arts & culture

SWAB Barcelona is an independent contemporary art fair, founded in 2006 by architect and collector Joaquín Diez-Cascón, which champions fresh artistic voices in today’s art scene. 

The fair features a wide range of programming including curatorial projects such as Polar-Tropic, Solo Show, Vortex, MyFaf, alongside a public programme of talks, video, performance, workshops, radio, design, posters, and activities for children. Some of this year’s participating galleries include Escat Gallery (Barcelona), Siddiq Projects (Hamburg), Silica (Cannes), Abbozzo Gallery (Toronto), Iseurrat Artroom (Seoul), and Matter (Tokyo). The aim? To allow artists, curators and audiences to interact, explore ideas, and engage with contemporary art in its many forms. 

With its growing roster of exhibitors and a dedicated foundation (Swab Foundation), SWAB has established itself as a key event for discovering new talent. It not only gives visibility to underrepresented and experimental work, but also builds connections between creators, the art market, and the public.