The Institut Ramon Llull (IRL) is promoting the internationalisation of Catalan creative talent by supporting the participation of over 50 visual arts, design and architecture professionals at 36 leading international festivals, biennales, museums and art centres across 12 countries. This initiative is part of the call for grants for international programming in visual arts, design and architecture, whose 2026 budget has increased to €420,000, €80,000 more than the previous year.
Since its launch in 2024, the call has continued to grow, both in the number of applications received and in the profile of the participating institutions. In this third edition, 42 applications were received and 36 grants awarded, supporting international programmes across 16 festivals, 5 biennales and 15 cultural institutions.
Among the most significant projects for 2026 is Catalonia's participation in Manifesta 16 Ruhr, one of Europe's leading cultural biennales, curated this year by Catalan architect Josep Bohigas under the theme This is not a church, with Cabosanroque, Curro Claret, Llorenç Barber and Penique productions. Also noteworthy is the inclusion of Lúa Coderch, Núria Güell, Laia Estruch and Luz Broto at the 18th Lyon Biennale of Contemporary Art, France's leading contemporary art event.
In photography, the International Center of Photography in New York will host the exhibition On Rape by Laia Abril this autumn, in the US premiere of this project, which forms part of the series A History of Misogyny. Catalan photography will also feature at leading festivals and centres in the United Kingdom, France and Portugal, with programmes dedicated to creators such as Joan Fontcuberta, Joan Alvado, Anna Jornet, Natasha Christia, Manuel Outumuro and Txema Salvans.
Catalan digital culture will also further strengthen its international profile through its participation in Ars Electronica in Austria and the Festival Internacional de la Imagen in Colombia, two of the sector’s most prestigious events. The IRL will support the participation of creators and collectives such as Domestic Data Streamers, Playmodes, Taller Estampa, Lolo & Sosaku, Mónica Rikić and Laura Clos “Closca” at various European festivals specialising in art, technology and artificial intelligence.
A highlight in the field of architecture is Emotional Heritage, the first monographic exhibition in France by Barcelona-based studio Flores & Prats. The exhibition, on view at the arc en rêve architecture centre in Bordeaux until January 2027, offers a retrospective overview of the architects' career and their conception of heritage as a living space for memory and emotions.
Other notable institutions receiving support in the international visual arts are the Biennale Gherdëina (Italy), the Contour Biennale (Belgium) and the Festival d’Automne à Paris (France), as well as top-tier venues such as the Galeria Municipal do Porto (Portugal), the Museum Haus Konstruktiv and the Kunsthalle Basel (Switzerland).
France has consolidated its position as the primary destination for projects supported by the IRL, hosting 11 programmes, followed by Italy and Switzerland with six and four, respectively. This strengthened presence at some of the world's leading contemporary creation centres reflects the growing international interest in Catalan culture and contributes to increasing its visibility, professional connections and opportunities for circulation within global artistic circuits.
The call will support creators across various generations and disciplines, featuring prominent names such as Lydia Ourahmane, Albert Serra, Eva Fàbregas, Franc Aleu, Joan Pallé, Dora García, Anna Moreno, Antoni Miralda, Antoni Muntadas, Eulàlia Rovira, Carlos Casas, Daniel Steegmann Mangrané, Jordi Antas, Àngels Miralda, Francesc Ruiz and Claudia Pagès Rabal.
