Staying true to its long-standing tradition on the calendar, ARCOmadrid again leads the arts news this month, with attendance signaling confidence, vitality, and optimism. This festival of contemporary art takes place in halls 7 and 9 of the IFEMA MADRID Fairground from February 22 to 26, serving as a much-anticipated gathering for established and emerging artists, gallery owners, curators, collectors, and art lovers alike.
During the presentation ceremony attended by the IFEMA MADRID general manager and the ARCO director, it was announced that the International Contemporary Art Fair will bring together 71 Spanish galleries and 140 international exhibitors, with a notable Latin American presence. The growing global interest in ARCO Madrid underscores its role as a dynamic market space where artists gain visibility and knowledge exchange thrives. As one organizer noted, a fair celebrating its 42nd edition has earned extraordinary international recognition by evolving while remaining anchored as a marketplace and a benchmark for the scene and ecosystem of contemporary art. This encapsulates ARCO Madrid’s dual function as both commerce and cultural platform. (citation: ARCO Madrid organizers)
ARCO Madrid: An Ambassador for Madrid and Spain
Under IFEMA MADRID’s leadership, this fair is set to position Madrid as the international capital of contemporary art. It will serve as a focal point for analysis centered on the Mediterranean region and will explore artistic practices across past, present, and future through the curated content. The high quality of offerings and the ambitious vision behind the exhibition align with IFEMA Madrid’s mission to place the capital on top of international art itineraries and to attract quality tourism that adds value to the city. ARCO Madrid stands as a major ambassador for Madrid and Spain, according to the organizational team. (citation: ARCO Madrid organizers)
ARCO Madrid has reorganized around its General Program, featuring 170 first-tier galleries while continuing to pursue the goal of broadening access to artistic creation, boosting sales, and solidifying its status as a leading platform in the contemporary art market. The selection is complemented by 47 galleries curated across three sections, enriching the overall program with depth and diversity. (citation: ARCO Madrid organizers)
The inaugural section, Opening of Allianz, highlights young galleries as they gauge the pulse of the international scene. It brings together a broad cohort of 24 artists from diverse backgrounds and languages, curated by Julia Morandeira Arrizabalaga and Yina Jiménez Suriel. The intention is to discover new venues, new voices, and new conversations as the fair unfolds. The curators emphasize a spirit of exploration and self-discovery in unfamiliar places. (citation: ARCO Madrid organizers)
In the section dedicated to Latin American Art, the program continues to showcase the region’s rich diversity of practices and sensibilities. Curated by Mariano Mayer and Manuela Moscoso, this segment features artists from 11 participating galleries, illustrating the cross-cultural dialogue at the heart of the fair. (citation: ARCO Madrid organizers)
Forecasts suggest an audience of around 90,000 visitors, with 20 Artist Projects, collectors, special guests, and active forums shaping the event experience. The fair is presented as both a commercial venue and a cultural institution, reflecting ARCO Madrid’s dual mission. Discounted admission options are available, and the weekend opening provides broad public access to discussions, debates, and presentations that welcome a broad spectrum of profiles and interests. (citation: ARCO Madrid organizers)
MEDITERRANEAN: A ROUND SEA
Among the many regions represented at ARCOmadrid, the Mediterranean nations will play a prominent role this year. The program The Mediterranean: A Round Sea, curated by Marina Fokidis with Bouchra Khalili, and advised by Hila Peleg and Pedro G. Romero, aims to foster coast-to-coast collaborations and create a shared hub for Mediterranean artistic communities. The curator describes the effort as a chance to revive a temporal space where participants engage with time, history, and contemporaneity on their own terms, free from imposed constraints. (citation: ARCO Madrid organizers)
The project brings together 19 galleries from 12 countries within this geographically complex and rich region. A dedicated forum will accompany the galleries, inviting collectors, curators, theorists, writers, and musicians to participate on Fridays and Saturdays. This forum will help establish a conceptual context for the works on display, with sessions centered on the edition’s main theme and attended by museum directors, curators, artists, and other professionals. (citation: ARCO Madrid organizers)