The quality of the galleries’ projects is the key to ARCOlisboa 2024

GRAPHIC MATERIAL of ARCOlisboa 2024.

ARCOlisboa, the fair co-organised by IFEMA MADRID and the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, will close the doors of its 7th edition this afternoon with a positive balance. The good pace of sales reported by the galleries confirms the commitment of Portuguese and international collectors to contemporary art.

ARCOlisboa, which has once again enjoyed the commitment of the Portuguese government and local authorities, with the presence of the Minister of Culture, Dalila Rodrigues, and the President of the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, Carlos Moedas, as well as the Vice-President of IFEMA MADRID, Daniel Martínez, at the opening ceremony on 23 May, is expected to reach the figure of 13,000 visitors.

The International Contemporary Art Fair brought together 84 galleries from 15 countries, whose artistic content was the best way to attract quality collectors. According to Maribel López, director of ARCOlisboa, “one of the most outstanding aspects of this edition is the work done by the galleries on their stands, which, with the development of curatorial projects and the relationship between the works, turns each space into a small exhibition”.

Located in the historic Cordoaria Nacional, ARCOlisboa has established itself as Portugal’s most important international event for contemporary art and an essential instrument for the visibility of Portuguese artists in the eyes of international institutions and more than 150 collectors from Europe and America. The interest generated by the artistic proposals of the participating galleries, coupled with the social and cultural programme of the city, has been the best attraction to welcome prominent international collectors and professionals.

ARCOlisboa will therefore end on a positive note. Acquisitions have been confirmed since the first day, such as those of the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, which purchased a total of 15 works by 7 artists.

In addition, the ARCO Foundation - with the advice of Tania Pardo and João Laia - has acquired works by the Portuguese artist Sara Bichão from the Filomena Soares gallery, which will become part of the ARCO Foundation Collection, housed in Madrid’s CA2M Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo.

For its part, Vieira de Almeida has added to its collection with the purchase of a work by Ignasi Aballí, at Vera Cortês. 

On this occasion, the Fundação Millenium BCP Prize for the best stand at the fair was awarded by a jury, made up of David Barro and Mariana Pestana, to the Ehrhardt Flórez gallery.

For the fifth year, ARCOlisboa awarded the Opening Lisboa Prize, whose jury comprised Hiuwai Chu, Yina Jiménez Suriel, João Laia, Filipa Oliveira, João Paulo Quintella and Amanda Reis Tavares, to 4710 Gallery - Tbilisi - for the quality of its work, the narrative coherence of its stand and its commitment to emerging practices in the country. This award rewards the best stand in the section with a refund of the price of its space at the fair. In addition, the galleries Anca Poterasu -Bucharest- and Meno Parkas -Kaunas- received a special mention for the strength of the works presented.

ARCOlisboa is co-organised by the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, with the support of DGARTES, the Fundação EDP, the Fundação Millennium BCP, Fundação Vasco Vieira de Almeida, MEXTO Property Investment, Turismo de Lisboa, Bellissimo Cafés / Marca Grupo Nabeiro, Super Bock Group, Santogal, Valorpneu, Art works, Ruinart, Casa Cadaval, Quinta do Casal Branco, fundação Altice, and with the local coordination of the producer Café Pessoa.

The eighth edition of ARCOlisboa will be held at at the Cordoaria Nacional from 29 May to 1 June 2025.