Europe’s art gallery weekends 2026: from Berlin to Barcelona

Across Europe, art gallery weekends bring contemporary art into focus as cities open up their galleries, museums and independent spaces for a concentrated programme of exhibitions and events. From Gallery Weekend Berlin and Antwerp Art Weekend to Oslo, Paris and Zurich, each city offers a distinct snapshot of its contemporary art scene. These art gallery weekends, many of which are roughly 1 to 4 hours from London by train or plane, offer an excellent way to get up to speed with the contemporary art scene and also get to see the cities. Here is our guide to the gallery weekends to have on your radar across Europe this summer through to autumn.

Gallery Weekend Berlin

Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart © Staatliche Museen zu Berlin / Foto: Kulturprojekte, Alexander Rentsch

#FLODown: Gallery Weekend Berlin returns for its 22nd edition from 1–3 May 2026, presenting a major international showcase of contemporary art across 50 galleries and 63 locations in the city. Arguably the most famous gallery weekend in Europe, the programme features over 80 artists from more than 30 countries, combining established figures such as Daniel Buren, Tauba Auerbach, Thomas Demand, Petrit Halilaj, Yuji Agematsu, and Rodney McMillian with emerging and interdisciplinary artists including Brook Hsu, Wynnie Mynerva, Vivien Zhang, and Stella Zhong. A new curatorial strand titled Perspectives expands the format with seven additional galleries, highlighting ambitious solo presentations and experimental projects, including works by James Turrell, Katherine Bradford, and Giorgio Griffa. Alongside the exhibitions, the weekend includes public talks at major institutions such as the Neue Nationalgalerie and Hamburger Bahnhof.

Date: 1 - 3 May 2026.  Website: gallery-weekend-berlin.de Instagram: @galleryweekendberlin

Antwerp Art Weekend

Antwerp Art Weekend, 2025. Image credit MTotoe/FLO London

#FLODown: The 12th Antwerp Art Weekend takes place from 14–17 May 2026 across 88 venues, including galleries, museums, project spaces and artist-run initiatives. The programme features exhibitions, performances, talks and events throughout the city, with key participants such as M HKA and leading galleries like Axel Vervoordt Gallery alongside a wide range of independent spaces. It’s one of the best ways to experience Antwerp and its growing art scene. At last year’s edition, we picked up a great art tote bag, one of our favourites across the art weekend circuit, which was available at participating venues.

Date: 14–17 May 2026. Website: antwerpartweekend.be. Instagram: @antwerpart

Oslo Art Weekend

Image courtesy of Studio Abrakadabra

#FLODown: Oslo Art Weekend, Norway’s largest festival of contemporary art, returns from 28–31 May 2026, bringing together over 50 art institutions across the city. Over four days, the programme takes place across galleries, museums, artist-run spaces and major cultural institutions, including venues such as Astrup Fearnley Museet, MUNCH, Nasjonalmuseet, Kunstnernes Hus and Henie Onstad Kunstsenter, alongside a wide range of independent spaces and project initiatives. The event offers a citywide platform for exhibitions, openings, performances, talks and special events, designed to tap into both local and international audiences.

Date: 28 - 31 May 2026. Website: osloartweekend.no Instagram: @osloartweekend

Paris Gallery Weekend

Zhanna Kadyrova, installation view of Strategic Locations, Galleria Continua / Paris Marais. Image credit Hafid Lhachmi. © ADAGP Paris, 2025. Image courtesy of Galleria Continua.

#FLODown: The 13th edition of Paris Gallery Weekend takes place from 29–31 May 2026, organised by the Comité Professionnel des Galeries d’Art (CPGA), and brings together nearly 75 galleries across Paris and the Île-de-France region. Over three days, the programme takes place across the city, from the Marais and Saint-Germain-des-Prés to Matignon and north-east Paris, featuring more than 200 artists working across modern and contemporary practices, including historical figures such as Picasso and Joan Miró alongside internationally recognised contemporary artists like Susana Solano and Jean-Michel Wilmotte. The 2026 edition also welcomes new participating galleries, including Hauser & Wirth, Waddington Custot, Peter Freeman, Inc., and Galerie Christophe Person, reflecting its growing international profile. The weekend programme includes exhibitions, openings, artist talks, performances, tours and late-night events, as well as curated initiatives such as “Cartes blanches” and “Zooms”, which highlight curatorial projects, emerging artists, women artists, drawing and sculpture.

Date: 29–31 May 2026. Website: parisgalleryweekend.com. Instagram: @parisgalleryweekend

Zurich Art Weekend

Installation view of Jeffrey Gibson: boshullichi / inlʋchi—we will continue to change, Kunsthaus Zürich. Image credit Franca Candrian. Image courtesy of Kunsthaus Zürich.

#FLODown: Zurich Art Weekend returns for its ninth edition from 12–14 June 2026, bringing together over 70 venues, 75+ exhibitions, 150+ events and more than 150 artists across the city ahead of Art Basel 2026. Building on the success of 2025, which welcomed over 45,000 visitors, the 2026 edition expands its international collaborations and introduces new formats to encourage direct dialogue between artists, curators, collectors and cultural practitioners. Across a walkable network of institutions, galleries, off-spaces and collections, exhibitions sit at the core of the programme, complemented by talks, performances, guided tours and interdisciplinary events. It is an excellent opportunity to explore the city’s contemporary art scene before continuing to Basel, which is just over an hour from Zurich, for the 2026 edition of Art Basel.

Date: 12–14 June 2026. Website: zurichartweekend.com. Instagram: @zurichartweekend

Barcelona Gallery Weekend

Image courtesy of Barcelona Gallery Weekend

#FLODown: Barcelona Gallery Weekend returns for its 12th edition from 17–20 September 2026, bringing together a citywide contemporary art circuit across Barcelona and L’Hospitalet through 25 galleries presenting work by more than 50 national and international artists. The programme, organised by ArtBarcelona, marks the opening of the new exhibition season and combines curated gallery shows with a parallel schedule of “Flash” exhibitions available only during the weekend, alongside a public programme of guided visits, talks, performances, presentations and family activities.

Date: 17–20 September 2026. Website: barcelonagalleryweekend.com. Instagram: @barcelona_gallery_weekend

Apertura Madrid Gallery Weekend

Atmosphere of Apertura 2024. Courtesy of Apertura Madrid Gallery Weekend

#FLODown: Apertura Madrid Gallery Weekend, the annual event that marks the start of the new exhibition season in Madrid, takes place from 10–13 September 2026. Promoted by the association of galleries Arte Madrid and first launched in 2009, it brings together galleries across the city for a citywide programme of exhibitions, openings and cultural activities that are free and open to the public. Throughout the weekend, participating galleries present special exhibitions alongside extended opening hours, while the wider programme includes guided gallery tours, visits to major museums and art centres, and routes exploring contemporary artworks in public spaces across Madrid. Alongside its public programme, Apertura also hosts a professional strand aimed at fostering dialogue between artists, curators, collectors and cultural institutions

Date: 10 - 13 September 2026. Website: artemadrid.com Instagram: @arte_madrid

Lisbon Art Weekend

Inês Zenha, Ressurreição, 2023. Exhibition view Kunsthalle Lissabon, Lisbon. Photo: Bruno Lopes.

#FLODown: Lisbon Art Weekend, organised by LISBON ART WKND, Associação, aims to connect and highlight Lisbon’s growing contemporary art scene by bringing together galleries, artist-run spaces, museums, private collections and public art projects across the city. The 2026 edition takes place from 5–8 November, featuring dozens of events and more than 200 national and international artists. Across Lisbon, there are exhibitions and performances, alongside a parallel programme of talks and events that encourages discussion and exchange around contemporary visual arts.

Date: 5 - 8 November 2026. Website: lisbonartweekend.com Instagram: @lisbonartweekend

Art Weekend Budapest

Image credit Ervin Lukacs

#FLODown: Budapest in Hungary has its own art weekend in the form of Art Weekend Budapest (AWB), which brings together galleries, studios, museums and alternative art spaces across the city to celebrate the local art scene. The 2026 edition takes place from 27–29 November and features around 40–50 participating venues, alongside a programme of exhibitions, guided art walks, talks, performances and special events that are free and open to the public. Participating spaces typically include galleries such as Várfok Gallery, INDA Gallery, VILTIN Gallery, Kisterem, TOBE Gallery, Knoll Gallery Budapest and Ani Molnár Gallery, alongside independent and experimental venues like FUGA – Budapest Center of Architecture and HAB – Hungarian Art & Business, as well as pop-up and project spaces activated specifically for the weekend.

Date: 27 - 29 November 2026. Website: artnesz.hu. Instagram: @art_weekend_budapest