The Munich Biennale has announced the appointment of two new artistic directors, Katrin Beck, and Manuela Kerer, starting in 2026. The Munich City Council made the announcement on Feb. 9, 2023.

The two will succeed Daniel Ott and Manos Tsangaris, who have been responsible for the program since 2016 and remain with the company until 2024.

In a statement, the Mayor of the City of Munich, Katrin Habenschaden, said, “Under the new artistic direction duo Manuela Kerer and Katrin Beck, we want to develop the festival’s international profile and also open up and take root in the urban community. Both players are well-connected and ideally qualified for this balancing act.”

Anton Biebl, Cultural Advisor of the City of Munich, added, “Katrin Beck and Manuela Kerer have demonstrated great professionalism and imaginativeness in their previous activities. The two of them stand for uncompromising artistic quality and an increased focus on outreach.”

Kerer is a composer, qualified lawyer, and psychologist. Her works are performed at festivals, including Ultraschall Berlin, Wien Modern, the Seoul Art Center, Kampnagel Hamburg, and the Accademia Filarmonica Romana, and have won numerous awards.

Musicologist, cultural manager, and arts educator Beck has worked with the Siemens Stiftung and the Goethe-Institut for many years in various contexts, including the conception and founding of the project “Music in Africa.”