BILBAOARTE WELCOMES THE NEW ARTISTS RECEIVING PRODUCTION GRANTS FOR 2026–27 AND ORGANISES SESSIONS TO PRESENT THEIR PROJECTS

• Eleven new artists will be making BilbaoArte their workspace until July 2027.

• On 21 and 22 September, from 6.00 pm to 8.30 pm, sessions have been organised to present their projects; admission is free, subject to availability.

• The exchange programme will enable a further four artists to join the residency between September and December 2026.

• Since 1998, over the course of its twenty-seven years of existence, 1,236 artists have benefited from support in the form of studio placements or have developed their projects at BilbaoArte.

(Bilbao, 18 September 2026). – This September, the 11 artists benefiting from the 2026/27 Production Grants for the realisation of artistic projects – which include the provision of a studio, the Silver Grant (for those aged 50 and over), and the EHU Grant (exclusively for students at this university) – will take up residence in the studios at BilbaoArte, the Bilbao City Council’s Centre for Artistic Production.

Jon Ibala, Estanis Comella, Javier Lozano, Karlos Martínez Bordoy, Izar Ocariz, Javier Ozcoidi, Víctor Rico, Celia Viada Caso, Alazne Zubizarreta (10-month grant); Ismael Iglesias (Silver Grant) and Itxaso Expósito (EHU Grant) will begin their artistic residencies at the premises at 32 Urazurrutia Street in the middle of the month.

Each project will receive a grant of 14,350 euros, and will be accompanied by the provision of a studio at the BilbaoArte premises (open continuously from 8.00 am to 9.00 pm), accommodation and living expenses (on request), priority access to specialised courses and support in BilbaoArte’s workshops from the workshop tutors (Sculpture, Printmaking and Engraving, Digital Imaging, MediaLab, Film and Photography, AudioLab, Analogue Laboratory).

Of the 11 artists, five will have the opportunity to stage solo exhibitions during the 2027–28 period. Three of these will take place at the URIBITARTE40 Gallery at BilbaoArte, one at the DA2 Museum of Contemporary Art in Salamanca, and one at La Ciudadela (Pamplona City Council), thanks to the agreements and contracts that have been signed.

The selection of the artists took place last June, with an external professional jury comprising art professionals Tania Pardo (Director of CA2 M in Madrid), Alain Urrutia (artist) and Sahatsa Jauregui (artist), from among the 325 national and international applications received.

Furthermore, between September and December 2026, BilbaoArte will host a group of artists taking part in mobility and exchange programmes: Io Burgard (France), from the ‘Institut Français Bilbao’ Guest Artist Programme; Matilde Sambo (Italy), from the ‘Bevilacqua La Masa’ Exchange Programme; as well as Niga Salam (Kurdistan) and Shuruq Harb (Palestine), from the Mooving Artists Guest Artist Programme.