ARTESANTANDER, the second oldest fair in Spain after ARCOmadrid and already a classic on the summer calendar since 1990, begins its 34th edition tomorrow, July 2, with the double objective of attracting new audiences and promoting a responsible culture that is open to less represented voices. Directed for the third time by Mónica Álvarez Careaga, it is also accompanied by an extensive educational program closely linked to the context in which it takes place: this event always has numerous Cantabrian galleries and pays a lot of attention to the local public.
The Santander Exhibition and Congress Palace, close to the Sardinero beaches, will host, until next July 5, spaces from forty national and international galleries, to which the Institut d’Estudis Baleàrics will join. This center will exhibit a project by Ibizan Adrián Martínez consisting of tapestries made with native Mallorcan sheep wool dyed with natural pigments obtained from local plant species. This is a proposal born with the collaboration of the circular wool factory Plaindedicated to the recovery of this resource from extensive herds in Mallorca. Thus, this artist proposes a critical reflection on the links between art, territory and sociocultural context, in addition to an investigation into the contradictions inherent to the pictorial process itself and artistic practice.
Martínez was the winner of a call to present this single project; Mónica Álvarez Careaga herself was part of its jury; Joaquín García Martín, curator and member of the fair’s selection committee; and Karen Andrea Müller, technician in the visual arts area of the Institute.
Adrian Martinez. Structure 6 (detail), 2025
Rooms from Italy, North Macedonia, Germany, Portugal and Mexico will come to Santander, chosen with the support of the cultural manager Giulietta Zanmatti Speranza and the curator Joaquín García Martín, and the General Program will not miss the Madrid-based Rafael Pérez Hernando, VETA by Fer Francés and Galería Silvestre; from Barcelona, Víctor Lope Arte Contemporáneo and Al-Tiba9 Gallery; and from Sevilla, DiGallery and Barrera Baldán.
We can also mention some names of the artists on the stands, which will be close to a hundred. Mention must be made of Mario Manso and Pablo Quesada (Provisional23), Alba Dorta and Cristina Regalado Ramos (L Contemporary), Carmen Ceniga Prado (Gaby Vera Fine Arts), Quique Zarzamora (Wit Art Gallery), Sara Piñeiro and Eduard Gil Alsina (Néboa), Amaya Suberviola (SC Gallery), Raquel Lobo (Llamazares), Carlos Cañadas (Mecha); to the internationals Angela Burson and Simón Quadrat (Rafael Pérez Hernando), Cristóbal Ochoa and Fausto Amundarain (Tönnheim Gallery), Janus Hochgesand (dst.galerie), Letizia Scarpello and Manuel Portioli (A Pick Gallery) or Barry Wolfryd (Al-Tiba9 Gallery); and to the Cantabrians Álvaro Trugeda, Eloy Velázquez and José Antonio Quintana (Balta Gallery), Silvia Cosío (DiGallery), Javier Trugeda (Mecha) or Arancha Goyeneche, Chelo Matesanz, Concha García and Emilia Trueba (Siboney).
Ignacio San Martín. Desert2025. Courtesy Petrol Blue Space
Angela Burson. Farewell in yellow2026. Courtesy Rafael Pérez Hernando
On the other hand, ARTESANTANDER will once again have an editorial section, a space dedicated to specialized publications and projects that play a relevant role in the dissemination of contemporary art. Following an open call launched by the organization, Al-Tiba9 Contemporary (Barcelona), Carmen Alonso Libros (Santander), Fontanar Ediciones (Riaza, Segovia), Nórdica Libros (Madrid), Office of Anonymous Photography (Santander) and Sirocomag (Madrid) will participate in this edition. Presentations, meetings and publications will offer viewers the opportunity to learn about editorial proposals linked to art, photography and contemporary thought.
As a novelty, ARTESANTANDER Talks will deploy a program of conversations that will bring together national and international curators and artists represented by the galleries present at the fair, promoting the exchange of ideas. We will be able to listen to Victoria Rivers and Carmen Ceniga Prado (Gaby Vera Fine Arts), Óscar Manrique and Laura Segura (Marquesa Gallery), Alejandra Rodríguez Cunchillos and Paula Valdeón (Galería Artizar) and Isabella Lenzi and Álvaro Borobio (Proyecto H).
Alvaro Borobio. Paranoia city2025. Courtesy Project H
The fair is also aimed at children. Within the framework of ARTESANTANDER Kidsworkshops will be held by artists who exhibit at this event. Aimed at children between 6 and 12 years old, they will encourage them to explore different creative processes through play and experimentation; His teachers will be Nicholas F. Callaway, Ignacio San Martín Godoy, Cayetana H. Cuyás and Barry Wolfryd.
We conclude by talking about prizes, which will be awarded at Artesantander to consolidate a network of support that reinforces both creation, collecting and the professional projection of the artists present. We will soon talk about the winners of the Residence Award of the Center d’Art Contemporani Piramidón; of the exhibition prizes linked to the National Museum and Research Center of Altamira and the spaces of the Port of Santander; the ARS International Award, promoted by the ARS Foundation and ARTESANTANDER; and the acquisition awards granted by institutions and private collections, such as Eurostars Hotel Company or the El Cagigal, Wadström Tönnheim, Navacerrada, Kells Art Collection, Mouro Producciones, Rucandio and the Campocerrado Foundation collections. Likewise, the Sero Collection acquisition prize is added this year.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
https://artesantander.com/
Paco Pérez Valencia. live with everything2026. Courtesy Di Gallery
