Manifesta is a nomadic biennial of contemporary art that takes place every two years in a different European city. It was founded in the early 1990s to promote contemporary art and foster dialogue between cultures.

The biennial is known for its innovative and experimental exhibitions, often featuring emerging artists’ work. Each new host city reflects the continent’s ever-changing identity and sheds light on a world defined by shifting ethical and aesthetic values.

The previous editions of Manifesta were held in Rotterdam (1996), Luxembourg (1998), Ljubljana (2000), Frankfurt (2002), San Sebastian (2004), Nicosia (2006 – canceled), Trentino-South Tyrol (2008), Murcia in dialogue with North Africa (2010), Genk (2012), St. Petersburg (2014), Zürich (2016), Palermo (2018), Marseille (2020), and Prishtina (2022).

Manifesta’s Recent Editions

This summer, Manifesta 15 will begin its pre-biennial events in Barcelona, while the Centre for Narrative Practice will continue to operate as a multidisciplinary institution in Prishtina.

The 15th edition of Manifesta, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art will focus on the ecological transition and its social-cultural impact. The biennial will expand beyond the center of Barcelona to include the mountains, rivers, and sea.

Manifesta 15 Barcelona opens on September 8, 2024. So, there is plenty of time to plan your trip.

Geographical Nodes

The biennial team has spent the past six months collaborating with New York-based Spanish architect Sergio Pardo to identify various locations, or “nodes,” in the wider metropolitan region to form the initial research venues and settings for the pre-biennial phase. The pre-biennial process will see Manifesta 15 deepen the interaction and connections between these territories.

A commonality between these nodes is their presence as large natural systems and open spaces in Barcelona. The biennial will yet again be radically local in its approach and its sustainable impact by focusing on the ecological transition.

Manifesta 15 Barcelona will be working across the following nodes:

• The Collserola mountain range
• El Prat – Llobregat Delta
• El Besòs river

These geographical nodes will link to the themes of Cure and Care, Balancing Conflicts, and Imagining the Future.

In the coming months, Manifesta 15 Barcelona will make further announcements about the cultural practitioners and artistic collectives operating within these nodes in collaboration with the local communities. The results of this participatory process will be showcased at Manifesta 15 Barcelona’s headquarters in the late summer of 2023 and will form the integral function of the vision for the biennial.

Manifesta 14 Prishtina

As part of Kosovo’s 15th anniversary of independence, Manifesta’s Founding Director, Hedwig Fijen, was awarded a Medal of Merits by the President of Kosovo, Dr. Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, for Manifesta 14’s contributions to placing Kosovo on the cultural map of Europe.

At the beginning of last month, the Centre for Narrative Practice, a key venue of Manifesta 14 Prishtina, reopened as a new co-working and cultural space in the capital city of Kosovo.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport in Kosovo has acquired a large selection of works by Manifesta 14 participants from Kosovo.

Quick Notes

Visit the Manifesta 15 website to learn more about the biennial and to stay up-to-date on the latest news and announcements.

Manifesta 15 Barcelona | Sep 8th – Nov 24th, 2024 | Barcelona, Spain

Manifesta 14 Prishtina | Concluded | Pristina, Kosovo