ARCOmadrid, a reference in contemporary art

The fair, held at IFEMA from March 5 to 9, attracted more than 800 invited collectors and professionals, as well as 214 galleries from 36 countries, and more than 1,300 artists, who presented their most innovative and avant-garde proposals.

This event established itself as an essential event for the art market in Spain and a key meeting and exchange point between Europe and Latin America. The event hosted various curated sections that presented research on territories and reflections on current art, young artists and galleries, and the links between the fair and Latin America, among others.

ARCOmadrid closed with more than 95,000 attendees who were able to walk the halls and approach works by León Ferrari, Mariela Scafati, Maya Pita-Romero, and Julio Le Parc, among others. Museums, institutions, and major collections have strengthened their presence at this edition, making key acquisitions that underline ARCO's relevance as a market platform and meeting point for the sector.

Acquisitions

During the first days, dedicated exclusively to collectors and professionals, important institutional and corporate acquisitions were recorded. Among them, the Ministry of Culture and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Reina Sofía National Art Museum) stood out, acquiring a total of 26 works by 19 artists, 14 of them women. Among them, Spanish artists such as Mónica Mays and Josep Grau-Garriga, as well as international artists such as Marta Minujín (Argentina), Luz Lizarazo (Colombia), Judy Chicago, and Robert Morris (United States). In addition, the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) acquired seven works by seven artists, which will be part of the first edition of the Climate Biennial. The ARCO Foundation, the Community of Madrid, the Madrid City Council, the Regional Government of Andalusia, and the María Cristina Masaveu Peterson Foundation, which acquired, among other works, a work by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. The Sorigué Foundation, the María José Jove Foundation Art Center, and the Rucandio Collection, among many others, also strengthened their presence at the fair.

For its part, the Community of Madrid awarded its 2025 ARCO Prize to artist Mónica Mays for her pieces "Exhausted Disbelief" and "Hermes," from the Pedro Cera gallery in Madrid. The winning works will become part of the collection of the Dos de Mayo Art Center Museum in Móstoles.

Premios

Instituciones y empresas de ámbito nacional e internacional comparten el apoyo y el reconocimiento a la creación artística, mediante el patrocinio de premios de arte. Entre los premiados, la galería belga Meessen, con obra de Ignasi Aballí y Xie Lei, resultó ganadora del Premio Lexus al Mejor Stand y contenido artístico. El XX premio ARCO/BEEP de Arte Electrónico 2025 fue concedido a la obra ADSUM, de Eduardo Kac, representado por la galería Henrique Faria, y el XI Premio Opening. Nuevas Galerías fue para la galería colombiana Espacio Continuo. 

El XVIII Premio illy SustainArt, dedicado al mecenazgo de jóvenes promesas del arte contemporáneo, fue entregado a la artista catalana Claudia Pagès, representada por la galería Àngels Barcelona. Como novedad en esta edición, se introdujo el Premio Juana de Aizpuru, que recayó en la galería Krinzinger por su recorrido en la historia de ARCO y su compromiso con la feria. 

Awards

National and international institutions and companies share their support and recognition of artistic creation through the sponsorship of art awards. Among the award winners, the Belgian gallery Meessen, with works by Ignasi Aballí and Xie Lei, won the Lexus Award for Best Stand and Artistic Content. The 20th ARCO/BEEP Electronic Art Award 2025 was awarded to the work ADSUM by Eduardo Kac, represented by the Henrique Faria gallery, and the 11th Opening Award. New Galleries went to the Colombian gallery Espacio Continuo.

The 18th illy SustainArt Award, dedicated to the patronage of promising young contemporary artists, was presented to the Catalan artist Claudia Pagès, represented by the Àngels Barcelona gallery. New for this edition was the introduction of the Juana de Aizpuru Award, which went to the Krinzinger gallery for its history in ARCO and its commitment to the fair.

Celebraciones

En el marco de esta fiesta del arte, se festejaron los 40 años de la galería Rafael Ortíz, fundada en Sevilla que a lo largo de su historia ha apostado por artistas locales, nacionales e internacionales. También se celebraron los 60 años de la galería Ruth Benzacar que ha impulsado el talento en Argentina y en todo el mundo.

ARCOmadrid se celebrará del 4 al 8 de marzo de 2026.