B I B A F

Event Description

What is the "Biennale Internationale de Bonifacio des Arts du Feu" (BIBAF) ?

 

  • A biennal of ceramic 3D artworks 
  • From artists around the world 
  • Held in one of the most prestigious and touristic places in France : Bonifacio
  • Artworks may be sold
  • Each biennale has an invited country. Past editions invited  France, Italy, Japan, Malta and Serbia

Where is it taking place?

 

  • Corsica is a French island in the Mediterranean Sea 

 

  • Bonifacio is an old citadel located at the very south of Corsica Bonifacio. It is one of the most touristic hotspots in France. The city, its harbor, its cliffs and its citadel welcome more than 2 million tourists from around the world every summer 

 

  • BIBAF is taking place in an ancient church from the 13th century, called Saint Jacques, today dedicated to contemporary art. It has a surface of approx. 200 sq.m. and is  located in the historical center of the citadel of Bonifacio 

 

  • Its ideal location ensures a very high visibility to the biennale

 

  • BIBAF is visited by 25 000 to 33 000 visitors from around the world (mainly France, Germany, Belgium, USA, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, Spain, Austria, China, Russia, Norway and Middle East). 

How to get to Bonifacio?

 

  • Daily flights from major cities in Europe 

To Figari (10 minutes from Bonifacio) 

To  Ajaccio or Bastia (2 hours from Bonifacio) 

  • Daily ferryboats 

To Porto Vecchio (20 minutes from Bonifacio) 

To Ajaccio or Bastia (2 hours from Bonifacio) 

To Ile Rousse or Calvi (3 hours from Bonifacio) 

From Nice, Toulon, Marseille in France 

From Savona, Livorno, Spezzia, Genova, Sardinia, in Italy 

 

From past experience, artists either bring their artworks with their own car or organise a joint transport of their artworks on a palet directly delivered to the exhibition space. They then take part to the biennale installation and opening. 



 

Who are the curators ? 

 

  • The Biennial is an international cultural event held in Bonifacio under the authority of the city


  • The event is organized by the corsican non-profit organization, TERRA DI FOCU which signs a convention with each invited artist


  • The curators of the biennial are Jean François Baggioni, from a small village near Bonifacio, ceramist himself (www.z-a-n-i.com) and Olivier Plique, french art collector based in Malta. Every second year, the curators propose an invited country to the city hall. Both curators then visit the invited country 12 to 18 months prior to the biennale in order to meet artists and visit their studios. A selection of 3 to 4 ceramic or glass artists is then invited to join the biennale. After France, Italy, Japan, Malta, Serbia, the invited country in 2026 is Greece.

 

When is the event taking place?

 

 

  • Next edition is scheduled for August 2026


  • Installation of the artworks on July 31st


  • Opening to the public on August 1st


  • Official opening with press and officials (organised and financed by the city of Bonifacio) to take place usually 2 days after opening


  • BIBAF runs 7 days a week, from 10a.m. to 7p.m.


  • Invited artists are kindly invited to take part to the installation of their 3D artworks and to the opening of the exhibition


  • The biennale ends on August 31st 7pm. Unsold artworks to be packed in the evening

 

Who may exhibit ? 

 

  • Between 3 and 4 ceramic artists from the invited country 


  • Each artist may exhibit around 10 to 15 artworks, depending of their size 


  • Ideal size for the artworks is 10 to 70cm allowing clients to easily take the work away 


  • From past editions, ideal price range of the artworks is 300 to 3000€ 


  • Additional artworks may be  stored as refill works of the sold pieces 

 

What about the sales ?

 
 

  • City pays for physical and digital advertising, vernissage, and exhibition space. The exhibition space is under alarm


  • Artists pay for artworks transport and their own travel and accomodation 


  • Artworks may be sold, a 10% commission is taken by the non profit organization in charge of the biennale (minimum 200€) to cover the design & printing cost of the biennale catalogue and other communication costs


  • Payments are usually done through instantaneous money transfer or electronic payment terminal, allowing the client to take his artwork back home 

 

 

Last but not least, what is the philosophy of the event ?

 
 

 

  • An event, by the artists, for the artists 
  • Where sales are encouraged 
  • Two cultures but one passion : ceramics 
  • In one of the Top 10 french touristic hotspots 
  • Visited by around 30 000 people from around the world