ARCOlisboa 2025 and Lisbon’s Renaissance

Lisbon in May presents itself as both majestic and enigmatic, its urban landscape punctuated by clusters of jacaranda trees in full bloom, casting cascades of purple blossoms across streets and sky like botanical fireworks. The city’s legendary seven hills form a natural amphitheater overlooking the Tagus River, creating an endless choreography of ascent and descent through Escher-like topographies. Glossy marble cobblestones snake through a labyrinth of narrow streets, flanked by stately yet sometimes weathered palaces and residential buildings adorned with brightly colored azulejo tiles that catch and reflect the city’s crystalline light, making the entire urban fabric shimmer.

As I descended Avenida da Índia toward the Cordoaria Nacional—the venue housing this year’s ARCOlisboa fair—I found myself recalling Wim Wenders’ 1982 road movie The State of Things, which tells the story of a film crew stuck in Portugal in the early eighties when the Iberian country was a newly established democracy, its economy facing challenges, and still grappling with the political and social consequences of the 1974 revolution. This vivid memory prompted me to contemplate the profound transformation Lisbon has undergone over the past decade and a half. This metamorphosis has been in part catalyzed by contemporary art, with the emergence of new foundations and museums such as the MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, the MAC/CCB (Museum of Contemporary Art and Architecture Centre), The Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian (CAM) and collector’s Armando Martins’ MACAM Museum. The city now boasts an expanding network of galleries, hosts two design weeks annually, and has attracted countless artists who have chosen to call Lisbon home, fundamentally altering the cultural DNA of this Atlantic capital.

As I entered the airy spaces of the former naval rope-making factory, Cordoaria Nacional (founded in 1771), I appreciated the fair’s intimate scale and its relaxed yet engaging atmosphere. The eighth edition of ARCOlisboa, which concluded in May 2025, marked a significant milestone for Portugal’s most prominent contemporary art fair. Co-organized by IFEMA Madrid and Lisbon City Council, the event reinforced its position as the principal international contemporary art gathering in Portugal, serving as a crucial platform for artistic exchange within the European context.

More than 14,000 people visited ARCOlisboa 2025, achieving remarkable attendance figures that encompassed industry professionals, collectors, and members of the general public from across the globe, reflecting the fair’s growing international significance. A particularly noteworthy aspect was the strong representation of younger attendees. The Portuguese Ministry of Culture’s strategic initiative to offer free admission to visitors under 25 years old on Friday and Saturday proved highly effective in attracting new audiences, demonstrating ARCOlisboa’s commitment to cultural accessibility and long-term sustainability through the cultivation of emerging cultural consumers.

ARCOlisboa 2025brought together 83 galleries from 17 countries, establishing a robust international framework that positioned Lisbon as a significant European art hub. This geographic diversity created a dynamic marketplace serving various collecting preferences while transforming Lisbon into what organizers described as “one of the most attractive and interesting artistic and cultural hubs in Europe.”

Beyond its European foundation, ARCOlisboa 2025 demonstrated a strategic commitment to fostering connections with emerging art markets in Africa and South America. The artistic content for this year’s edition was complemented by the section “As Formas do Oceano” (The Shapes of the Ocean) curated by Paula Nascimento and Igor Simões, featuring projects focused on relations between Africa and the African diaspora. It included a total of five galleries: African Arty from Morocco; Afronova from South Africa; Christophe Person from France; Karla Osorio from Brazil; and Reiners Contemporary Arte from Spain.

African galleries’ notable participation in ARCOlisboa continued the fair’s tradition of African engagement that has historically included galleries from Angola and Mozambique. The South American presence was exemplified by Brazil’s Bianca Boeckel and Zielinsky galleries, Colombia’s SGR Galería, and Uruguay’s Galería de las Misiones, reflecting ARCOlisboa’s role as a cultural bridge between Europe and Latin America. This transcontinental approach positions the fair as a unique platform for artistic dialogue across the Lusophone world and former Portuguese territories, leveraging Lisbon’s historical connections to create contemporary cultural exchanges.

Pedro Vaz (painting) and Vasco Futscher (sculpture) @kubikgalley

The artistic diversity was particularly evident in the range of works presented. Portuguese representation was strong, featuring Maria Ana Vasco Costa’s ceramics presented by gallery Fonseca Macedo (Azores islands), Francisca Carvalho’s colorful art on paper by Dialogue Gallery (Lisbon), Adriana Molder’s cinematic oil pastels on molded canvas through Galeria111, Miguel Branco’s majestic bronze sculpture via Pedro Cera, and Vasco Futscher’s architectural sculptures presented by Kubik Gallery alongside Mozambique-born Pedro Vaz’s airy paintings. International works included meditative fiber art by Guatemalan artist Antonio Pichillá Quiacaín presented by MEMORIA (Spain), Spanish Ana Esteve Llorens’s contemplative textile art through Set Espai D’Art, Colombian Nicolás Bonilla Maldonado’s faux taxidermy cabinet installations by Galeria SGR (Colombia), and Nigerian Ikechukwu Nduka’s colorful tapestries presented by Christophe Person gallery (France).

The acquisition activities during ARCOlisboa 2025 demonstrated strong institutional commitment to contemporary art collection development. Lisbon City Council made significant purchases, acquiring 14 works by seven artists: Gabriela Albergaria, Ana Jotta, Carla Filipe, Mónica de Miranda, Maria Condado, João Maria Gusmão, and Jonathan Saldanha. This substantial municipal investment signals the city’s dedication to building its contemporary art holdings while supporting both established and emerging artists. The ARCO Foundation complemented these acquisitions by purchasing works from three artists: Carla Filipe, Marina González, and Nana Mandl. These institutional purchases represent long-term commitments to preserving and promoting contemporary artistic practice within Portuguese cultural institutions.

ARCOlisboa 2025 featured an expanded awards program that recognized excellence across multiple categories. The Fundação Millennium bcp Award for Best Booth was awarded to Madrid gallery Travesía Cuatro, highlighting the fair’s commitment to recognizing curatorial excellence and presentation quality. The Opening Lisboa Award went to Enhorabuena Espácio, featuring artists Venuca Evanán and Fátima Rodrigo, while Method gallery received a special mention for presenting works by Ammama Malik, Shivangi Kalra, and Sajid Wajid Shaikh.

Ana Esteve Llorens’s contemplative textile art through Set Espai D’Art

New acquisition prizes were introduced, including the Armando Martins Museum of Contemporary Art (MACAM) Acquisition Prize and the Studiolo Collection Acquisition Prize. The MACAM Prize was awarded to Glenda Leon’s work presented by Max Estrella, while the Studiolo Prize recognized works by Leonor Serrano Rivas (Carlier | Gebauer) and Jorge Queiroz (Bruno Múrias). The MEXTO Property Investment Acquisition Prize was awarded to artist Ana Malta, represented by the gallery THIS IS NOT A WHITE CUBE, further demonstrating the fair’s success in attracting diverse forms of private sector engagement.

According to fair director Maribel López, the “dynamism of sales reported by participating galleries reflects the firm commitment of collectors, both Portuguese and international, to contemporary art.” This commercial success indicates healthy market conditions and suggests that ARCOlisboa has successfully positioned itself within the competitive landscape of European art fairs. The combination of strong attendance, international participation, significant institutional acquisitions, and reported sales dynamism positions ARCOlisboa as an increasingly important fixture in the European art fair calendar.

José Pedro Croft, Sobral Centeno, João Penalva at Nuno Centeno

ARCOlisboa 2025 demonstrated continued growth and institutional maturation, successfully balancing commercial objectives with cultural mission. The fair’s ability to attract over 14,000 visitors while maintaining quality gallery participation from 17 countries establishes its credentials as a significant European art event. With the ninth edition scheduled for May 28–31, 2026, ARCOlisboa appears well-positioned to consolidate its role as Portugal’s premier contemporary art platform.

About the writer: Eva Zanardi is a freelance writer, independent curator, and owner of Visitor Center, a contemporary art gallery located in Newburgh, NY. Her writing has been featured in various publications, including Flash Art, White-Hot Magazine, Widewalls, and Art & Object Magazine, among other international print and online media. Prior to relocating to Upstate NY, Eva founded and directed GR Gallery, which was known for its cutting-edge contemporary art exhibitions in New York City. Additionally, she serves as the President and Senior Advisor of EZartconsultingnyc, a private art consultancy that specializes in modern and contemporary art.