The Kochi-Muziris Biennale is an international exhibition of contemporary art held in Kochi, Kerala. It was the first biennale of its kind to be held in India. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale is an initiative of the Kochi-Biennale Foundation with support from the Government of Kerala. The exhibition is set in spaces across Kochi, Muziris, and surrounding islands, with shows being held in existing galleries, halls,and site-specific installations in public spaces, heritage buildings, and disused structures. It is an event that happens every two years. It is most commonly used within the art world to describe large-scale international contemporary art exhibitions. As such, the term was popularised by the Venice Biennale, which was first held in 1895.

In May 2010, Mumbai-based contemporary artists of Kerala origin, Bose Krishnamachari and Riyaz Komu, were approached by the then culture minister of Kerala, M.A. Baby, to start an international art project in the state. Acknowledging the lack of an international platform for contemporary art in India, Bose and Riyas proposed the idea of a biennale (a large-scale international exhibition) in Kochi on the lines of the Venice Biennale.