Art galleries and more in Madrid

Contemporary art spaces, fairs and workshops

The streets of Madrid have a special relationship with art. After you visit the famous museums, the city has something exceptional to offer: a tour of contemporary art galleries. A chance to see other kinds of art, less conventional, without guidelines and often without guides at all, following your intuition to discover the latest trends in sculpture, painting, photography design and illustration, and opening you mind to new artistic ideas. Wandering these streets, you’ll be sure to find something really interesting. Welcome to the Madrid art district! We will only suggest some of them to you, but the list could be a lot longer, as new offerings pop up every day.

Save favourite

Remove favourite

Go to my favourites

Save favourite

Remove favourite

Go to my favourites

ARCO Art Fair JustMad Estampa Apertura Madrid Gallery Weekend Architecture week Hybrid Art Fair & Festival Urvanity Art

Salamanca district

The 1970s was when contemporary art galleries really began to take off in Madrid. This is now one of Madrid's poshest neighbourhoods, and home to many spaces exhibiting and selling works of art.Some of the best known are Álvaro Alcázar, Casado Santapau, Fernández Braso, Guillermo de Osma, Inés Barrenecha, Michel Soskine, Nieves Fernández and Parra & Romero. Modern art, abstracts and artistic fusions can be found in the galleries in this area.The Velázquez, Serrano and Colón Metro stations are good starting points for a walk around these galleries, on Calle Castelló, Calle Claudio Coello, Calle Lagasca and the surrounding areas.

Salesas, between Alonso Martínez and Chueca

The best-known art galleries in Madrid can be found in slightly more bohemian areas. Famous artists have shown here, such as Miquel Barceló or Chema Madoz in the Elvira González gallery, or the documentary photographers Albero García Alix and Cristina García Rodero in the Juana de Aizpuru. Other important galleries are the Marlborough and Heinrich Ehrhardt, known for their support of up-and-coming artists, and the Cayón, La Caja Negra, Max Estrella, Pilar Serra and Travesía Cuatro. And the Elba Benítez gallery is notable for its video exhibitions and site-specific installations.Most of these galleries are in the triangle marked by the Alonso Martínez, Tribunal and Chueca Metro stations and in neighbouring streets such as Calle Barquillo, Santo Tomé, San Mateo, Santa Engracia and Piamonte.

Barrio de Las Letras and Lavapiés

And of course, an area with an artistic tradition like Madrid’s Barrio de Las Letras also has its art galleries. Some of the best known, such as the Leandro Navarro gallery, specialise in exhibitions of the historical avant-garde and international modern art. Its collection includes works by Dalí, Picasso, Miró, Gris, Kandinsky, Tàpies, and so on. Some other galleries: Formato Cómodo, Ponce + Roble and The Goma. Near the Reina Sofía National Art Museum, there is a cluster of galleries in the Lavapiés area. Here you can find work by younger artists. For example, on Calle Doctor Fourquet are the Casa Sin Fin, Espacio Mínimo, F2 Galería, Helga de Alvear, Maisterravalbuena, Moisés Pérez de Albéniz, and Nogueras Blanchard galleries. Very close by, on Calle Miguel Servet, is the gallery and bookshop-café Swinton & Grant.

Some essential events

Madrid also hosts an ever-increasing number of art fairs and new art forms. These events often include organised visits to artists’ workshops and studios. Some of the most important events are listed below. Many of them are part of Madrid Art Week, which is held at the same time as ARCO, the biggest art fair:Apertura Madrid Gallery Weekend: a weekend in September dedicated to art and culture, with simultaneous exhibitions and activities in many Madrid galleries.ARCO: the biggest contemporary art event in Madrid. Held in February, it showcases the best international contemporary art.Estampa: in September - October, this event brings together galleries, publishers and institutions which collect, promote and publicise contemporary art editions.Hybrid Art Fair & Festival: a mix of festival and international new art fair, held in March.Open Studio: an opportunity to visit artists' studios. It does not have a fixed date but usually takes place in October.Architecture Week: guided tours, workshops, lectures, and many more activities in early October.Urvanity Art: describing itself as a platform for new contemporary art, this is a fair gathering national and international galleries together in the COAM, which coincides with Art Week.