Art Athina 2026 returns in the heart of autumn, with a renewed vision and a new home at Onassis Ready. Greece’s largest annual contemporary art fair, organized by the Hellenic Art Galleries Association (HAGA), will take place from Thursday, November 12, through Monday, November 16. The official opening ceremony is scheduled for November 12 at 7:00 p.m., in the presence of Greece’s Minister of Culture, Dr. Lina Mendoni.
Under the general direction of Antonis Kourkoulos, this year’s edition brings together 65 galleries from Greece and abroad. The main exhibition is complemented by dedicated sections focusing on design, project spaces, talks, performances, and educational activities for children.
Since its establishment in 1993, Art Athina has consistently supported Greek galleries and strengthened the connection between the Greek art scene and the international artistic community. Over the years, it has established itself as a meeting point for galleries, artists, and audiences, presenting a broad spectrum of contemporary artistic expression.
The fair’s relocation to Onassis Ready, a venue distinguished by its architecture and industrial aesthetic, marks another significant milestone in its 33-year history.
Art Athina 2026: Exhibition Program
Main
The central section of the fair brings together galleries from Greece and abroad, forming the core of the exhibition and offering visitors a wide-ranging overview of contemporary artistic production.
Design
Curated by Tina Daskalantonaki and Manthos Kaloumenos, the Design section places Greek design at the forefront through a presentation of contemporary and vintage creations.
Everyday objects transcend their strictly functional or decorative roles, engaging in a dialogue through the quality of their craftsmanship and the expressive potential of their materials. Texture, form, and materiality become vehicles for exploring and highlighting the contemporary design landscape.
Project Spaces
In this year’s proposal, Holding Ground, the ARTWORKS team, together with Panos Giannikopoulos and Marili Konstantinopoulou, explores the geography of artistic production beyond major urban centers.
The section brings together eight independent spaces from Athens, Volos, Corinth, and Kythnos. Their presentations highlight the importance of claiming and maintaining space, both physically and symbolically, while exploring ways of adapting, evolving, and responding to constantly changing conditions.
Performances
For the third consecutive year, Nikolas Vamvouklis curates Art Athina’s performance program, titled DESIRE AFTER ALL, approaching desire as a force of transcendence and imagination.
Structured around language and sound, the program features artistic interventions, walks through the Renti area, and a distinctive reading group. It brings together Greek and international artists working across visual and performing arts.
ON SITE
As part of the ON SITE section, students from the 11th Painting Workshop of the Athens School of Fine Arts, under the supervision of Kostis Stafylakis, undertake a creative exploration of the Agia Anna settlement.
The project offers an opportunity to engage with the area through artistic research and observation.
The Flux Laboratory, in collaboration with MAMCO, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Geneva, and Giorno Poetry Systems, presents Dial-A-Poem Switzerland, alongside a performance by Andi Xhuma.
Inspired by the subversive spirit of Dada and the vision of pioneering artist John Giorno, the presentation explores the intersections of poetry, performance, and contemporary artistic practice.
Talks
The Art Athina Art for Tomorrow Talks program focuses on cultural heritage and public space, raising questions about the relationship between contemporary artistic production and the past, as well as the role of art in shaping the city.
The program is co-curated by Marilena Koutsoukοu, Development Director of Art Athina, and Kim Conniff Taber, Editorial Director of Art for Tomorrow. Journalist and “The New York Times” contributor Farah Nayeri, will moderate the discussions.
The first discussion, “Embracing Heritage with an Eye to the Future,” examines how historical memory can inform contemporary artistic creation without confining it to nostalgia.
The second discussion, “State of Play: Creating Public Spaces,” explores how art, architecture, and cultural institutions can contribute to the shaping of public space.
Kids’ Educational Program
This year’s educational program, titled Touch the City, is curated by Christina Botsou in collaboration with Life is For All.
Inspired by the city, the program approaches urban space through the senses, memory, and imagination.
Through walks, discussions, and art workshops, children explore the neighborhood of Renti, observe and collect traces of the urban environment, and experiment with different surfaces and techniques of imprinting.
The activities invite participants to create their own “archive of urban textures,” developing new ways of experiencing and interpreting the city.
The program is designed for children aged 6 to 12 and welcomes children with learning difficulties and neurodevelopmental differences.
Onassis AiR and Onassis ONX
On the first floor of Onassis Ready, the studios of artists participating in the Onassis AiR and Onassis ONX program open to Art Athina visitors.
The initiative offers a rare opportunity to encounter works in progress, artistic experiments, and ongoing research before their completion, providing insight into the creative processes behind contemporary artistic production.
Onassis Foundation Collection
Art Athina 2026 presents a selection of works from the Onassis Foundation Collection.
The collection comprises more than 2,000 works dating from the late 15th century to the present, covering a wide range of artistic expressions, from painting and sculpture to digital art and installations.
The presentation offers visitors an opportunity to engage with selected works from the collection within the context of the fair.
Educational Program
For the seventh consecutive year, the Hellenic Art Galleries Association has organized an educational program for students of the Athens School of Fine Arts.
This year, in collaboration with ARTWORKS, the program included a series of visits to galleries, cultural institutions, and museums, as well as meetings with artists, art historians, and curators.
The initiative aims to introduce students to professionals in the field, familiarize them with the contemporary art scene, and deepen their understanding of the professional environment they will enter after graduation.
Art Athina Young Artist Award 2026
Art Athina presents the Art Athina Young Artist Award, an initiative established in 2022 to promote emerging artists.
The award is organized by the Hellenic Art Galleries Association (HAGA) in collaboration with the Metropolitan Organization of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki (MOMUS).
The prize consists of a solo presentation by the selected artist at MOMUS–Alex Mylona Museum. The recipient is chosen by a five-member jury.
The winner of the 2026 award will be announced during a special event at the fair on Friday, November 13, at 4:00 p.m.
Participating Galleries
Main
a.antonopoulou.art, agathi kartalos, Akwa Ibom / Melas Martinos / Radio Athènes, Alibi Gallery, ALMA Gallery, ARTOWER AGORA, ArtPrisma, Artshot – Sophia Gaitani, ARTWORX, Art Zone 42, ATHANASIADOU GALLERY, ATHENS | GENEVA, Ava Gallery (Dubai), Callirrhoë, CAN Christina Androulidaki Gallery, CITRONNE Gallery, Crux Galerie, Depo Darm, Dio Horia, ekfrasi – yianna grammatopoulou, Eleftheria Tseliou Gallery, ELENI KORONEOU GALLERY, EPsilon Art Gallery, Ersi Gallery, Galeria Karla Osorio (Brazil), Gallery 33 (Bulgaria), George Benias Gallery, Kalfayan Galleries, Kourd Gallery, M.A.M.A. Contemporary (Cyprus), METAMORFOSIS ART GALLERY, META Spatiu (Romania), MIHALARIAS ART, NINETTO, Nitra Gallery, Peritechnon Karteris, Rebecca Camhi Gallery, Roma Gallery, Sealed Earth Gallery, Sianti Gallery, SKOUFA GALLERY, SOTIROPOULOS ART GALLERY, SYLVIA KOUVALI, Technohoros Art Gallery, THE BREEDER, Wilhelmina’s, Zoumboulakis Galleries.
Project Spaces
ARCH ATHENS, ARTWORKS, Art Projects Group, Association of Art Friends – Sessions, Space 52, The Paddocks, Thermia Project, Upper Ankyle.
Design
ANTIQUA, Bombyx, MARE STUDIO, SeriEYE, SOUTZOGLOU CARPETS, Stefanidou Tsoukala Gallery, Taxidi Tinos.
Organisation and Production
The visual identity of Art Athina 2026 is designed by g design studio, drawing inspiration from the industrial character of Onassis Ready.
The exhibition’s architectural design is overseen by Konstantinos Evangelou.
Art Athina is organized by the Hellenic Art Galleries Association.
Production is undertaken by BeBest.
The event is held with the financial support and under the auspices of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture.
TAGS: ARTS
