ARCOmadrid 2026 Awards
ARCOmadrid maintains its commitment to collecting, the promotion of artists and the desire to foster contacts that will boost purchases at the Fair. On the occasion of ARCO, national and international private companies join in the initiatives to promote acquisitions and the recognition of artistic creation through the awarding of different prizes. Some are aimed at the production of works that can later be seen at the Fair; others reward some of the works exhibited by the galleries at ARCOmadrid. All of them recognise and promote artistic creation, sometimes linked to aspects related to the brands that promote them.
In 1992, ENATE began a contemporary art collection featuring works by national and international artists. Since then, each wine of the brand has been associated with a renowned artist, whose artwork—created specifically for the winery—appears on the label. For this reason, ENATE’s commitment to contemporary art led this well-known Somontano winery to join ARCOmadrid 2026.
Thus, during the 2026 edition, ENATE awarded its €10,000 Acquisition Prize to artist Luis Gordillo (represented by Prats Nogueras Blanchard Gallery) in recognition of his artistic career and contribution.
In its twelfth edition, the Opening. New Galleries Award was presented by ARCO, once again recognizing the best booth in the section at ARCOmadrid 2026.
The award was decided by a jury of experts comprising Michelle Cotton, Director of the Kunsthalle Wien; Laura Hakel, Curator of the Collection and Artistic Projects at the Ama Amoedo Foundation; Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel, writer and curator; Ibrahim Nehme, Director of the Beirut Art Center; and Bárbara Rodríguez Muñoz, Director of Centro Botín.
The winner of this edition of ARCOmadrid 2026 was Selebe Yoon Gallery, recognized for its presentation featuring works by artists Alioune Diouf and Fatim Soumaré.
As part of its strong commitment to contemporary art and artistic creation, Lexus strengthened its partnership with ARCOmadrid in the 2026 edition as the fair’s Official Vehicle and Mobility Solutions Provider. For the sixth consecutive year, the brand presented the Lexus Award for Best Booth, a distinction that celebrates exhibition excellence, innovation, and the dialogue between art, space, and experience.
A professional jury was responsible for selecting the best booth participating in the 45th edition of ARCOmadrid, awarding the prize to Proyectos Ultravioleta.
During ARCOmadrid 2026, the Cervezas Alhambra Award for Emerging Art celebrated its tenth edition, marking a decade of commitment to artistic authorship and the preservation of traditional craftsmanship. On this occasion, the brand presented Conveyors by Mónica Mays, winner of the IX Cervezas Alhambra Award for Emerging Art.
At the same time, guided by its Sin Prisa ("No Rush") philosophy, which values time, technique, and thoughtful reflection, a professional jury assessed a new generation of projects that brought together contemporary art and traditional craft practices. Among the proposals, artist Esther Gatón was selected as the winner for her project Lazos y Calles, a work that will be developed throughout the year and presented at the brand's stand during ARCOmadrid 2027.
Cervezas Alhambra will support the artist throughout the creative process, as the work combines research into flexible vegan biomaterials with the artisanal tradition of mobile puppetry, bringing together contemporary innovation and cultural heritage.
The II Young Talent Award in Opening. New Galleries is presented to two artists under the age of 40 exhibiting work in the section. Each artist receives a prize of €10,000, supported by the Banco Sabadell Foundation.
For ARCOmadrid 2026, the jury was composed of Michelle Cotton, Director of the Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna; Laura Hakel, Curator of the Collection and Artistic Projects at the Ama Amoedo Foundation; Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel, writer and curator; Ibrahim Nehme, Director of the Beirut Art Center; and Bárbara Rodríguez Muñoz, Director of Centro Botín.
The jury selected Juliana Padilla (Linse Gallery) and Venuca Evanán (Enhorabuena Espacio Gallery) as the winners of the award.
At ARCOmadrid 2026, the first edition of the PERFILES Award | Latin American Art for Best Stand in the Section was held, a distinction that highlights curatorial and exhibition excellence within the section.
The award was granted by a jury of renowned contemporary art experts and was supported and sponsored by Engel & Völkers, whose commitment to culture and contemporary creation reinforced this initiative aimed at highlighting proposals from the Latin American art scene within ARCOmadrid. The jury was composed of Agustín Pérez Rubio, art historian, professor, and curator, and Andrea Torreblanca, Director of the Museo Tamayo in Mexico City.
The galleries awarded in this edition were Commonwealth and Council and Patron.
Between 2017 and 2022, ART Situacions presented the ART Situacions Annual Award at ARCOmadrid, recognizing the best emerging artwork exhibited at the fair. The recipients during those editions were Antonio Ballester Moreno (2017), Carlos Irijalba (2018), Patricia Gómez and María Jesús González (2019), Asunción Molinos Gordo (2020), and Irma Álvarez-Laviada (2022).
In 2025, the award was reinstated and consolidated under the name Pilar Forcada ART Situacions Award, in memory of the founder and director of ART Situacions, the driving force behind the initiative. On that occasion, the award granted €15,000 to artist Lara Fluxà (represented by Bombon Projects Gallery).
At ARCOmadrid 2026, the Pilar Forcada ART Situacions Award was judged by experts Lorena M. de Coral and Ferran Barenblit, who selected D.A.N.C.E. (Dynamic Algorithm, Neutral Creative Evolution) 3 by Cristina Lucas (represented by Albarrán Bourdais Gallery) as the winning work.
The Fundació Vila Casas, established in 1986 by pharmaceutical entrepreneur and collector Antoni Vila Casas, is a private non-profit institution committed to promoting and raising the profile of contemporary Catalan art, while also fostering public awareness in the field of health.
Through its four exhibition spaces located in Barcelona, Torroella de Montgrí, and Palafrugell, the Foundation works to showcase the work of artists from the region both through its permanent collection and through the organization of temporary exhibitions. In addition, through its outreach programme, Punts de Fuga, the Foundation promotes the work of artists represented in its collection by organizing exhibitions at leading institutions in Spain and abroad.
Remaining true to its mission of supporting contemporary art, the Fundació Vila Casas renewed its commitment to ARCOmadrid, strengthening its presence within the sector. At ARCOmadrid 2026, the Antoni Vila Casas Award was presented to artist Lola Lasurt, represented by Prats Nogueras Blanchard Gallery.
The Juana de Aizpuru Award was created to recognize galleries for their longstanding commitment to the fair and their contribution to its history. During the previous edition of ARCOmadrid 2026, the second edition of the award took place, with Elvira González Gallery receiving the distinction in recognition of its outstanding trajectory and sustained presence over the years.
Looking ahead, the fair is already preparing for ARCOmadrid 2027, where the award will return for its third edition, continuing to celebrate the legacy of the galleries that have played a fundamental role in the fair’s history.
The NEWART{ foundation;}, together with the international contemporary art fair ARCOmadrid 2026, launched the XXI NEWARTaward@ARCO in collaboration with the Arts Connection Foundation. This edition marked a new chapter in the history of the ARCO/BEEP Electronic Art Award, celebrating twenty-one years of recognising works that make a significant use of new digital technologies and electronic art.
Established more than two decades ago, the award fostered the creation of the NEWART{ collection;} (formerly the BEEP Collection), which today comprises more than 150 technological and digital artworks spanning a period of 60 years. This collection subsequently led to the creation of the Foundation and, more recently, the NEWART{ centre;}, now recognised as a leading European institution for the production, exhibition, and conservation of this artistic discipline.
The award is endowed with €30,000, an amount that may be increased at the discretion of a jury composed of internationally recognised specialists.
At ARCOmadrid 2026, the XXI NEWARTaward@ARCO was awarded to Avi Loeb by Julia Scher (represented by Esther Schipper Gallery) and Jonas Englert (represented by Anita Beckers Gallery). The latter award was granted as a tribute to the remarkable contribution of gallerist Anita Beckers, who passed away in 2025.
At ARCOmadrid 2026, designer Catalina D’Anglade presented the IX Catalina d’Anglade Art Award to Dalila Gonçalves (Mais Silva Gallery).
In previous editions, this award has been granted to Álvaro Urbano (1983) for his work VEINS (Travesía Cuatro Gallery), Susana Solano (2024), Ester Partegàs (2023), June Crespo (2022), Daniel Steegmann Mangrané (2020), Luis Gordillo (2019), Secundino Hernández (2018), and Fernanda Fragateiro (2017).
Catapulta, a launch platform for Spanish contemporary art, and ARCOmadrid held the first edition of the Catapulta Acquisition Award, in collaboration with the National Gallery of Canada. The award aims to promote the acquisition of works by Spanish artists for inclusion in internationally prestigious museum collections, through a co-financing model. The selection of the artwork was carried out by Josée Drouin-Brisebois, Senior Curator of Contemporary Art at the National Gallery of Canada, a leading institution founded in 1880 with a strong focus on global contemporary art.
At ARCOmadrid 2026, the awarded artist was June Crespo (Ehrhardt Flórez Gallery).
Catapulta supports emerging and mid-career artists and curators in Spain, promoting their international visibility and highlighting the quality and innovation of their artistic production. Driven by Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza and a group of patrons committed to Spanish contemporary art, the platform connects local talent with international opportunities, consolidating itself as a key agent in the visibility and development of contemporary art in Spain.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Emerige Endowment Fund and the Comité Professionnel des Galeries d’Art (CPGA) joined forces to organize the Emerige – CPGA Award, whose aim is to recognize a living artist active within the French art scene and exhibiting at ARCOmadrid 2026.
The Emerige – CPGA Award recognizes the quality of an artwork while also highlighting the professional relationship between the artist and their gallery. The winners receive a total prize of €10,000, shared equally between the artist and the gallery.
The jury of the Emerige – CPGA Award was composed of directors of cultural institutions, exhibition curators, and collectors. Any gallery presenting at least one work by an artist of French nationality or based in France is eligible to apply.
At ARCOmadrid 2026, the award was presented to Sofía Salazar Rosales (represented by ChertLüdde Gallery).
During the 2026 edition, and in collaboration with the ARCO Foundation, Club Matador presented its I Acquisition Award. Through a donation of €5,000, Club Matador contributes to the growth of the ARCO Collection by funding the acquisition of a work produced in multiple editions, such as a print, a limited-edition photograph, or an editioned object. At ARCOmadrid 2026, following the evaluation carried out by Tania Pardo (CA2M Museum) and Joanna Zielińska (M HKA), the award was granted to Sheida Soleimani (represented by Harlan Levey Projects Gallery).
With the support of Club Matador, the ARCO Foundation continues to strengthen one of Spain’s most outstanding contemporary art collections. The ARCO Collection, currently housed at the Museo Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo (CA2M), remains accessible to the public through the museum as well as through loans and exhibitions.
Club Matador is a project inspired and driven by its members, individuals eager to take part in a distinctive initiative. Founded in 2013, following the spirit of Matador magazine, the Club serves as a meeting place where professionals of diverse ages, backgrounds, education, and cultures come together in a space where culture and ideas are the cornerstones of the project.