For those on their two hours of exercise within five kilometres of home around the Ballarat CBD, outdoor exhibitions that are part of the biennale's core program will be installed.

The weekend announcement of regional Victoria's seventh lockdown until September 2 threw Saturday night's opening plans in to disarray but came as no surprise to the festival's artistic director Fiona Sweet.

"I expected it because the virus is so virulent and it spreads so fast I expected that the government was going to protect us as quickly as possible.

"It's really not a matter any more whether I'm happy or not happy, it's more about us ensuring that when we are open, as soon as we are open, we are ready to invite possibly regional visitors first."

Ms Sweet said this last week before what would have been the BIFB's official opening was all about installation of exhibitions, particularly the outdoor offerings.

Alfred Deakin Place, Hop Temple Lane, Police Lane and Mackenzie Lane are among sites transformed with BIFB exhibitions over the weekend, with plenty more to come in lanes and thoroughfares throughout the week.

"If you are careful, walking within your 5km and your hours of exercise and social distance, we'd love for you to enjoy it, take photos and share it on social media because once we are open we will need lots of people to come and enjoy it."

In all there will be 19 exhibitions outdoors which may be viewed depending on restrictions and location.

A series of projections will also be lit up on the Ballarat Town Hall.

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The Ballarat International Foto Biennale doubled in length in 2019 from 30 days to 60 days to allow more visitors to attend and take in the thousands of photographs exhibited across Ballarat, and Ms Sweet hopes the duration will help it survive COVID.

"The change to 60 days was because it was good for the town with more people coming in over more days so the whole idea was to have a huge audience - and now it's great because it puts us in good stead for what is happening with the pandemic."

When the BIFB is finally allowed to officially open once lockdown restrictions are removed, it will feature scores of exhibitions in galleries, cafes and other non-traditional spaces. The drawcard exhibition Linda McCartney: Retrospective has been installed in the Art Gallery of Ballarat, with a large-scale work from the exhibition also reproduced for outdoor viewing in Police Lane adjoining the gallery.

The BIFB runs from August 28 to October 24.

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