Barcelona to Host 15th Manifesta Biennale in 2024

Barcelona has been selected to host the 15th edition of Manifesta in 2024, the itinerant contemporary art biennale that has been reflecting on sociopolitical phenomena since 1996. The choice continues the 'Mediterranean' focus seen in recent editions: Palermo in 2018, Marseille in 2020, and the upcoming 2022 edition in Pristina, Kosovo. Manifesta 15 will not be limited to Barcelona but will also involve ten metropolitan cities across Catalonia, aligning with the biennale's mission to engage citizens in rethinking the world through artistic creativity and social commitment. Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau stated that Manifesta will be a 'great field of research, experimentation, and action,' linking the creative network, institutions, and citizens to develop rights of access and participation in culture without discrimination. Manifesta Director Hedwig Fijen emphasized the need to start work in host cities as early as possible to generate interdisciplinary projects involving both the art ecosystem and citizens. Additionally, the 16th edition in 2026 will be held in a German city, chosen from the contenders alongside Barcelona for 2024, as both proposals were deemed of 'truly surprising quality.' Past Manifesta editions include Rotterdam (1996), Luxembourg (1998), Ljubljana (2000), Frankfurt (2002), San Sebastián (2004), Cyprus (2006, cancelled), Trentino-Alto Adige (2008), Murcia (2010), Limburg (2012), St. Petersburg (2014), Zurich (2016), Palermo (2018), and Marseille (2020).