compensation, professional shipping and logistics, public programming, documentation, and long-term archival visibility within the Venice Biennale framework. https://europeanculturalcentre.eu

Your Support Matters to become part of our global story. The LOOK UP Rewards are an extension of the movement with every reward designed not as merchandise, but a participatory artifact a way to carry LOOK UP onward. Unique artwork, editions. Support Directly Here: Kickstarter Sponsorship Link

LOOK UP’s participation in Personal Structures 2026 is made possible through the support of sponsors and patrons who believe in the power of public art and shared human expression. Sponsorship enables this privately invited exhibition to come to life, supporting artist participation, production, installation, and long-term visibility within one of the world’s most influential cultural platforms.

LOOK UP will also maintain a live Times Square billboard during part of the Venice exhibition period with the Times Square Alliance in October 2026, creating a transatlantic public art bridge between New York and Venice. This simultaneous activation allows global audiences to encounter the project in public space regardless of location, reinforcing LOOK UP’s mission of accessibility, participation, and shared experience.

LOOK UP operates as a non-commercial, public-facing platform demonstrating how contemporary art and storytelling can thrive in shared urban environments while fostering reflection, connection, and collective meaning.

VGAA ANNOUNCEMENT: What's new!
In a parallel 2026 cultural programming announcement, Vancelette Global Art Acquisitions (VGAA Corp) presents as cultural producer for internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist, pianist, and guitarist Whitney Marchelle Jackson, who will headline an intimate trio performance at Mezzrow Jazz Club in New York City on February 15, 2026. The performance features an elite ensemble with Marc Devine (piano), Lonnie Plaxico (bass), and Tommy Campbell (drums) artists whose combined careers represent decades of excellence in contemporary jazz. This engagement reflects VGAA Corp’s expanding commitment to representing cross-disciplinary excellence across contemporary art, music, performance, and public cultural programming. For tickets: www.smallslive.com

Vancelette Global Art Acquisitions is an international art advisory and cultural production firm supporting contemporary artists, exhibitions, and public-facing creative projects worldwide. www.vancelette.com

VGAA Corp
Vancelette Global Art Acquisitions Corp.
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