Venice, November 2026. One of the contemporary art world’s most anticipated gatherings opens this week. The Arte Laguna Prize finalists’ exhibition runs at the Arsenale Nord in Venice from 6 to 29 November 2026. It brings together 240 artists from over 50 countries, drawn from the prize’s 20th and 21st editions.
What to expect
Organisers describe the selection as a snapshot of contemporary art today. Identity, memory, the environment, AI and technology, the body, and new forms of relationship speak to one another across the show. The exhibition is the end point of a long selection process that drew thousands of applicants worldwide.
Two international juries chose the finalists. They included curators, museum and gallery directors, researchers and critics from Europe, Asia and the Americas. They judged the quality of research, originality of expression, the soundness of the project, and its ability to engage with the present.
- 20th edition jury includes Xiaoyu Weng (curator of Documenta 16 and artistic director of Art in General, New York), Michal Novotný (National Gallery Prague), Kostas Stasinopoulos (Kyklos, Greece), Emiliano Valdés (independent curator and Deputy Minister of Culture, Guatemala), Jemima Kulumba (Biennale of Women in Art), Mario Nanni (marionanni studio) and Anastasia Dawson (independent curator, Dubai).
- 21st edition jury includes Jemima Kulumba, Sarah Crowe, Yuko Hasegawa (former director of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, and MOT, Tokyo), Wang Chunchen (CAFA Art Museum), Hélio Menezes (co-curator of the 2023 São Paulo Biennial), Gianluigi Ricuperati (Institute for Production of Wonder) and Linzi Stauvers (Ikon Gallery, Birmingham).
Opening night: two winners revealed
The official opening is on Friday 6 November at 5:00 pm. The two overall winners, one per edition, are kept secret until the ceremony. The public and press will learn the names in person.
- 5:00 pm: opening
- 5:00–7:00 pm: live performances
- 7:00–8:15 pm: awards ceremony
A collateral show: “New Horizons”
Alongside the finalists’ exhibition, the prize’s official collateral event, “New Horizons”, opens as a group exhibition at Tesa 98 in the Arsenale Nord. It also runs until 29 November.
Special Prizes: opportunities beyond Venice
The special prizes have already been announced. They are set up with companies, foundations, galleries, artist residencies and cultural institutions, and they extend artists’ research beyond Italy.
- 20th edition partners include MoCA Association, BigCi, LITIX Spa, CiAL, NY20+, Ventana, Ghisolana Winery, Artorale, Al-Tiba9, ASEM Italia OdV, IL CERCHIO, Venice Design Week and MAMAM Museum.
- 21st edition partners include MoCA Association, BigCi, LITIX Spa and NY20+, joined by The Swatch Art Peace Hotel, FOMAS Group, Château de Leignon, LAB852, Estudio Rambar, Culver City Art Foundation, Gabe Tenute, Galata – Museo del Mare, Gallery Studio 76, Crossing Art and Universidad Ricardo Palma.
Full winner lists and the opportunities each partner offers are on the prize’s pages for the 20th edition and the 21st edition.
Visitor information
- Where: Arsenale Nord, Venice
- When: 6–29 November 2026 (opening 6 November; open to the public daily)
- Hours: 10 am – 6 pm, every day
- By waterbus (ACTV): lines 4.1 and 5.2 from the station, get off at Bacini – Arsenale Nord
- On foot: via the footbridge from Campo della Celestia
- From the airport: Alilaguna Blue Line (every 30 minutes), get off at Bacini Arsenale Nord
More details: Finalists Exhibition 2026.
Why it matters for artists
The special prizes show how a competition can lead to residencies, production support and exhibition opportunities abroad. If you’re an artist looking for open calls, residencies and grants, follow ArtInfoLand for verified opportunities from around the world.
