Venice Biennale (10 JUNE-21 NOVEMBER) Frequency: Biennial. The venue: 29 national pavilions - many designed by world-famous architects - grace the Giardini, a verdant park in east Venice. A large international exhibition is also put on in the Giardini. Work is also on display over at the Arsenale, the old shipyards and warehouses east of Venice that used to house the construction operation for building and fitting the fleet of the Venetian Republic. What's there: 77 countries are entering pavilions for the Golden Lion and 100 artists across the central exhibitions in the Arsenale and the Giardini. Key figure: Robert Storr, director. Who's showing: An array of talent, including Tracey Emin, Bill Viola, Sam Taylor-Wood (in the Ukrainian pavilion) and the late Félix González-Torres. Who's going: Most luminaries from the contemporary art world: dealers, collectors, curators, critics and cultural tourists. Previous highlights: In 2005, Italian Francesco Vezzoli's faux trailer for a non-existent remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula brought the house down, and many enjoyed Tino Sehgal's work at the German pavilion, which involved performances by gallery attendants. This year's highlights: According to Cristina Ruiz, editor of The Art Newspaper, major attractions this year include the French pavilion's Sophie Calle, featuring a series of video portraits of 107 women. Early reports also indicate that the Canadian pavilion, which includes the work of David Altmejd, is one to look out for. Based in Britain, he is the youngest artist ever to have a pavilion at Venice. Practicalities: Venice has an international airport, and is easily accessible by train. Day passes are about €15. For details, call: 0039 041 521 8828; or see www.labiennale.org.