With some nostalgia, as it happens with all good things that reach to an end, last Sunday, March 1st, we closed the doors of our 15th edition; but we also have a deep feeling of satisfaction and gratitude towards all those who have participated in this party and have made Art Madrid the best celebration of contemporary art to date.

Photo by Mario Domingo, Art Madrid'20

We close our 15th edition reinforcing its position as a must-see fair within the Art Week of the capital, thanks to our commitment to innovation and the expansion of disciplines, that has resulted in a huge reception by the public and the professional art sector. For five days, Art Madrid has transformed the Crystal Gallery of the Palacio de Cibeles into a real dynamic and festive event around contemporary art, attended by about 20,000 people.

Our audience grows and diversifies every year, and both visitors as exhibitors remark that Art Madrid is one of the most attractive, accessible and welcoming fairs to visit. The gallery owner Luisa Catucci, who participated in the Art Madrid for the first time, says that “it was surprising to see the fair full of people at all times, it has been a fantastic first experience; in addition, there were many collectors and directors of foundations and institutions, so the public was excellent.”

Photo by Henar Herguera, detail of "Orejuda V", by Iván Prieto, in Art Madrid'20

Other galleries that chose Art Madrid as the first option to enter the Spanish market share this same opinion, such as Panoptikum or Urban Spree, who underlines the high interest of visitors, the extraordinary opportunity to expand contacts and the satisfaction of concluding operations with new collectors. As Adeline Jeudy, director of the Parisian Galerie LJ who premiered at Art Madrid, comments “it is a very positive experience and the location of the fair is perfect; and I have been able to meet new collectors, art lovers and visitors of more professional as well as varied profiles.”

In addition to having grown in terms of the interest and specialisation of the visiting public, the galleries also underline the potential growth of Art Madrid year after year and its emblematic situation in the heart of the capital, besides the constant effort to offer the best contemporary art of the moment. Some senior exhibitors at the fair, such as the Kreisler Gallery, highlights the influx of public and the increase in sales with new national customers. Likewise, Aurora Vigil-Escalera points out that Art Madrid is “one of the most important contemporary art fairs and it is essential to take care of it and pamper it. I think that the space is unbeatable and that the quality of the galleries has been increasing every year.”

Photo by Lourdes Diaz

This evolution of Art Madrid is also much appreciated by the professional sector. Carlos Delgado, a critic, curator and member of the Art Madrid Committee, explains that the fair has established itself as “an absolute expression of the most contemporary scene that seeks direct contact with present art and strengthens its commitment to support young artists and emerging creators maintaining the balance with more consolidated artists.” In the same way, Art Madrid also stands out as the optimal space to enter into collecting, something that confirms Nuria Blanco, director of the Moret Art gallery (A Coruña), who corroborates an increase in young buyers around the age of 40 that start their collections with small or medium-sized pieces. “We have had many couples who bought their first piece together. This makes it a more special sale for us”. Nuria also states: "We are very happy with the presence of institutional collectors, such as the Museum of La Palma that acquired a piece of Lino Lago, something that has a positive impact for both the gallery and the artist.”

Photo by Lourdes Diaz, Art Madrid'20

Indeed, this edition has seen an increase in the support provided by public institutions, with a greater presence of authorities and political representatives. It should be highlighted the visits from the Ministry for Culture and Sports with, among others, Elisa de Cabo de la Vega, Deputy Director for the Protection of Historical Heritage (Fine Arts G. D.); as well as the Government of the Community of Madrid, among which we mention Antonio Sánchez Luengo, Deputy Director of Fine Arts of the General Management of Cultural Promotion. Likewise, the support provided by regional and local governments is remarkable. All this gives an account of the interest shown by the public sector to support art and culture, with its active participation in large events such as Art Madrid.

It should be noticed the numerous visits of directors and curators of outstanding museums and cultural institutions such as the MNCARS, Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Würth La Rioja Museum, Galician Centre of Contemporary Art, Circle of Fine Arts of Madrid, Museum of Contemporary Art of Vigo, CaixaForum Madrid, CEART, Cab de Burgos, Atlantic Centre of Modern Art-CAAM, TEA Tenerife Space of the Arts, Es Baluard Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art or MUSARCO, to name a few. We also had the visit of collections and private entities such as the INELCOM Collection, SOLO Collection, Thyssen Bornemisza Foundation, Repsol Foundation, Casa de Alba Foundation, Manuel Benedito Foundation, Enrique Ochoa Foundation, Support Art Foundation, BBVA Foundation or Cepsa Foundation.

Photo by Lourdes Diaz, Art Madrid'20

In addition, this 15th anniversary has achieved a very positive impact on the public, critics and the media, thanks to its determined commitment to turn the event into a dynamic and up-to-date celebration that everyone loved. Both the new video art, action art and performance program carried out together with the video art platform PROYECTOR, curated by its director Mario Gutiérrez Cru; as well as the redefinition and expansion of the One Project program, directed by art critic and curator Fernando Gómez de the Cuesta under the title of “Salvajes. La cage aux fauves”, have kept alive the spirit of celebration and full relevance that has served as a leit motiv to this 15th edition.

Finally, we cannot forget our sponsors Royal Bliss, Yelmo Cines Luxury, One Shot Hotels, and all our collaborators, volunteers and media partners, who have contributed to turning this anniversary into a memorable event.

Art Madrid celebrates this way 15 years of experience, consolidating its evolution and recognition as a unique space for present international creation, supporting both emerging artists and the most consolidated professionals, becoming an essential event for collectors, experts and other cultural agents necessary to the revitalization of contemporary art.

ART MADRID CLOSES ITS 21ST EDITION AS A KEY EVENT OF MADRID ART WEEK

The Galería de Cristal of the Palacio de Cibeles hosted the 21st edition of Art Madrid from March 4 to 8, once again consolidating its role as one of the must-see events of Madrid Art Week. Over the course of five days, the fair brought together 35 national and international galleries and more than 200 artists, turning the venue into a meeting point for gallerists, collectors, professionals, and lovers of contemporary art.

Throughout its trajectory, Art Madrid has built a distinct identity, with a constant focus on giving visibility to both emerging and established galleries and on opening contemporary art to diverse audiences. Rather than being structured around a single curatorial line, the fair embraced a plural proposal, respecting the unique DNA of each exhibitor.

Art Madrid’26 presented a Gallery Program distinguished by the diversity of artistic proposals and languages, encouraging dialogue between different generations and contemporary practices. Painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, installation, and new hybrid forms coexisted in an edition that once again confirmed the dynamism of today’s art scene

During the days of the fair, nearly 20,000 visitors explored the booths of the participating galleries and enjoyed a parallel program that expanded the experience beyond the traditional exhibition format.

The Parallel Program: An Expanded Art Fair

The Parallel Program once again took center stage in the Art Madrid experience, activating the fair space through projects that explored new forms of interaction between artworks, artists, and the public.

Among the most notable initiatives was the performance series Open Infinite: What the Body Remembers, which presented a daily performative action at the fair featuring works by Colectivo La Burra Negra, Rocío Valdivieso, Amanda Gatti, and Jimena Tercero. The pieces incorporated the body as a critical device and a space of memory, reinforcing the presence of performance within Art Madrid’s programming.

The third edition of Open Booth presented Despiece. Protocolo de mutación, by Daniel Barrio, a site-specific project that transformed the booth into a landscape constructed from urban remnants and industrial materials. The installation invited visitors to physically engage with the work, creating an immersive experience within the exhibition space.

Meanwhile, Espacio Nebrija hosted the project Estancias transitorias (NotanIA SipedagogIE), a proposal by Nebrija University that reflected on Aesthetic Intelligence in the face of the growing dominance of algorithmic logic. The installation proposed a reclamation of gesture, materiality, and the time inherent to the creative process as dimensions that cannot be reduced to automation.

Lecturas. Curated Walkthroughs also returned, with itineraries designed by Zuriñe Lafón and Marisol Salanova that offered curatorial insights for exploring the fair from specific critical perspectives and expanding the visitor experience.

Patronage, Awards, and Acquisitions

Support for contemporary creation once again stood as one of the fair’s central pillars through the second edition of the Art Madrid Patronage Program, which recognizes the work of artists and strengthens the connections between galleries, collectors, and private entities.

On this occasion, the following awards were presented:

Cervezas Alhambra Emerging Artist Award Iyán Castaño, represented by Galería Arancha Osoro

One Shot Hotels Breakthrough Artist Award Joost Vandebrug, represented by KANT Gallery

In the Acquisition Awards category, several private collections incorporated works presented at the fair into their collections.

Studiolo Collection Roger Sanguino — DDR Art Gallery

Devesa Law Kim Han Ki — Banditrazos Gallery

E2IN2 Collection Albert Bonet — Inéditad Gallery

dn2 Collection Iván Baizán — Galería Arancha Osoro

These acquisitions reflect the private sector’s commitment to the development of contemporary art and contribute to advancing the professional trajectories of emerging and mid-career artists.

Collecting and Support for the Artistic Ecosystem

The promotion of collecting once again played a prominent role in this edition thanks to the One Shot Collectors program, which offered personalized advice to both new buyers and more experienced collectors, facilitating access to the contemporary art market and fostering direct relationships between artists, galleries, buyers, and collectors.

This program, together with the Patronage Program, continues to strengthen the professional ecosystem surrounding the fair and reinforce Art Madrid’s commitment to supporting contemporary creation.

Among the most notable sales were works by Antonio Ovejero, represented by CLC ARTE; Leticia Feduchi and Ángela Mena, represented by Galería Sigüenza; Idoia Cuesta and Iyán Castaño, represented by Galería Arancha Osoro; and Yasiel Elizagaray, represented by Nuno Sacramento Arte Contemporânea. Likewise, the proposals presented by Inéditad Gallery were very well received, with notable sales of works by artists Albert Bonet and Eduardo Uridales.

The overall balance of the edition has been particularly positive, with sales reported by all 35 participating galleries, confirming the strong interest from collectors and the dynamism of the market throughout the fair. Among the galleries that recorded notable commercial activity are La Mercería (Valencia), LAVIO (Murcia–Shanghai), 3 Punts Galería (Barcelona), Galerie One (Paris), Shiras Galería (Valencia), Galería Rodrigo Juarranz (Aranda de Duero), Galería São Mamede (Lisbon), Yiri Arts (Taiwan), and Trema Arte Contemporânea (Lisbon), among others.

A Fair made possible thanks to Its network of Partners

The success of Art Madrid’26 has been made possible thanks to the support of its official sponsors: Cervezas Alhambra, One Shot Hotels, Liquitex, Universidad Nebrija, and Posca, as well as the trust of its collaborators: Asociación 9915, Colección Studiolo, E2IN2, Colección dn2, Devesa Law, Enviarte, Cova 13, and Vanille Bakery Lab & Café. The fair also benefits from the involvement of its media partners and the support of various cultural organizations, private collections, and institutions that contribute to strengthening the contemporary art ecosystem.

Art Madrid: A Future Full of Possibilities

After 21 years of history, Art Madrid continues to consolidate its position as a key event in the contemporary art calendar, both nationally and internationally. Its ability to bring together galleries, artists, collectors, and institutions reinforces its role as a space for encounter, exchange, and discovery. The fair maintains a steadily growing outlook, driven by a program that evolves each year and increasingly opens up to more innovative proposals.

Thank you for being part of the 21st edition of Art Madrid. Your support is essential for continuing to promote art and culture.

See You at Art Madrid’27!