The city of Barcelona will host the first edition of the Digital Arts Biennial between November 2026 and March 2027. This event aims to boost and showcase the digital creative scene, building on other existing gatherings in the city. The initiative was jointly presented by the Barcelona City Council, the Department of Culture, and the Barcelona Creativity & Design Foundation, with support from the Ministry of Culture.
The Minister of Culture, Sònia Hernández, highlighted that the biennial will allow for reflection on the nature of art, recognition of creators' work, and "finding new ways of artistic expression in technologies." The project aspires to be an international benchmark, extending beyond Barcelona to other areas of Catalonia, fostering local and international co-production, and bringing digital arts closer to citizens.
The biennial aims to become a stable international platform, held every two years to foster connections between thought, artistic practice, and the professional ecosystem, thereby generating new opportunities. This initiative builds upon Barcelona's track record in promoting events such as Sonar + D, the OFFF festival, and Mira.
The Disseny Hub Barcelona, which hosted the Digital Impact experience three years ago, will be one of the key venues. The director of that exhibition, Pep Salazar, will serve as the curator for the new Biennial, which is born from the desire to "consolidate the digital creativity" present in the city.
The program will be divided into three sections: exhibition, professional, and activities. In November, it will commence with the exhibition Vectores at the Disseny Hub, focusing on the discipline's origins. On February 3rd and 4th, a symposium will be held, and a digital art circuit will be launched, extending across various cultural centers.
Furthermore, at the Glòries metro station, opposite the Dhub, the exhibition Resonancias will be showcased, featuring a 16-meter screen. The curator has indicated that references to events like the Llum BCN festival in Poblenou will be included.
The Biennial seeks to be a connection point for industry professionals. The opening of La Foneria de la Rambla is planned for 2028, a new space dedicated to digital art creation that could become the focal point for the biennial's second edition.
