From February 5 to 7, 2027, Bologna will once again be one of the main reference points of the Italian art system with the fiftieth edition of ARTE FIERA 2027. The preview is scheduled for February 4 and marks a symbolic transition for an event that, over the course of half a century, has accompanied the evolution of modern and contemporary art in Italy.
After the 2026 edition, the first one entrusted to the artistic direction of Davide Ferri Together with COO Enea Righi, the fair is preparing to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary with a project that combines memory, research, and future perspectives. The chosen title, There's time, summarizes this dual tension: on the one hand, the reference to a long history built over time, on the other, the desire to question the future of art fairs and their role in a complex and constantly changing historical phase.
The organizers' stated goal is to strengthen the event's welcoming nature by rethinking its participation methods and timing. This approach also aims to move beyond the idea of a rigid or outdated trade fair format, favoring instead relationships, in-depth discussions, and thematic paths.
An anniversary that dialogues with the history of performance
The fiftieth anniversary of ARTE FIERA 2027 also coincides with another significant anniversary: fifty years since the first International Performance Week, an event that helped define one of the most vital moments in performance research in Italy.
For the occasion, a special project dedicated to performance will be developed in the spaces adjacent to the event. The initiative aims to refocus attention on a language that continues to exert a strong influence on contemporary practices and which, in the 1970s, found one of its most active centers in Bologna.
“Viaggio in Italia”, the new project dedicated to paper
Among the main novelties of ARTE FIERA 2027 emerges Viaggio in Italia, an unprecedented project that will involve all the galleries present in the Main Section.
The initiative was born with the aim of strengthening the fair's role as a hub for research into Italian art and unfolds through an itinerary built around works on paper by Italian artists, from 20th-century masters to more recent generations.
Watercolors, tempera, collages, drawings, gouaches, preparatory sketches, and serial works will thus become tools for narrating the evolution of Italian artistic poetics. Paper is reinterpreted not only as a technical medium, but also as a medium historically linked to travel and discovery, beginning with the tradition of the Grand Tour.
According to the project's approach, the exhibition will offer a dual perspective: on the one hand, a reinterpretation of emblematic works in the history of Italian art, and on the other, a rediscovery of lesser-known or marginal works, yet capable of offering new interpretative keys.
Five sections between modern and contemporary
The curatorial structure of ARTE FIERA 2027 will be divided into five sections distributed among the pavilions dedicated to modern and contemporary art.
Photography and surroundings, curated by Marta Papini, will be dedicated to the photographic language and its contaminations, exploring both formal and conceptual research.
With Multiple, entrusted to Lorenzo Gigotti, the focus will broaden to include practices related to reproducibility and accessibility: lithographs, artist's books, design, photography, audio editions, and new media will enter into dialogue in a reflection on the multiple forms of serial work.
Contemporary painting will instead be at the centre of Painting XXI, curated by Ilaria Gianni, who will analyze the return of this medium to the international art scene.
Space for the new generations with Prospective, a section curated by Michele D'Aurizio and dedicated to monographic presentations developed by research-oriented galleries.
Closes the path Twentieth+, entrusted to Alberto Salvadori, who will propose a reflection on the practice of collecting through a transversal and eclectic approach.
Publishing and insights
The publishing area will also continue to be expanded, occupying the entire large pavilion of the Service Center. Alongside the stands, there will be opportunities for in-depth discussions, such as Book Talks, meetings dedicated to art books featuring artists and authors.
The goal is to further expand the cultural dimension of the event, transforming the visit into an experience that combines market, research, and critical debate.
A new visual identity for the 50th anniversary
The event's new visual identity also revolves around the concept of time. The graphics chosen for ARTE FIERA 2027 feature a deep blue background crossed by a sequence of moving red circles, inspired by the precision of watchmaking mechanisms.
The image is intended to represent the continuity of the fair's history as an evolutionary process, not a simple succession of events. A visual metaphor that accompanies this edition's theme and the attempt to project the event into the future while maintaining a strong connection to its historical identity.
