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Cremona Art Fair 2026: The fourth edition kicks off

From May 8 to 10, 2026, Pavilion 2 of CremonaFiere hosts the fourth edition of Cremona Art Fair, confirming its place among the most dynamic events in the Lombardy art scene.

The move to a larger pavilion within the exhibition center marks a new phase of growth for the event, which this year brings together 66 contemporary entities, including galleries, publishers, and institutions. This increase strengthens the fair’s role as a platform for dialogue between local initiatives and international visions, supported by a renewed layout designed to enhance the exhibition path and make the visitor experience more fluid, clear, and engaging.

Founded with the aim of fostering connections between local and international realities, the fair now presents itself as an increasingly structured platform, capable of combining market dynamics, research, and cultural production.

“With this edition,” comments Paolo Batoni, “Cremona Art Fair enters a phase of full maturity. It grows in the quality of its proposal and in its ability to be recognized as an increasingly authoritative cultural event. The goal is to build a fair that is not merely an exhibition space, but a device capable of activating relationships, offering interpretative tools, and generating new opportunities for encounters between the public, galleries, and the art system.”

Promoted by T.O.E. Art Fair, Cremona Art Fair is organized into three main sections: Main Section, Art Projects, and Editor.

The Main Section, with 43 galleries, offers a dialogue between modern, post-war, and contemporary art, with particular attention to painting and sculpture. The international presence is also strengthened, with eight galleries from six countries—Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Serbia, and Mexico—broadening research perspectives and opening new collecting opportunities focused on artists and contexts still underrepresented in the Italian market. Taken together, these galleries present a contemporary proposal oriented toward research on visual language, where painting, installation, and hybrid practices engage with themes such as identity, memory, and transformation. In this direction fits the proposal of Prototip from Belgrade, dedicated to the OHO Group, a Slovenian collective active between 1966 and 1971 and considered one of the most radical experiences of the Yugoslav neo-avant-garde. Through practices related to land art, performance, experimental cinema, body art, and conceptual art, the group challenged the boundaries between art, society, and everyday life, contributing significantly to the renewal of artistic languages in Eastern Europe.

Alongside these international openings, the Main Section confirms its focus on rediscovering key figures of twentieth-century Italian art. In this context, a special focus will be dedicated to Aligi Sassu (Milan, 1912 – Pollença, 2000), a painter and sculptor whose work spans the century between Milan, Sardinia, and Mallorca, intertwining artistic research with political commitment. From his proximity to Futurism to his experience with the Corrente movement, his painting develops through a dynamic and highly expressive language, in which color plays a central role. Curated by the B&B Arte gallery (Canneto sull’Oglio, Mantua), this feature will present a selection of representative works from his artistic journey, offering an overview of his stylistic evolution and his contribution to twentieth-century Italian painting.

The second section, Art Projects, features solo shows, duo shows, and curatorial projects that bring emerging and mid-career artists into dialogue, offering a plurality of perspectives on the contemporary scene. This edition once again confirms a particular focus on painting, understood as a field of research into language, material, and image construction, alongside practices that span drawing, sculpture, and hybrid media.

Among the highlights, A Pick Gallery presents Arild Instanes and Tonino Lacertosa in a dialogue between textured surfaces and symbolic figuration. The abstract and geometric research of Roberto Rizzo is at the center of Arrivada’s presentation, while Art Gallery Finestreria connects drawing, painting, and sculpture through the works of Mauro Valsecchi, Martina Antonioni, and Federico Catagnoli. On the figurative side, Candy Snake Gallery proposes a form of painting suspended between portraiture, symbolism, and the contemporary imaginary. D406 reaffirms the vitality of drawing on paper through a selection of artists including ATAK and Ericailcane, while Lusvardi Art develops a reflection on mark-making and material, moving between abstraction, inner landscape, and archaic forms. The section concludes with Mondoromulo Arte Contemporanea, presenting the research of Dario Molinaro, Andrea Astolfi, Giulio Zanet, and Lorenzo Iacobini, in a dialogue between expressive painting, abstraction, chromatic energy, and symbolic figuration.

The Editor section, dedicated to independent publishing and the artist’s book, brings together 15 Italian and international participants, offering a multifaceted overview of contemporary editorial practices. Here, the artist’s book emerges as a tool for experimentation and exchange, capable of intertwining visual practices, editorial design, and theoretical research.

In this edition, the Public Programme takes on a central role: it does not merely accompany the exhibition, but expands its interpretative scope, transforming the fair into a space for listening, orientation, and connection.

Among the main initiatives, Art Advisor on Demand is designed to introduce younger generations to collecting, offering free consultations and guided tours with advisors and curators under 35. The project provides practical tools to navigate artists, languages, pricing, and market dynamics, making the first approach to acquiring and building a collection more informed. Participation in Art Advisor on Demand is free, but booking is required. For further information and reservations, please contact info@cremonaartfair.it.

The Premio Prospettive is also renewed, promoted by collector Angelo Di Bartolomeo and aimed at emerging and mid-career artists presented by participating galleries. Conceived as a form of conscious acquisition, the award offers galleries an additional opportunity to enhance their artists and increase their visibility among collectors, curators, and institutions. The jury will be composed of Andrea Bruciati, independent curator; Carla Gerbino, independent curator; and Angelo Di Bartolomeo.

Listening Room, curated by Michele Lombardelli, introduces sound as a perceptual threshold: not merely something to hear, but an experience to inhabit. Through listening sessions featuring sound works and compositions by contemporary artists—played from physical media through a high-quality audio system—the project proposes a slower mode of engagement, restoring centrality to time, presence, and the quality of listening. The design and installation of the audio system are entrusted to Audio Graffiti, a company specializing in high-end audio components.

In a city deeply connected to music and violin-making traditions, Listening Room opens a contemporary dialogue between musical heritage, artistic research, and listening culture, positioning itself within the fair as a device capable of reshaping perception and generating new relationships with the exhibition space.

The Public Programme will also be supported by a rich schedule of talks, with a special focus on the publishers and artists featured in the Editor section. On Saturday, May 9, and Sunday, May 10, a series of meetings will offer participants the opportunity to present their work, creating moments of exchange among professionals and dialogue with the public.

In addition, on Saturday, May 9 at 3:30 PM, a talk dedicated to the relationship between art and business will take place: “Art, Enterprises and Foundations: Strategic Alliances in Contemporary Cultural Production,” moderated by Francesca Baboni. The discussion will explore the role of companies and foundations in today’s cultural landscape, analyzing their strategies in collecting, patronage, and innovation. Through firsthand accounts and case studies, it will examine the dynamics of these collaborations and the cultural and social value they generate, highlighting the intersections between art, economy, and society.

Further strengthening the fair’s international profile is its collaboration with ARA – Art Run Agency, designed to encourage the of international collectors and professionals through dedicated programs and networking opportunities.

More than just an exhibition event, Cremona Art Fair now stands as a complex cultural platform: a place where not only artworks are presented, but also interpretative tools, relationships, and new ways of accessing the contemporary are developed.

Cremona Art Fair is organized with the support of Regione Lombardia and in collaboration with the Province of Cremona, the Municipality of Cremona, the Chamber of Commerce of Cremona, Mantua, and Pavia, the Industrial Association of Cremona, Confcommercio Cremona, and CremonaFiere.

List of participating galleries at Cremona Art Fair 2026

MAIN SECTION

ART PROJECTS

INSTITUTIONS

Accademia di Belle Arti SantaGiulia Brescia, Brescia

EDITOR

Listening Room

Sound works by:Vincenzo Agnetti, Cory Arcangel, Robert Barry, Emanuele Becheri, Jacopo Benassi, Joseph Beuys, Alessandro Bosetti, John Cage, Canedicoda, Francesco Cavaliere, Federico Chiari, Giuseppe Chiari, Meike Clarelli, Gianluca Codeghini, Lewis Dracula, Jean Dubuffet, Martin Eder, Attila Faravelli, Marco Fusinato, Geruch Von Blut, Liam Gillick, The Gloria, Renato Grieco, Anne Imhof, Imi Knoebel, Invernomuto, Mike Kelley, Kinkaleri, Martin Kippenberger, Christina Kubisch, Giulio Lacchini, Okkyung Lee, Alan Licht, Claudia Losi, Lux Aeterna, Mirco Marchelli, Christian Marclay, Walter Marchetti, Nicola Martini, Charlotte Moorman, Margherita Morgantin, Nam June Paik, Carsten Nicolai / Alva Noto, Hermann Nitsch, Yoko Ono, Roman Opalka, Charlemagne Palestine, Luca Pancrazzi, A. R. Penck, Seth Price, Prurient, Gerwald Rockenschaub, Reiner Ruthenbeck, Mario Schifano, Jim Shaw, Michael Snow, Takis, Mark Templeton, Wolfgang Tillmans, Valerio Tricoli, David Tudor, Untitled Noise, Nico Vascellari, Patrizia Vicinelli

Technical information — Cremona Art Fair 2026

Location

CremonaFiere, Piazza Zelioli LanziniPavilion 2 – West Entrance

Dates and opening hours

Friday, May 8: 3:00 PM – 7:00 PMSaturday, May 9: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PMSunday, May 10: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Admission

Friday day ticket: €5.00

Saturday and Sunday day ticket: €10.00

Reduced day ticket: €8.00

Student ticket: €5.00 (with valid ID)

Reduced tickets available for: residents of the Province of Cremona, groups (minimum 10 people), people with disabilities, and visitors over 65

Free admission for children up to 12 years old accompanied by parents.

On Friday, May 8 (3:00 PM – 7:00 PM) and Saturday, May 9 (10:00 AM – 7:00 PM), a free shuttle service will connect the city center with the exhibition venue.

The shuttle will depart from Via Giovanni Maria Platina in central Cremona, running every 40 minutes round trip to and from CremonaFiere.

Contacts T.O.E. | T +39 331 1303702 | E info@cremonaartfair.it | www.cremonaartfair.it

Press Office Cremona Art Fair | Alice Merelli | press@cremonaartfair.it | T +39 331 1303702

Cremona Art Fair 2026: Interview with Director Paolo Batoni

Updated: Apr 29

Friday, May 8, Hall 2 of CremonaFiere will host the fourth edition of Cremona Art Fair 2026, confirming its position among the most dynamic events in the Lombardy art scene. The move to the largest hall of the exhibition center marks a new phase of growth for the fair, which this year brings together 66 contemporary entities, including galleries, publishers, and institutions. This expansion strengthens the fair’s role as a platform for dialogue between local initiatives and international perspectives, supported by a redesigned layout aimed at enhancing the exhibition path and making the visitor experience more fluid, readable, and engaging.

Ahead of the opening, we interviewed the director Paolo Batoni to explore the fair’s latest developments, its growth, and its role within the Lombardy art scene.

Cremona Art Fair is now in its fourth edition. What are the main new features compared to previous years?

At its fourth edition, Cremona Art Fair 2026 enters a phase of full maturity. It grows in scale and in the quality of its program, but above all in its ability to be recognized as an increasingly authoritative event within the Italian art scene. With a growing حضور of collectors, professionals, and new audiences, the fair consolidates a clear vocation: to be an accessible space capable of bringing together research and market.

Among the main developments is a stronger presence of international galleries, enhancing its global profile and expanding opportunities for discovery. In this direction, the collaboration with ARA – Art Run Agency for the VIP Programme plays a key role, fostering the participation of international collectors and professionals through dedicated itineraries and networking opportunities with galleries and institutions.

The Public Programme is also expanding. Advisor on Demand is designed to introduce new generations to collecting, offering free консультации and guided tours with advisors and curators under 35. Stanza d’ascolto, curated by Michele Lombardelli, presents a space dedicated to sound as an artistic language, in dialogue with the city’s musical identity. These initiatives are complemented by the Premio Prospettive and a programme of talks that transforms the editorial section into a platform for discussion.

More than individual additions, this represents a shift in scale: Cremona Art Fair increasingly takes shape as a cultural device capable of building relationships and offering tools for interpretation.

How is the role of the fair evolving within the art landscape?

Cremona Art Fair is defining itself as a platform that brings together market, research, and cultural production. At a regional level, it fits into an already structured system, distinguishing itself through its focus on the quality of both experience and content. At a national level, the aim is to engage with emerging dynamics and activate relationships that extend beyond the days of the fair. Its international dimension further strengthens this positioning, connecting the local context with broader networks.

What are the main challenges for an art fair today?

In an increasingly competitive context, the challenge is to avoid reducing the fair to a replicable format or a purely commercial device. It is essential to build a recognizable project, capable of producing content and offering tools for orientation.

A central issue is audience development: it is not enough to attract visitors, but to foster a new literacy of the contemporary. Projects such as Advisor on Demand and Stanza d’ascolto move in this direction, introducing more conscious and accessible modes of engagement.

How was the gallery selection structured?

The selection was developed according to criteria of quality and coherence, considering the fair as a unified system. We worked to create a dialogue between established galleries and younger realities, with a stronger international openness.

The aim is not to represent the market in a neutral way, but to construct a proposal with its own curatorial consistency, where each participant engages meaningfully with the overall context.

What trends emerge from the Art Projects section?

Art Projects continues to be a space dedicated to research, with a growing openness to hybrid languages.

The focus on painting is confirmed, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens, but there is also a strong presence of practices that move across different media. In this sense, Stanza d’ascolto introduces a significant element, bringing sound into the exhibition path and expanding the modes of engagement. Rather than a single trend, what emerges is a plurality of approaches that reflects a phase of great openness.

What role do the artist’s book and independent publishing play today?

The artist’s book represents a privileged space for experimentation, where artistic practice and the editorial dimension come together. Within the fair, this area is also developed through the Talks, which transform the presentation of editorial projects into a moment of dialogue.

Independent publishing, in particular, has the ability to open up spaces of freedom and activate exchanges between different realities, strengthening the discursive dimension of the fair.

What dynamics do you observe in the Italian art market?

The Italian market continues to move within a complex context and remains marginal compared to the major international hubs, but this very condition also opens up interesting possibilities. There is growing attention towards emerging artists, less inflated segments, and more conscious forms of collecting.

What seems to be changing above all is the way people approach art: there is greater curiosity, more attention to research, and an increasing need for orientation. In this sense, projects such as Advisor on Demand respond to a real need: accompanying new collectors and making more accessible a system that otherwise risks remaining opaque.

More broadly, the challenge is to transform the fair into a space that not only intercepts the market, but also helps shape its trajectories.

What role will new technologies play?

Digital technology is now a structural component, but the focus is on integrating the physical experience with online tools. The digital platform expands visibility, while the Public Programme introduces slower, more deliberate modes of engagement. The aim is to build a balance between these dimensions.

If you had to describe Cremona Art Fair 2026 in three words?

Awareness, relationship, vision.

CremonaFiere, pavillion 2

May 8 - 10, 2026

Piazza Zelioli Lanzini, Cremona

Friday: 3 PM - 7 PM

Saturday: 10 AM - 7 PM

Sunday: 10 AM - 7 PM

Tickets: here

Milano Art Week 2026 – 10th edition April 13–19, 2026

Milan, April 24, 2026 – An intense and widely attended week for the 10th edition of Milan Art Week, which concluded on Sunday, April 19. More than 500 events, promoted by 263 institutions, foundations, museums, universities, galleries, and independent spaces, enlivened the city for an entire week with exhibitions, talks, performances, workshops, and special openings.

Alina Chaiderov, *Transition*, 2024, Courtesy of the artist and Ciaccia Levi, Paris_Milano - Sala della Griselda, Castello Sforzesco - Ph. Sebastiano Pellion di Persano

Milan Art Week — promoted by the Municipality of Milan, coordinated by Arte Totale ETS, and held with main sponsor Banca Generali — once again transformed the city into a widespread and dynamic system dedicated to contemporary art, consolidating its role as a key platform for the Italian and European art scene.

With a broad and cross-disciplinary programme — 243 exhibitions, 183 openings, 62 workshops, 46 talks, 45 site-specific installations, 41 guided tours, 32 performances, 25 special openings, 11 screenings, and 3 fairs — the event presented the image of a city where contemporary culture develops across the urban fabric, involving major museums, independent spaces, universities, and everyday city venues.

Among the protagonists of this edition were internationally renowned artists with exhibitions and projects across the city, including Maurizio Cattelan, Jeremy Deller, Cao Fei, Marco Fusinato, Fabio Giampietro, Mona Hatoum, Anselm Kiefer, Robert Mapplethorpe, Steve McCurry, Otobong Nkanga, Gianni Pettena, Chiharu Shiota, Hito Steyerl, and Rirkrit Tiravanija, alongside historical figures such as Man Ray and Bruno Munari.

Joana Escoval, *Wind blow, plants bloom, leaves mature and are blown away,* 2021 - Courtesy of the artist and Vistamare, Pescara _ Milan- Museo di Storia Naturale - Ph. Sebastiano Pellion di Persano

A central role was played by the city’s institutions — from the Museo del Novecento to PAC, from GAM to MUDEC, as well as Castello Sforzesco and Palazzo Reale — all of which presented exhibitions and events dedicated to contemporary art in its many forms of expression. They were joined by private foundations, independent spaces, and galleries, contributing to the creation of a plural and widespread programme.

Among the new projects, Ghost Track attracted great interest: a citywide initiative across the Civic Museums that brought contemporary works into dialogue with historical collections, offering new interpretations of the city’s heritage. Also well received by the public was Art Night on Saturday, April 18, which saw museums and cultural spaces extend their evening opening hours, allowing visitors to experience the city from a new perspective.

There was also strong participation in Art for Tomorrow Talks – The Blurry Border Between Design & Art, held in partnership with the Democracy and Culture Foundation and The New York Times, in collaboration with Milano & Partners and with the support of DILS. The talks offered international moments of reflection on the relationship between art and design. Finally, the talk Il tempo dell’arte: velocità del mercato vs tempo della cultura, organized by Banca Generali, also recorded a remarkable turnout.

Gina Folly, *Love VII*, 2019 - Courtesy of the artist and FANTA MLN, Milano - Museo d_Arte Antica, Castello Sforzesco - Ph. Sebastiano Pellion di Persa

Special events were also numerous, with performances engaging with the urban space and creating a widespread, accessible experiential dimension that attracted broad public participation. Particularly well attended were the performances by Marco Fusinato at PAC and Benni Bosetto at Pirelli HangarBicocca, as well as CORPI SUL PALCO, curated by Gabi Scardi and Andrea Contin, which activated Alberto Burri’s Teatro Continuo. Among the most original events was the itinerant concert Mototrombe!, presented by Aronne Pleuteri with Associazione Artisti di Strada, recalling the futurist noise aesthetics of Luigi Russolo.

At the same time, international fairs, including miart in its 30th edition and the first Milan edition of Paris Internationale, strengthened the city’s appeal for collectors, professionals, and international audiences.

Once again, Banca Generali, main sponsor of the event, helped enrich the programme with initiatives for the public, while SEA Milan Airports and BiM supported the programme with projects spread across the urban area, bringing art into the city’s places of transit and gathering.

This edition was realised with the contribution of Fondazione Cariplo. Guide Partner: My Art Guide; Media Partner: ARTnews Italia. Supporter: Art Night Bird & Bird.

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