Itinerary*Day 1 On Campus or Zoom Meet Up
Day 2 Arrive in Venice
Day 3 Giardini, Pavilions
Day 4 Giardini, Pavilions
Day 5 Rest day
Day 6 Arsenale, Pavilions
Day 7 Arsenale, Pavilions
Day 8 Ancillary Events
Day 9 Fly Home Day 9 Remote debrief session *Tentative itinerary, subject to change, dates TBD |
The Venice Biennale
Course DescriptionAttend one of the premiere global art events in the world! This global event includes artists who represent 90 countries world-wide, including Ghana, Madagascar, Malaysia, Pakistan, Haiti, Mongolia, Korea, Serbia, Guatemala, Taiwan, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe, among many others. We will spend a week exploring this event that stretches across the entire city of Venice.
The 2024 Biennale will be curated by Latin American curator Adriano Pedrosa, whose emphasis on queer, feminist, and decolonial topics has earned them a reputation for rewriting art history. More information on the Biennale will be released in spring/summer 2023. Students must be prepared to walk/stand for up to 8 hours and 8 miles each day in the sun. All student must co-enroll in ART1823 or ART2213 and ART1102 or 2900. **Dates and itinerary subject to slight change until airfare is purchased. |
On-campus dates: two Fridays, 10AM-12:50PM.
Field Study: Dates TBD. Registration opens Summer of 2023. Please register by December 15 to ensure you seat! Fee: $TBD for double occupancy. Students will need to bring an extra $15 for a Metro ticket (more if taxis are preferred) and an optional $5-15 euros for rooftop cathedral views. |
Tuition, Registration, & Contact Info
Tuition is for 4 or 6 credits. In-district tuition available for all students upon request. Total: $TBD (4 credits) $TBD (6 credits); Payment plans available.
All students must take the course for credit. Pass/fail option available.
For scholarship info, apply asap by visiting: www.cod.edu/academics/field or email [email protected].
Register through MyAccess beginning in Summer 2023.
For more information or itinerary contact:
Jackie Weaver, email: [email protected]
Mara Baker, email: [email protected]
All students must take the course for credit. Pass/fail option available.
For scholarship info, apply asap by visiting: www.cod.edu/academics/field or email [email protected].
Register through MyAccess beginning in Summer 2023.
For more information or itinerary contact:
Jackie Weaver, email: [email protected]
Mara Baker, email: [email protected]
What to Pack
Space is limited to one suitcase and one backpack per student. Below are some practical suggestions of what to include.
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Venice Travel Guide
Packing
Venice is in a Mediterranean climate, on a man-made island of old stone buildings. Temperatures can range from 50s at night to 80s during the day. Humidity can be very high and make the day feel even hotter. Plan for warm days and pack a light sweater or jacket for cool nights or indoor, air conditioned spaces. Double check the weather in Venice the day before we leave to make sure what you’ve packed fits the conditions. It might be a good idea to pack a light rain jacket and an umbrella.
We will be doing a lot of walking. Wearing comfortable shoes that have already been worn in is a must. I know it can be hard to forgo fashion for comfort, but with the amount of walking we will be doing, this is really important. We will also do a lot of standing, so a show with a supportive insert might help prevent lower back pain that can develop from standing on concrete for long periods of time.
Above all, pack light. We are aiming for one carry-on piece of luggage per person. You will be dragging your own suitcase around uneven stone streets and up steps of the canal bridges.
Flying and the Airport
Because this is an international flight, please plan to arrive at the Chicago airport 2 hours ahead of time (more if you need to check your bag.) I have seen many people show up an hour before their flight and end up waiting in a security line so long that they missed their flights. I’ve also been at the airport when there was no security line, but this is not something we want to gamble with.
The flight will most likely include an inflight dinner and a breakfast snack. There will be free movies to watch with your headphones, but I recommend trying to sleep if possible. On long flights, it’s really important to stay hydrated, even if that means getting up to use the restrooms often. Dehydration on a plane can lead to motion sickness, which I have experienced several times in my life and includes symptoms like nausea, dizziness, stomach pain, headache, and fainting. It is extremely unpleasant. If this ever happens, you may want to get to the bathroom asap or let a flight attendant know, and they will likely bring you some sugar water and a Dramamine.
When we arrive in Venice, we will likely be bussed to a location for customs checks. We will wait in line to get our passports checked. Passport agents might ask you questions about what you are doing in the country (visiting the Venice Biennale with your school group) and where you are staying. Human trafficking is a real thing, so sometimes you might be asked more in-depth questions about what you’ve been doing and who you’re traveling with.
Like the rest of the city, Venice airport is on the water. We will be taking a water taxi from the airport to the main part of Venice. We may be taking a water taxi, or actually, more like a water bus, on several days during the trip. If you are someone who experiences discomfort on a boat or motion sickness, you may want to talk with your doctor about medication options before the trip.
Food
Although eating out in Venice isn’t cheap, you can get by on a budget. Keep in mind that you will pay more to sit and sip your morning coffee at a cafe table than if you take it to go and find a bench in town instead. The obvious choice for the budget traveler is buying some foods, like breakfast or lunch that you can pack, from the grocery store. The local grocery store chain is called Coop, where you might be able to find some nice pastries for breakfast or bread, cheese, and olives for a quick picnic lunch.
Another thing to consider is seeking out chichetti restaurants. Chichetti is like a small appetizer, often served on a piece of Italian bread. It’s similar to the idea of tapas in Spain. You can usually find chichetti for 1-5 euros a piece, and 3-4 pieces can make a lovely lunch. Basegó has some nice chichetti in the 3-7 euro range, not far from the Giardini. Up in the northern part of Venice, Cantina Vecia Carbonera was an affordable spot in an old stone building.
Finding places for “take away” food or food counters, rather than a sit-down meal, can also be a bit more affordable. My favorite take-away counter for amazingly fresh sandwiches is L’ Bacaro de Bischeri, near the Rialto Market (a large open-air market that you should plan to visit at least once.) Nearby is a take-out pizza counter called Antico Forno.
If you’re planning to dine out, it is recommended that you research the places ahead of time. Entrees at restaurants can easily cost over 20 euros. There are plenty of tourist trap places to eat that are overpriced, with not great food. Some ways to know if the place is a tourist trap are that there are large pictures of all the food on the front of the building and there is someone outside the restaurant calling you in. A couple great of places for this higher priced sit-down mean are Trattoria Da Jonny, Nevodi, and Osteria La Buscara.
As you might imagine, because of its location on the sea, Venice specializes in seafood. Pizza is not one of their specialities (but there are a couple places that offer a decent slice).
In a typical sit-down restaurant, you’ll usually see an Antipasti/Appetizer course, Primi/First course, and Secondi course. These typically run between 14 and 26 euros each.
Gelato is great here and makes an affordable snack on the humid days; there is even vegan gelato at many places. One of my favorite spots was Gelato di Natura, but there are many great spots.
Biennale
The Biennale takes place at two main sites–the Giardini and the Arsenale–but is also happening at smaller locations throughout the city. There is so much to see that it can feel overwhelming. In each of the main sites, which require tickets, there is a large curated exhibition as well as small “pavilion” shows of artists representing each participating country. Because there are so many participating countries now, there are additional pavilions in free-to-enter spaces all around the city.
We will spend four mornings 10am-1pm in these main spaces together. We will break for a late lunch (since these spaces don’t allow for outside food) and then offer several options for spaces to visit after lunch from 3-6pm. There are so many events and exhibitions happening that we will not see them all. However, there will be time for you to see things outside our intended lists of events in the evenings and on one day that you will be “choosing your own adventure.” Because of the amount of work we will be seeing, experiencing, and processing, we will include a rest day in the middle of the scheduled events.
Navigating
It is important to spend some time studying a map before we leave. You will see that Venice is an absolute tangle of streets, dead ends, and canals. However, aim to get a general sense of the direction of the major landmarks and sites we will be visiting as well as the water bus stops. The main part of Venice is shaped like a fish, with a larger canal tracing the shape of a flipper. The Giardini and park are located in the tail section, the train station is near the eye, and San Marco and St. Mark’s Basilica are in the southern belly section. Download Google Maps to your phone before we get to Venice. The app isn’t always reliable, but works for the most part. If you plan to go exploring, bring a buddy.
Venice is in a Mediterranean climate, on a man-made island of old stone buildings. Temperatures can range from 50s at night to 80s during the day. Humidity can be very high and make the day feel even hotter. Plan for warm days and pack a light sweater or jacket for cool nights or indoor, air conditioned spaces. Double check the weather in Venice the day before we leave to make sure what you’ve packed fits the conditions. It might be a good idea to pack a light rain jacket and an umbrella.
We will be doing a lot of walking. Wearing comfortable shoes that have already been worn in is a must. I know it can be hard to forgo fashion for comfort, but with the amount of walking we will be doing, this is really important. We will also do a lot of standing, so a show with a supportive insert might help prevent lower back pain that can develop from standing on concrete for long periods of time.
Above all, pack light. We are aiming for one carry-on piece of luggage per person. You will be dragging your own suitcase around uneven stone streets and up steps of the canal bridges.
Flying and the Airport
Because this is an international flight, please plan to arrive at the Chicago airport 2 hours ahead of time (more if you need to check your bag.) I have seen many people show up an hour before their flight and end up waiting in a security line so long that they missed their flights. I’ve also been at the airport when there was no security line, but this is not something we want to gamble with.
The flight will most likely include an inflight dinner and a breakfast snack. There will be free movies to watch with your headphones, but I recommend trying to sleep if possible. On long flights, it’s really important to stay hydrated, even if that means getting up to use the restrooms often. Dehydration on a plane can lead to motion sickness, which I have experienced several times in my life and includes symptoms like nausea, dizziness, stomach pain, headache, and fainting. It is extremely unpleasant. If this ever happens, you may want to get to the bathroom asap or let a flight attendant know, and they will likely bring you some sugar water and a Dramamine.
When we arrive in Venice, we will likely be bussed to a location for customs checks. We will wait in line to get our passports checked. Passport agents might ask you questions about what you are doing in the country (visiting the Venice Biennale with your school group) and where you are staying. Human trafficking is a real thing, so sometimes you might be asked more in-depth questions about what you’ve been doing and who you’re traveling with.
Like the rest of the city, Venice airport is on the water. We will be taking a water taxi from the airport to the main part of Venice. We may be taking a water taxi, or actually, more like a water bus, on several days during the trip. If you are someone who experiences discomfort on a boat or motion sickness, you may want to talk with your doctor about medication options before the trip.
Food
Although eating out in Venice isn’t cheap, you can get by on a budget. Keep in mind that you will pay more to sit and sip your morning coffee at a cafe table than if you take it to go and find a bench in town instead. The obvious choice for the budget traveler is buying some foods, like breakfast or lunch that you can pack, from the grocery store. The local grocery store chain is called Coop, where you might be able to find some nice pastries for breakfast or bread, cheese, and olives for a quick picnic lunch.
Another thing to consider is seeking out chichetti restaurants. Chichetti is like a small appetizer, often served on a piece of Italian bread. It’s similar to the idea of tapas in Spain. You can usually find chichetti for 1-5 euros a piece, and 3-4 pieces can make a lovely lunch. Basegó has some nice chichetti in the 3-7 euro range, not far from the Giardini. Up in the northern part of Venice, Cantina Vecia Carbonera was an affordable spot in an old stone building.
Finding places for “take away” food or food counters, rather than a sit-down meal, can also be a bit more affordable. My favorite take-away counter for amazingly fresh sandwiches is L’ Bacaro de Bischeri, near the Rialto Market (a large open-air market that you should plan to visit at least once.) Nearby is a take-out pizza counter called Antico Forno.
If you’re planning to dine out, it is recommended that you research the places ahead of time. Entrees at restaurants can easily cost over 20 euros. There are plenty of tourist trap places to eat that are overpriced, with not great food. Some ways to know if the place is a tourist trap are that there are large pictures of all the food on the front of the building and there is someone outside the restaurant calling you in. A couple great of places for this higher priced sit-down mean are Trattoria Da Jonny, Nevodi, and Osteria La Buscara.
As you might imagine, because of its location on the sea, Venice specializes in seafood. Pizza is not one of their specialities (but there are a couple places that offer a decent slice).
In a typical sit-down restaurant, you’ll usually see an Antipasti/Appetizer course, Primi/First course, and Secondi course. These typically run between 14 and 26 euros each.
Gelato is great here and makes an affordable snack on the humid days; there is even vegan gelato at many places. One of my favorite spots was Gelato di Natura, but there are many great spots.
Biennale
The Biennale takes place at two main sites–the Giardini and the Arsenale–but is also happening at smaller locations throughout the city. There is so much to see that it can feel overwhelming. In each of the main sites, which require tickets, there is a large curated exhibition as well as small “pavilion” shows of artists representing each participating country. Because there are so many participating countries now, there are additional pavilions in free-to-enter spaces all around the city.
We will spend four mornings 10am-1pm in these main spaces together. We will break for a late lunch (since these spaces don’t allow for outside food) and then offer several options for spaces to visit after lunch from 3-6pm. There are so many events and exhibitions happening that we will not see them all. However, there will be time for you to see things outside our intended lists of events in the evenings and on one day that you will be “choosing your own adventure.” Because of the amount of work we will be seeing, experiencing, and processing, we will include a rest day in the middle of the scheduled events.
Navigating
It is important to spend some time studying a map before we leave. You will see that Venice is an absolute tangle of streets, dead ends, and canals. However, aim to get a general sense of the direction of the major landmarks and sites we will be visiting as well as the water bus stops. The main part of Venice is shaped like a fish, with a larger canal tracing the shape of a flipper. The Giardini and park are located in the tail section, the train station is near the eye, and San Marco and St. Mark’s Basilica are in the southern belly section. Download Google Maps to your phone before we get to Venice. The app isn’t always reliable, but works for the most part. If you plan to go exploring, bring a buddy.