The first two WTA biennials, in 2000 and 2002, were held in Coral Gables-Florida after it took a nomadic character from the third Biennial in Venezuela. Henceforth, Costa Rica, Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay, and Madrid followed as venues. In 2021, Chile organized the first WTA virtual biennial (in the context of the global pandemic of COVID-19). The WTA biennials have had the participation of artists from more than 45 countries, with an average of 500 applications per biennial and in-person attendance of more than 1 million visitors.

World Textile Art encompasses textile artists of diverse nationalities and cultures, who affectionately call it the “textile family.” WTA’s nomadic international biennial is the only textile art biennial in the world, with the realization of nine biennials in eight countries. Each country that hosts a WTA Biennial follows the guidelines of the Organization and is chaired by a Local Management Group of leading textile artists, curators, academics, administrators, and cultural managers.

The “25 Years WTA” Silver Jubilee grand celebration in Miami will include exhibitions, lectures, and workshops for adults and kids, to be held in different locations such as the Miami International Fine Arts-MIFA in Doral, the LOWE Art Museum in Coral Gables, Miami Children’s Museum, the Consulate of Colombia also in Coral Gables, Paquita Parodi Fashion Museum in Wynwood, and Mood Designers Fabrics also in Wynwood, from November 3 to December 15.

For the X Biennial, as part of the WTA grand celebration exhibit, WTA has created a space for “25 ARTISTS” to be held in parallel in each of the countries that have hosted a WTA Biennial − having as its main headquarters the city of Miami-Florida under the direction of Luis Valenzuela, and as sub-seats: Buenos Aires-Argentina, Caracas-Venezuela, Madrid-Spain, San José-Costa Rica, Montevideo-Uruguay, Manizales-Colombia, Xalapa-Mexico, and Santiago-Chile as this biennial’s Guest Country. Although Brazil, India, Italy, Korea, and Turkey, have not previously hosted a WTA biennial, they will join the grand celebration, holding their national “25 ARTISTS” Salon in their home countries.

Each participating country’s “25 ARTISTS” Salon will open in situ during October and November and will be transmitted via streaming throughout different digital platforms.