After the end of Franco Chilean Festival of Video Art-a milestone in the 80’s to the dissemination and development of the discipline in our country, by the will of a group of artists in 1993, founded the Chilean Video Corporation, with the aim of promoting an environment devoted to research and experimental video art practice in Chile. Directed until its tenth version by the artist and academic Olhagaray Nestor Llanos, artist, college professor, theorist and researcher in new media. He is the founder of the Biennale of Video & Media Art of Santiago held since 1993, the event opened a new moment for video art in our country, also incorporating other artistic inquiries related to the new technologies.
The biennial is since then as a systematic space that accommodates these new expressions of contemporary visual arts, where it was attended by about 3,000 artists. The meeting is a regular showcase for national and international production in this area, promoting the encounter between artists in the industry, and is concerned to address the theoretical challenges of the relationship film, visual arts, technology and creativity.
One of its flagship activities since its inception is the contest John Downey. Currently open to video and digital arts, is a permanent tribute to Chilean artist considered one of the pioneers of video art and electronic art in the world.
Under the rapid changes taking place in technology and with it, the art, culture and society, has been marked by BAM updates, reorientations and name changes. Born as James Video Biennial, then her name changes to Biennial of Video and Electronic Arts, and since the late 90s called Biennial of Video and New Media. In its ninth and tenth version is called Biennial of Video and Media Art and eleventh in this version takes the name of Media Art Biennale, representing trends leading audiovisual production in Chile.