Trip Highlights

• Guided tours to the Venice Biennale 2026 including a tour of Khaled Sabsabi’s work in the Australia Pavilion at the Giardini, personally led by the artist and curator Michael Dagostino

• Unique viewings of private residencies and collections 

• Behind-the-scenes tours of a curated selection of private galleries in Venice and Florence

• Intimate group size (max 16 guests)

• Tailored dining experiences in Venice and Florence

• Expert-led tours and discussions

Detailed Itinerary

21 – 30 September 2026
Venice Biennale and Florence Region

5 Days Venice

Travel to Venice for a viewing of Khaled Sabsabi’s work with the artist and his team. Join ACE Executive Director Anne Loxley and long-time Board Member Kon Gouriotis OAM (editor Artist Profile, commissioning editor, Khaled Sabsabi Monograph, (2025)), as they witness up-close the journey of Khaled Sabsabi.

• 21 September:  Arrival and welcome dinner

• 22 and 23 September: Invitation to join Khaled Sabsabi, curator Michael Dagostino, Anne Loxley and Kon Gouriotis OAM, for a tour of Sabsabi’s work in the Australia Pavilion in the Giardini, Venice Biennale.

• 24 and 25 September: Experience an incredible 2-day tour of some of the historical masterpieces offered by Venice and surrounds with Loxley, a one-time Renaissance scholar with a deep knowledge of the treasures of the area.
  Be inspired by celebrated and controversial Venetian masters, father and son, Jacopo and Giovanni Bellini, the incredible house museum of 20th century doyenne Peggy Guggenheim, and in Bologna, the stunning studio museum of extraordinary still-life painter Giorgio Morandi.

  Museums/Galleries visited will also include: The Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Palazzo Grassi and Punto della Dogana, Fondazione Prada.

• 26 September – Rail transfer to Florence / transfers included

5 Days Florence

• 26 September: Experience a selection of Florence’s galleries and cathedrals, and join a group dinner in the evening.  

• 27 September: An extraordinary opportunity to visit the private Italian home of the Pallion Foundation, Castello Di Pastine located 45 minutes from Florence. Guests will enjoy a private luncheon followed by a guided tour of the late Renaissance Castello and its art collection.

• 28 September: Join renowned art collectors and philanthropists Simon Mordant AO and Catriona Mordant AM – who will generously open their home in Umbria to ACE Patrons.  You will be invited for a luncheon and a viewing of their remarkable art collection.

• 29 September: Join prize-wining Renaissance expert Anne Loxley in an immersive tour of the rich art of Florence, including the Uffizi Gallery and the Pitti Museum.

• Other Highlights: The Academia Museum, the Boboli Gardens, Farewell Dinner 29 September.

• 30 September: Optional morning gallery tour. Option to return to Venice by train or depart Florence

Your Expert Tour Guides

Kon Gouriotis OAM

Long-serving Arts & Cultural Exchange Board Member Kon Gouriotis has been a leader in Australia’s visual arts scene for more than three decades. He held Director roles at the Australian Centre for Photography (2011-13), the Australia Council for the Arts’ Visual Arts, (2008-11) and Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre (1998-2008). In 2015 he joined national journal Artist Profile as editor and in 2018 co-founded Bandicoot Publishing, which is responsible for Artist Profile and Art Almanac magazines and Bandicoot Books.

Anne Loxley

Award-winning curator and writer Anne Loxley joined Arts & Cultural Exchange as Executive Director in 2020. Previously Anne was Senior Curator, C3West, for Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art, (2011-19) and program co-associate, visual arts, Perth Festivals (2017 – 19). Anne is Deputy Chair of the City of Sydney’s Public Art Advisory Panel, and a member of Western Sydney Arts Alliance Working Group and Create NSW’s Creative Communities Council. 

Inclusions

What’s included:

• All scheduled private tours and entry fees including entry to the Venice Biennale 2026

• Expert guides and art historians leading the tours

• Artist led tour of Khaled Sabsabi’s work in the Australia Pavilion at the Giardini

• Exclusive access and curated tours of Venetian and Florentine palazzos and private collections

• Lunch or dinner each day

• Welcome and farewell hosted dinners

• Internal transfers including to and around Florence

What’s not included:

• International airfares and accommodation

• Travel insurance

• Personal expenses

Cost and Booking

• Cost per person : AUD $9,500
  

• Deposit required to secure place: AUD $2,500

• The deposit will be treated as a DGR tax-deductible donation

• Final payment of AUD $7,000 payable by 1st March, 2026

ACE Italy FAQs

• Can I arrive early or stay on after the trip?

  • A: Yes, you are most welcome to book your accommodation and travel pre and post the ACE Tour schedule

• What level of fitness is required?

  • A: General walking fitness – factor in stairs, inclines and uneven surfaces (cobblestones)

• What’s the cancellation policy?

  • A: As there are very limited places, the deposit of $2,500 will be considered a DGR donation to ACE, and will be non-refundable.

• Can I travel solo?

  • A: Yes most certainly, and you will be in good company, travelling with a group of like-minded individuals

For further information, please contact:

Mandy O’Bryan, Head of Development, Arts & Cultural Exchange

• [email protected]

• T. 0414 857 812