Lisbon Art Weekend
Lisbon Art Weekend returns for its 7th edition, taking place November 6-9th, a citywide celebration of contemporary visual art from Portugal and internationally. With more than 50 venues and 80 free events, Lisbon shines as a contemporary art capital.
Lisbon is transformed into a dynamic centre of contemporary art for the 7th edition of Lisbon Art Weekend taking place between November 6th – 9th. What began in 2019 as an organic initiative has evolved into an exciting platform that showcases the diversity of Portuguese contemporary art while also featuring many international artists as well. For four days, Lisbon becomes a living map, where art, architecture, and urban exploration converge.
Founded by Merve Pakyürek and Kean Paker, Lisbon Art Weekend operates on a refreshingly democratic principle: everything is free. “We have expanded the number and diversity of participating spaces, professionalised the public programme, and strengthened international visibility, while keeping the event impartial, independent and completely free for all,” say Pakyürek and Paker. This year’s edition amplifies that commitment with over 250 Portuguese and international artists, 50 venues, and 80 events spanning exhibitions, performances, talks, and open studios. The mission emphasises visibility and accessibility over commercial priorities.
The 2025 programme introduces several progressive measures that reflect contemporary values in cultural programming. For the first time, guided tours will feature Portuguese Sign Language interpretation, making the event genuinely accessible to deaf audiences. This move towards inclusivity extends beyond physical access—curated itineraries led by artists, curators, and collectors offer multiple entry points into Lisbon’s art ecosystem, allowing visitors to experience the city through diverse creative perspectives.
The venue line-up reveals LAW’s strategic positioning between emerging and established institutions. Newcomers to the event include the Arpad Szenes – Vieira da Silva Foundation, MACAM, and the PLMJ Foundation, creating dialogues between institutional authority and experimental practice. Several gallery spaces will present important international artists including Franco-Algerian artist Zineb Sedira at CAM – Gulbenkian Modern Art Centre, Cerith Wyn Evans’s light-language installations at MAAT, and a rare solo exhibition of Swiss artist Heidi Bucher’s architectural “skins” at Jahn und Jahn.
Portuguese voices remain central to the programme, with sculptor Rui Chafes’s poetic iron works at Filomena Soares Gallery and Nuno Nunes-Ferreira’s archive-based investigations into national memory at The Balcony Contemporary Art Gallery demonstrating the local scene’s conceptual depth.
Beyond the immediate weekend, LAW’s programme extends to establishing a permanent physical space—a year-round hub for programming and gathering. This vision reflects the organization’s broader mission: positioning Lisbon as an essential destination in the international contemporary art circuit.
For a city already celebrated for its architectural heritage and design-forward projects, Lisbon Art Weekend offers something complementary: a model for how contemporary art can activate urban space, foster community, and remain radically accessible in an increasingly commercialized art world.
Discover more: Lisbon Art Weekend
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