Dive Brief:

• If it's good for Venice, it will be better for Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel figures. The city is going to begin a biennial architecture show in October 2015.
• The Windy City hopes to revive the architecture portion of the Venice Biennale, which began in 1980 at the culture fest that started in 1895.
• The mayor, making his announcement to coincide with the American Institute of Architects annual meeting in Chicago this week, is enthusiastic about the show because Chicago is, in his words, seen "worldwide as an epicenter of modern architecture."

Dive Insight:

This first biennial has $2.5 million in backing from BP. Backers say architecture is a big part of Chicago's cultural heritage. Others say that having distinctive buildings in the city is not a guarantee that the festival will flourish.