Every Woman Biennial | Pen + Brush
The woman-powered biennial returns for its 6th edition!
Just in time for International Women’s Day (March 8), the Every Woman Biennial returns with SPECTALiA, a tantalizing, visual smorgasbord of works by women and non-binary artists showcasing painting, photography, sculpture, installation, textile art, digital art, video, music, dance, performance, and more!
A “punk-rock revival of the carnivalesque” inspired by Dadaism, Surrealism, and cabaret, SPECTALiA is on view from March 8 through April 11 at Pen + Brush (29 East 22nd Street, NYC). The 132-year-old nonprofit, dedicated to creating equitable opportunities for women and gender-expansive artists, is a perfect partner for this woman-powered event!
In the open call for the exhibition, artists were asked to consider their creative output “in a troubled world that’s moving at a speed we can hardly grasp.” More than 400 artists were selected and invited to showcase bold, vivacious works that tackle feminist, LGBTQ+, social, and political issues.
The preview event on Saturday evening was jam-packed and bursting with exuberant energy across two floors. There was so much to see—true sensory overload—a second visit is in order to fully experience the works on view.
A fun, new addition to the biennial this year is the ART-O-MAT, stocked with affordable, miniaturized versions of some of the artworks on view. ART-O-MAT makes purchasing art accessible and provides an opportunity for all visitors to take home a piece of art. Like a snack vending machine, guests select a number and get a surprise, mini work of art for $35. I was the lucky recipient of a Blobette Magnet by Sissy Nunziata!
A packed schedule of events and programs is planned throughout the run of the biennial. The official opening day on Sunday kicks off with a dance procession featuring Melissa Riker of the Kinesis Project and the Hungry March Band. There will also be a performance by The Singing Cabinet of Mathilde Lebeau, a vintage, automaton-style performance featuring live opera arias. Check out the full schedule of events here.
Originally called the Whitney Houston Biennial, the Every Women Biennial was founded by C. Finley in Houston, Texas in 2014 as a sardonic response to that year’s male-dominated Whitney Biennial. The name changed in 2019 and the event has since expanded to NYC, Los Angeles, and London. Learn more at everywomanbiennial.com.
Don’t miss the spectacular SPECTALiA!
SPECTALiA: Every Woman Biennial
Pen + Brush, 29 East 22nd Street, NYC (between Broadway & Park Ave South)
Exhibition on view March 8 – April 11, 2026
Tuesday–Saturday, 11am–6pm