The 3^rd Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art, under the general title “Old Intersections-Make it New”, which is at the same time the thematic keystone of the three consecutive biennial organisations initiating from 2011 until 2015, will take place from September 18 till December 18, 2011. It is the first joint venture of the “5 Museums’ Movement in Thessaloniki”(5M) consisted of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, the Museum of Byzantine Culture, the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, the Teloglion Foundation of Art AUTh and the leader of the project, the State Museum of Contemporary Art-Costakis Collection.

Focused on the Mediterranean region, the culture and the people, viewed through a contemporary visual outlook, this year’s organisation comprises a main and a parallel programme including exhibitions, an international young artists’ workshop, a performance festival, a symposium and a variety of artistic events, building up in every part of the city.

Director of the 3^rd Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art : Katerina Koskina President of the Board of Trustees of the SMCA

Project Manager : Athina Ioannou, SMCA

Curators of the main programme (A Rock and a hard Place): Paolo Colombo, Mahita El Bacha Urieta, Marina Fokidis

• The 3^rd Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art is funded under the Operational Programme Macedonia-Thrace 2007-2013, and is co-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund), with the SMCA as the lawful beneficiary.
• It is also part of the “Thessaloniki: Cultural Crossroads” programme of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which focuses on the Middle East this year, as well, and is supported by the City of Thessaloniki and the Department of Culture, Education and Tourism, the 9^th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities, and other cultural and educational partners jointly.
• The 3^rd Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art takes place in cooperation, at promotion and communication level, with the 11th Lyon Biennale (15.09-31.12.2011, http://www.biennaledelyon.com ) and the 12th Istanbul Biennial (17.09-13.11.2011, http://bienal.oksv.org).