ARCOmadrid, organized by IFEMA MADRID, celebrates its 44th edition next month. ARCOmadrid

As Spain’s premier art fair for more than forty years, ARCOmadrid has played a pivotal role in shaping the country’s contemporary art scene. Founded in 1982 by pioneering gallerist Juana de Aizpuru, the fair emerged just a few years after the end of the Franco regime, coinciding with Spain’s return to democracy. From the outset, it was a catalyst for free thought and expression, opening the minds of a new generation through contemporary art. “The vision at that moment was that contemporary art was one of the better ways to introduce new ideas,” director Maribel López told Observer. She has been involved with the fair for many years—initially as marketing director and program curator before she took the helm in February 2021.

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This year’s edition comes after a year of extraordinary economic recovery for Spain, with GDP growth in 2024 exceeding all expectations and outperforming many other nations. Named by the Economist as the best-performing economy in the world, Spain has seen a growth rate of over 3 percent, its lowest unemployment rate in years, rising consumer spending and record-breaking numbers in its crucial tourism sector.

ARCOmadrid positions itself as a platform that connects Spain with the rest of Europe and all of South America. Since its early editions, one of the fair’s main objectives has been to promote Spanish art and attract international audiences. At the time, Spain’s contemporary art scene was extremely limited, particularly in terms of the number of local collectors engaging with it. One of the fair’s key initiatives has been to bring in collectors from abroad with an International Collectors Program that remains a cornerstone of ARCO and is widely appreciated and popular among collectors. Each year, the fair invites around 350 international collectors to participate in a robust program of dedicated visits to studios, galleries, museums, convivial gatherings and exclusive events. “The idea and vision remain the same—bringing Spanish artists to the international market and international art to the Spanish market,” said López.

But while ARCOmadrid fosters global exchange, she says the fair is not looking to become a generic international event. Instead, it remains committed to a clearly defined identity, carefully curating the roster of participating galleries—179 this year—to ensure a strong core of Spanish exhibitors........

© Observer