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This article is part of a guide to Venice from FT Globetrotter

The contemporary-art juggernaut that is the Venice Art Biennale draws to a close on November 24. With 30 pavilions at the Giardini and 25 at the Arsenale, there is plenty of art to see in the Biennale’s two main locations. Yet beyond the two principal sites are a multitude of national pavilions and sidebar events scattered all over the city, many of them in places otherwise inaccessible to the public. The following selection of exhibitions slices through the city from south to north, carving a straight(ish) path that takes you to some exceptional spaces. You could do them all in a day or simply dip into the list and pick what takes your fancy. Catch them now while you can. 

‘With My Eyes’, The Holy See Pavilion

This groundbreaking collective exhibition is being held in the women’s prison on the Giudecca. The project is dedicated to the theme of human rights and people living on the margins of society. Brazilian artist Sonia Gomes fills the space of the ex-convent’s church with an installation of fabric pieces that dangle from the ceiling. Filmmaker Marco Perego’s Dovecote stars his wife Zoe Saldaña as a detainee. French artist Claire Tabouret has depicted the prisoners as children and young women, while ex-enfant terrible Maurizio Cattelan has painted a pair of feet on the prison façade. Many of the detainees contributed to the works’ making and act as guides to the exhibition. A physical and figurative breaking down of barriers occurs: the solitary becomes collective, prejudices and conventions are questioned, and worlds that rarely meet come together in this remarkable initiative. Due to its location, booking is essential, ID is required and under-18s are not permitted entry. Casa di Reclusione Femminile di Venezia-Giudecca, 713 Fondamenta delle Convertite, 30133 Venice. Open Thursday–Tuesday, 10am–6pm. Website; Directions

‘Nigeria Imaginary’, Nigeria Pavilion

Veering a little off course takes you to Palazzo Canal to the south of Campo Santa Margherita, which has become the temporary home of the Nigeria Pavilion. Spread over three floors, the Nigeria Imaginary exhibition includes works that focus on topics such as the country’s colonial past and its enduring relationship with the UK, as well as a look at Nigeria’s possible futures. British-born Onyeka Igwe’s installation “No archive can restore this chorus of (diasporic) shame” is an immersive aural and visual look at some of these themes. Ndidi Dike’s “Blackhood: A Living Archive” is both a memorial to Black lives lost and a rallying call to Black people on the African continent in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. The ground floor contains a model of the new Museum of West African Art in Benin, where this exhibition will soon be heading. Palazzo Canal, 3121 Rio Terà Canal, Dorsoduro, 30123 Venice. Open Wednesday–Sunday, 10am–6pm. Website; Directions

‘The Neighbours’, Bulgaria Pavilion

On the Zattere is the Don Orione Artigianelli Cultural Centre. Walking through its green and pleasant cloisters leads to the Bulgaria Pavilion’s dark and unsettling “The Neighbours”. The installation brings together artist and researcher Krasimira Butseva, history professor and documentary filmmaker Lilia Topuzova and multimedia artist and researcher Julian Chehirian. The trio have created a work that examines Bulgaria’s state violence between 1945 and 1989. Walking around the installation, made to look like three domestic environments, visitors hear the disembodied voices of survivors from the country’s labour camps and prisons testify to their experiences. A combination of meticulous academic research and artistic imagination, the work is harrowing but at the same time gives voice to the victims and bears witness to an all-but-forgotten past. Centro Culturale Don Orione Artigianelli, 919 Fondamenta Zattere, Dorsoduro, 30123 Venice. Open Wednesday–Sunday, 10am–6pm. Website; Directions

‘Selva’, Museo Fortuny

Crossing the Accademia Bridge from Dorsoduro leads to one of Venice’s hidden treasures: the Museo Fortuny. Once home to Spanish designer, photographer, painter and all-round Renaissance man Mariano Fortuny, the imposing palazzo is now a public museum. The museum itself is a joy and the admission price includes entry to Eva Jospin’s Selva exhibition. The French artist has used everyday materials such as cardboard, pieces of metal and textiles to meticulously craft strange and magical landscapes. Panelled passageways, arches encrusted with stalactites and walls of dense woods are all made of cardboard. Darkened rooms house embroidered paintings that evoke images from children’s fairy tales but also speak to the ecological issues of the present. San Marco 3958, 30124 Venice. Open Wednesday–Monday, 10am–6pm until October 31; 10am–5pm from November 1 to March 31 2025 (ticket office shuts one hour before closing time). Website; Directions

‘By the Means at Hand’, Croatia Pavilion

The final leg of this art-athon leads to the Croatia Pavilion in northern Cannaregio. Vlatka Horvat’s By the Means At Hand deftly tackles the Biennale’s “Foreigners Everywhere” theme head on. Housed in an old carpentry workshop, which doubles as exhibition space and the London-based artist’s home during her residency, the exhibition comprises works by artists living as foreigners all over the world — Horvat invited them to send her a custom-made piece to Venice. But she added a caveat: it could not arrive by courier or delivery service. The works are thus in situ thanks to an extensive network of relationships and an inherent trust in the kindness of others. The result is an outstanding assemblage by a collective bound together by a brilliant idea and their willingness to participate. In return, Horvat reciprocates by sending a collage to each artist that reflects on migration and displacement, but also on the support networks we rely on when living far from home. It is a dynamic, constantly changing exhibition with a sense of connectedness that is a cause for optimism in our fragmented times. Fàbrica 33, Calle Larga dei Boteri 5062, Cannaregio, 30121 Venice. Open Tuesday–Sun, 10am–6pm. Website; Directions

Share your Venice Biennale highlights — off-site and on-site — in the comments below. And follow FT Globetrotter on Instagram at @FTGlobetrotter

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Good morning and welcome to your Morning Briefing for Monday 21 October 2024. To get this in your inbox every morning click here.

Social enterprise to solve the advice gap

Financial advice firms are increasingly aware of their social responsibilities and are meeting them in numerous ways, from pro bono and charity work to B-Corp certification, which assesses the social and environmental impact of business practices.

Some firms are focusing their efforts on addressing the ‘advice gap’, where people who would benefit from financial advice cannot afford it.

But could social enterprises — businesses that trade for a social and/or environmental purpose — provide a longer-term solution?

MM Talks with Kim, Lois an Tom

Join Kimberley Dondo, Lois Vallely and Tom Browne from the Money Marketing team for the third episode of MM Talks.

This episode explores the FCA’s consolidation review, and speculation of the upcoming budget’s impact on financial advisers, and shares chillingly true finance horror stories from the internet. Listen now:

Quote Of The Day

Remember how your granny always told you that if something seems too good to be true then it probably is? You’d do well to apply this advice to investments too.

– Victoria Hasler, head of fund research at Hargreaves Lansdown, talks about how to avoid investment scams, in honour of Scams Awareness Week, which starts today

In Other News

Janus Henderson today announces the launch of its first active ETF in Europe: the Janus Henderson Tabula Japan High Conviction Equity UCITS ETF (JCPN).

The launch of this active ETF provides investors with an alternative way of accessing the firm’s “deep knowledge and insights” in this market.

The fund will adopt a high conviction approach and invest in an actively managed all-cap concentrated portfolio of 20 to 30 holdings, providing exposure to companies that are set to benefit from structural themes and trends in the Japanese Equity market, and showcasing the best of Janus Henderson’s stock selection skills.

The launch of this active ETF represents an important milestone for Janus Henderson, allowing the firm to cater to client demand globally for its investment strategies to include a UCITS ETF wrapper.

It also builds upon the firm’s active ETF proposition in the US where it is fourth largest provider of actively managed fixed income ETFs.

Europe markets watchdog bids to become EU’s version of SEC (Financial Times)

Chinese banks slash lending rates to bolster ailing economy (Bloomberg)

UBS sells its 50% stake in Swisscard to American Express (Reuters)

Did You See?

It has been 10 years since financial education was introduced to the national curriculum for secondary schools in England.

At primary school level, the national curriculum provides a framework for young children to recognise coins and learn how to use money through simple ‘number problems’ in maths lessons.

The ‘real life’ context comes later, during citizenship or ‘personal, social, health and economic’ education from age 11.

However, says Amanda Newman Smith, some schools do not follow the national curriculum, adding weight to the criticism that financial education is inconsistent in England.

Earlier this year, a report by the House of Commons Education Committee found widespread evidence that financial education in England’s primary schools was “insufficient and should be expanded”.

So, how should financial education be presented to younger children and what role do financial advisers have in this?

A MAJOR high street bargain retailer has confirmed it will shut all its stores on Boxing Day to give staff a well-earned break.

Poundland, which runs over 800 UK stores, said it will close shops on December 25 and 26.

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The discounter said all its locations will also shut on New Year’s Day as a thank you to staff.

Meanwhile, workers will be given a £25 voucher to spend in their local Poundland branch on any Christmas shopping.

Simon Wells, people director at Poundland, said: “We have brilliant colleagues here at Poundland & Dealz who work incredibly hard throughout the year, bringing our brands to life every day and supporting our customers.

“But we know they all particularly shine at Christmas, bringing the magic to our stores that our customers know and love. 

“We’re delighted to be able to support them with a well-earned rest once the festive season is over.”

It comes as Poundland launches a drive to employ 1,000 new seasonal staff to cover the busy festive period.

The majority of the shop floor roles will end on Christmas Eve while some will be extended until early January.

You can find out more by visiting Poundland’s website.

It is common practice for retailers to close their stores on Christmas Day but not all shut branches the following day.

Some also shut branches on New Year’s Day to give staff an extra day off over the Christmas period.

A number of other retailers have already confirmed they will shut on Boxing Day as well as Christmas Day this year.

Aldi confirmed it will shut on December 25 and 26, as will Home Bargains, John Lewis and Waitrose.

DIY retailer Homebase has also said it will shutter branches over the two-day period.

If you’re keen to find out whether your favourite retailer will close its branches on Boxing Day, it’s worth keeping an eye on social media.

Chains often publicise their festive opening hours on X and Facebook.

You can also try using a retailer’s store locator tool which should tell you the opening hours for your local branch.

Most of the time, it will also feature a number you can call to find out opening times.

The latest two announcements from Poundland come after the bargain chain launched its loyalty scheme UK-wide.

It is now rolling out its Poundland Perks rewards scheme to all branches and online.

The bargain discounter had been trialling the phone-based loyalty scheme at around 100 stores in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Wight since last year.

Shoppers can download the Poundland Perks app on to their smart phone via the Google Play and Apple App store.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

The EU’s financial markets watchdog wants expanded powers to oversee major stock exchanges and other critical parts of the bloc’s financial infrastructure, as it bids to become a European version of the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Verena Ross, chair of the European Securities and Markets Authority, said “there is clearly a political appetite” in the newly appointed European Commission to centralise more EU financial market supervision as part of a renewed push to revive the region’s struggling capital markets.

“Let’s evaluate in which areas it would make sense to move a step further to central EU supervision. We need to look particularly at all the cross-border systemically important infrastructure players,” Ross told the Financial Times, adding this would include exchanges, clearing houses and settlement systems. 

Esma was launched in 2011 to improve harmonisation of rules across the EU but most of its financial market activities continue to be supervised by the bloc’s 27 national authorities.

Paris-based Esma directly supervises relatively few entities, such as credit rating agencies, non-EU central counterparty clearing houses, securitisation repositories and benchmark administrators.

The idea of transferring more powers from national authorities to Esma has gained momentum in recent months as Brussels officials look for ways to boost capital markets activity to help finance an estimated €800bn of extra investment needs.

Mario Draghi, the former European Central Bank president, last month identified the transformation of Esma into a version of the SEC as “a key pillar” of boosting Europe’s capital markets in a landmark report on how to boost the EU economy.

Draghi said: “Esma should transition from a body that co-ordinates national regulators into the single common regulator for all EU security markets” by giving it power to supervise large multinational issuers, cross-border financial markets and all central counterparties.

Some smaller EU countries such as Luxembourg and Ireland have opposed the idea, fearing it could undermine their thriving financial sectors.

But Ross is convinced that the shift would improve the efficiency of Europe’s financial markets for both investors and issuers.

“Having an effective regulatory and supervisory framework has a big impact on making a single capital market work, and we don’t have that in Europe. So that is one of the areas that we need to focus on,” Ross said.

In a nod to the criticism from smaller countries, she said a “step-by-step” process of building up Esma’s powers was preferable to trying to turn it into an all-powerful European SEC overnight.

“It is more about thinking practically. We shouldn’t forget that the EU markets are quite different from the US markets in terms of the diversity of the legal systems,” she said. “Let’s make an EU central supervision role happen where it makes most sense at this point.”

The process could start by handing Esma more powers to supervise the “bigger, cross-border players” such as Euronext and Deutsche Börse that were “often servicing not just one country or a couple of them but genuinely serving investors across all the EU”, she said, adding that smaller markets and companies would continue to be supervised locally.

She suggested the EU missed an opportunity with its landmark crypto markets regulation, which comes into force at the end of the year but will leave oversight of companies in the hands of national authorities. “Would it have been more effective to have done it at an EU level? That was a debate we had at board level,” she said.

Draghi also called for Esma to strengthen its independence from national authorities that hold most of the voting positions on its board, by introducing independent members similar to those sitting on the ECB’s supervisory board, which oversees major Eurozone banks.

Ross rejected this, saying “the governance structure works pretty well at the moment”. It was important “to ensure that the national supervisors are fully part of that decision-making because a lot of the implementation is at national level,” she added.