Confirmed
For architecture studios, institutional sponsors, national pavilions, academic institutions and hospitality teams operating around the Venice Architecture Biennale at the Arsenale and Giardini della Biennale and needing front-of-house uniforms, branded shoppers and exhibition catalogues, press kits for critics and curators, and curated gifts for institutional guests and international delegations, with coordinated delivery to the venues of the Lagoon.
The International Architecture Exhibition of Venice, organised by La Biennale di Venezia under the Presidency and the Artistic Direction of the curator appointed for the edition, is the most important international event dedicated to architecture, the city, the landscape and contemporary design practices. The 2026 edition (the 19th) is articulated across the Arsenale di Venezia (Tese delle Vergini, Tese di San Cristoforo, Sale d’Armi, Giardino delle Vergini and Corderie) and the Giardini della Biennale (Central Pavilion at the Giardini and the national pavilions of the participating countries), with a calendar of opening from May to November, weeks of previews reserved for press and operators, opening days dedicated to the national pavilions, visits of institutional delegations and lecture cycles at the Arsenale and at the Teatro alle Tese.
For an event that mobilises hundreds of architecture studios, universities, cultural institutions and national pavilions, the B2B merch reaches a very different audience set from trade fairs: architecture studios invited to exhibit in the Lagoon, institutional and corporate sponsors running hospitality and previews (publishers, furniture brands, banks, insurance companies, foundations), national pavilions of the participating countries with their own curatorial and hospitality teams, academic institutions following the event for training, institutional and governmental delegations, circuits of architectural critics and international trade press, professional visitors. Corp-Merch.IT operates as an external B2B supplier to these productions: no role as official partner, sponsor or representative of La Biennale di Venezia — only the technical handling of merch on briefs, graphics and audiences defined by the commissioning party.
For Italian clients holding a VAT number, invoices are issued via the Agenzia delle Entrate Sistema di Interscambio (SdI) with 22% VAT in EUR; reduced rates of 4%, 5% or 10% apply to eligible product categories (books, editorial print, art pieces, audiovisual supports). Reverse charge for intra-EU buyers registered with VIES, split payment for public bodies, and Codice Destinatario / PEC for electronic delivery of the invoice. Corp-Merch.IT is a registered Italian VAT operator, enrolled with VIES, and handles self-invoicing for the PA under Italian law. For corporate clients subject to CSRD reporting (D.Lgs. 125/2024, transposing Directive (EU) 2022/2464) we provide a sustainability sheet per order with Scope 3 CO₂e estimates aligned with the GHG Protocol, ESRS E1 (Climate Change), E5 (Resource Use) and S2 (Workers in the Value Chain), useful for non-financial disclosure. For productions and pavilions moving material intra-EU and extra-EU we operate as Authorised Economic Operator (AEOF) and handle CMR, packing list, origin declaration and customs clearance.
For architecture studios also present at Triennale Milano, the Salone del Mobile in Milan and the London Festival of Architecture we replicate the planning with an annual supply contract spanning multiple appointments, dedicated discounts and a single contact for the management of graphic briefs, samples and logistics. For national pavilions participating also in Manifesta, Biennale Arte and Documenta in Kassel we replicate the planning with deliveries at the beginning of the installation so the material is already in hand on the first day of opening.
Organic cotton T-shirts, piqué polos and lightweight linen shirts in the architecture studio, national pavilion or sponsor palette, tailored for the Arsenale and Giardini front-of-house crew and for the curatorial team of the exhibitions. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 on skin-contact textiles where required.
FSC-paper shoppers with hot-foil stamping of the studio or pavilion logo, perfect-bound exhibition catalogues on certified paper, room libretti and information leaflets on FSC- or PEFC-certified paper, handed to the public and delegations as they leave the exhibitions.
Mini bound notebooks, bamboo or aluminium pens, folders with working material and small collectible objects for architectural critics, curators, bloggers and trade press following the Architecture Biennale across the six months of opening at the Arsenale and Giardini.
Custom welcome boxes, small branded design objects, limited editions for pavilion hospitality and representative shoppers for institutional and governmental delegations following the event during the opening months.
Before launching production, artwork, quantities, packaging and on-site recipients must be confirmed. Delivery address, contact, time window and phone number must be cross-checked against the latest calendar issued by the La Biennale di Venezia production office or by the commissioning party’s office (architecture studio, sponsor, national pavilion): the event involves the Arsenale di Venezia (Tese delle Vergini, Tese di San Cristoforo, Sale d’Armi, Giardino delle Vergini, Corderie) and the Giardini della Biennale (Central Pavilion, national pavilions), with differentiated accesses for press previews, professionals, public and operators. The Lagoon and Venice historical-centre areas are reachable only by water or via the historic bridges: deliveries must be coordinated with carriers familiar with the waterway logistics of the historical centre, the Arsenale loading ramps, the Punta della Dogana windows and the Giardini entrance gates, with preferential slots in the early morning or after 22:00 to avoid the Acqua Alta congestion.
For an Italian programme routed via Milan, deliveries depart from our hub and reach Venice in 24–48-hour windows via BRT, SDA, GLS or DHL Express, by appointment for venues in the historical centre. For programmes above 1,000 pieces we offer appointment delivery with phone pre-notice and, on request, on-site set-up by our staff directly at the venues (Arsenale, Giardini, Sale d’Armi, Central Pavilion). For materials that require controlled-environment conditions (sewn-bound exhibition catalogues, limited-edition art objects, small backstage leather goods) we coordinate climate-controlled transport with specialised partners. For clients subject to CSRD reporting (D.Lgs. 125/2024) we provide a sustainability PO sheet with Scope 3 CO₂e estimates aligned with the GHG Protocol Corporate Value Chain on the Milan–Venice leg and from the production districts indicated.
For studios and pavilions also following the Biennale Arte 2027 edition we replicate the planning with a new dedicated PO for the art leg, realigned to the updated La Biennale di Venezia calendar. For productions touring their curatorial team from one edition to the next we replicate the individual kit with a new personalised set.
The brief for the Venice Architecture Biennale starts with alignment on the visual references of the studio, national pavilion or sponsor (exhibition posters, curatorial programme, studio or sponsor branding), on the iconic elements of the event to bring into the merch, on the items to be quoted, and on the quantities per recipient (front-of-house crew, architecture studio, sponsors, institutional delegations, architectural critics, national pavilion). Corp-Merch.IT replies with a structured proposal within 48 business hours, complete with a physical sample for the most critical pieces (shoppers, catalogues, libretti), technical sheets for the serial items and a base quote with prices and MOQs per tier: starter (50–249 pieces per code), standard (250–999), enterprise (1,000–4,999), corporate (5,000+).
On the artwork side we receive the master files of the studio, national pavilion or sponsor (AI, EPS, PDF/X-4, CMYK images at 300 dpi) and we manage the graphic adaptation for the different techniques: digital printing on FSC paper, blind embossing and hot-foil stamping on catalogues, sewn binding for the main exhibition catalogues, perfect binding for room libretti, screen printing on shoppers and T-shirts, embroidery on fabrics, laser engraving on bamboo and wood, pad printing on small metallic objects. For graphics requiring multiple versions (studio, pavilion, sponsor, hospitality) we manage versioning and intermediate approvals. Physical samples are produced and shipped to the commissioner for approval by the fifth week of brief; for sewn-bound exhibition catalogues, limited-run objects and custom small leather goods the times extend by 1–2 weeks depending on the processing.
Standard commercial terms are 30 days from invoice date, 10% confirmatory deposit on the first order for new clients, improved terms after the first 90 days of history. Invoices are issued in EUR with 22% VAT via SdI; for intra-EU commissioners we apply reverse charge with letter of intent integration, and for public bodies we activate split payment. For corporate clients requiring tracked payment to a dedicated IBAN we also replicate the reconciliation by cost centre and job code.
For architecture studios, institutional sponsors and national pavilions operating around the Venice Architecture Biennale, the quality and traceability profile of the materials matters as much as the visual identity. We work with Italian manufacturers holding ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environmental management) and SA8000 or equivalent for social responsibility, and with the certifications required by the architecture, art-publishing and design segment: OEKO-TEX Standard 100 on skin-contact textiles (T-shirts, polos, cotton shoppers), GOTS on organic cotton, GRS on recycled polyester, FSC on paper and packaging (exhibition catalogues, libretti, shoppers), PEFC on alternative paper and cardboard, EU Ecolabel on cellulosic supports.
For small wooden objects (Bagno di Romagna, Trentino) and bamboo items (Veneto district) the manufacturers can issue wood traceability, origin declaration and REACH SVHC compliance on the finishes. For metallic items (Maniago, Lombardy) we obtain conformity declarations under Reg. UE 1007/2011 on textile fibre designations where applicable and under Reg. CE 1907/2006 (REACH) on metallic materials. On packaging, the paper-goods manufacturers (Florence, Fabriano, Veneto) propose FSC or PEFC and, on request, plastic-free solutions with vegetable inks, in line with EU Regulation 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste and with D.Lgs. 152/2006 (Testo Unico Ambientale).
For clients subject to CSRD reporting (D.Lgs. 125/2024, transposing Directive (EU) 2022/2464) we integrate a sustainability sheet into the PO with Scope 3 CO₂e estimates aligned with the GHG Protocol Corporate Value Chain on the Milan–Venice leg and from the production districts indicated, with references to ESRS E1 (Climate Change), E5 (Resource Use) and S2 (Workers in the Value Chain), useful for the commissioner’s sustainability reporting.
Ten to twelve weeks is the safest window for sewn-bound exhibition catalogues, room libretti and limited-edition art objects. Tighter programmes are possible only when stock, personalisation techniques and venue access are all confirmed in the brief phase.
Only when the Biennale or studio/pavilion production office has confirmed the time window, the loading access (by water or by land) and the venue contact. For the Venice historical centre a carrier familiar with waterway logistics, the Arsenale ramps, the Punta della Dogana gates and the Giardini landings is required.
Yes. The material can be packed and labelled in separate lots, one per recipient type (architecture studio, institutional sponsor, national pavilion, architectural critics and press, institutional and governmental delegations).
No. Corp-Merch.IT is an independent external supplier that helps studios, sponsors, pavilions and curatorial teams prepare their own merchandising. It does not organise, sponsor or represent La Biennale di Venezia or the International Architecture Exhibition.
Corp-Merch.IT is an independent external supplier of the architecture studios, sponsors and national pavilions operating around the Venice Architecture Biennale. This page helps teams prepare their own merchandising for the event; it does not represent La Biennale di Venezia, the Architecture Exhibition Curatorship, the Ministry of Culture or any sponsors and national pavilions of the Arsenale and Giardini calendar.