First headquarters of Manifesta 15

Manifesta wants to address in this next edition certain critical global issues from the point of view of a European host city or region which, in the case of the 15th edition, is Barcelona and the eleven metropolitan cities. Manifesta takes on the challenge of expanding from a city perspective, in the case of Manifesta 15 Barcelona, to a regional scale with 5.1 million inhabitants in the commitment to approach cultural production with a decentralized and collaborative approach laboratory

After a year of pre-biennial research carried out across the region, Manifesta commissioned ten artistic collectives to explore, on a metropolitan scale, alternative local narratives and challenges prevalent in global outreach: growth and decline, protection of the environment, healing and repair.

This research emerged from a collaborative process that included workshops, community programs, scientific and archival research on topics ranging from historical educational movements to ecofeminism and biodiversity. The results of this collective research are presented in an ongoing display at the Gustavo Gili building, headquarters of Manifesta 15.

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Manifest 15 Clusters and headquarters

Taking the pre-biennial research as a starting point, the Manifesta 15 program will be presented through three clusters in the metropolitan region. Manifesta 15 clusters unite projects located in multiple headquarters in various cities around three main themes of the biennale: "Imagining futures", "Caring and being cared for" and "Balancing conflicts". Each cluster's journey begins at an extraordinary exhibition site that symbolizes its overall theme. The monumental Tres Chimeneies located on the coast between Barcelona, Sant Adrià de Besòs and Badalona will be the starting point for the "Imagining futures" theme. Open for the first time to the general public, the venue will showcase artistic interventions in the turbine hall and outside areas. The Monastery of Sant Cugat, a historical symbol of spirituality and reflection, will be the main venue for the theme "Care and be cared for". Finally, Casa Gomis, a privately owned villa built following rationalist architectural principles, located in the natural landscape of El Prat de Llobregat, near the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat airport, will be where the theme begins "Balancing conflicts".

The former publishing house Gustavo Gili, in Barcelona, will function as the core of Manifesta 15, presenting archival projects focused on the colonial past and its repercussions, the countercultural movements during the rise and fall of the Franco dictatorship and the stories of Catalan educational renewal.

The biennial program in each of the participating metropolitan cities will include interventions, exhibitions and projects in emblematic places proposed by the local artistic representative. In dialogue with this program, Manifesta 15 has invited outstanding biennials and international cultural organizations to collaborate in the co-production or exhibition of outstanding works from their recent commissions.

In addition to the variety of venues per metropolitan city, each city will host a festive themed week during the biennial's twelve weeks. The themed week will celebrate the local cultural richness of the city and will include a specific public program commissioned for Manifesta 15.

Artistic team of Manifesta 15

The collective democratic approach to research is reflected in the curatorial strategy of the biennial program developed by the artistic team of Manifesta 15. The team consists of the creative mediator of Manifesta 15; the Portuguese commissioner Filipa Oliveira; eleven artistic representatives from the eleven metropolitan cities; Ariadna Amat Garcia (Badalona); Penélope Cañizares Bellido (Cornellà de Llobregat); Cristina Castells Tort (El Prat de Llobregat); Raquel Morcillo García (Granollers); Mireia Mascarell Llosa (L'Hospitalet de Llobregat); Gisel Noè (Mataró); Óscar Abril Ascaso (Sabadell); David Linares Ramos (Sant Adrià de Besòs); Joan González Cano (Santa Coloma de Gramenet); Andreu Dengra Carayol (Sant Cugat del Vallès); Imma Vilches García (Terrassa) and the director of Manifesta, Hedwig Fijen. In addition to the transdisciplinary program that will bring together the Manifesta 15 artistic team, institutional collaborations are being developed with key cultural organizations in Barcelona.

Participants in Manifesta 15

Following the scheme drawn up by the pre-biennial research, people and local and regional cultural organizations have been invited to be part of Manifesta 15 as participants. 10 projects, out of the 262 presented, have been selected by a jury through an open call. The selected participants are: Claudia Pagès, Jokkoo Collective, La Casa dels Futurs, Lola Lasurt, Matias Daporta, Metropolis, Nora Ancarola, Rosa Tharrats & Gabriel Ventura, Tornen les Esquelles and Transductores.

The final expanded list of Manifesta 15 participants will be published in the spring of 2024. Essential to the newly adopted democratic methodology of Manifesta is that regional cultural ecosystems benefit from Manifesta 15 and collaborate closely with it in the composition of the program biennial

Through Manifesta 15's approach, local perspectives and stories are interwoven throughout the program, promising that this upcoming edition will be an in-depth exploration and celebration of the region.