Since 1985, Rauma Biennale Balticum has presented every second year an overview of topical contemporary art of the Baltic Sea region at the Rauma Art Museum.

The Rauma Biennale Balticum is part of the Ars Baltica cultural network of the Baltic Sea region. Countries involved are: Estonia, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden.

The serial of exhibitions arranged by the museum began in 1977, when the first Gulf of Bothnia Biennial was held, assembling artists from the coastal towns and cities of Finland and Sweden. In 1985, the exhibition was expanded to cover the whole Baltic Sea Region and was renamed Rauma Biennale Balticum.

In the early years of the exhibition, artists’ associations and cultural offices were invited to propose artists to the exhibition. From 1990 onwards, exhibitions regarding different themes have been curated by guest curators or curatorial teams of a museum. Over the years, the themes of the exhibitions have particularly emphasized ecological and environmental concerns and the issues of human life at the levels of the individual and the community.

A catalogue with artist presentations and articles for each exhibition has been published and is available at the museum.