>> The president of the Balearic Government, Marga Prohens, welcomes the ADEMA students who will exhibit at the Venice Biennale 2026 in a collateral space at the Palazzo Bembo
>> This exhibition, part of the official program of the European Cultural Centre (ECC), a world-renowned art institution, had more than half a million visitors last year.
>> They will exhibit their final degree projects after passing the ECC curatorial selection process, as international recognition of the quality of their training, research, and innovation in artistic creation. They are eligible for the Biennial’s Emerging Artist Award.
Students of the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at ADEMA were received this afternoon by the president of the Government of the Balearic Islands, Marga Prohens, within the framework of the Open Conversations, held at the Consolat de Mar, before their participation in the Venice Biennale 2026, where they will exhibit their works in an official collateral space within the program of the European Cultural Centre, one of the most relevant international platforms of contemporary art.
The private meeting served to recognize the talent, effort, excellence, and international potential of these young creators, who will represent the Balearic Islands on one of the world’s leading cultural stages. During the reception, the president emphasized the importance of promoting the internationalization of emerging talent and the role of students as cultural ambassadors for the Islands in a global context.
In this regard, she emphasized that their presence at one of the leading international showcases for contemporary art demonstrates the creative potential of the Balearic Islands and the importance of continuing to invest in culture, research, and internationalization as drivers of outward projection. “The Fine Arts students from ADEMA are taking the name of the Balearic Islands to one of the world’s leading cultural showcases. It is a source of pride for the Balearic Islands that our islands are being placed on the international art map through the talent of these young people,” Prohens stated.
The final degree projects of the students have been selected by the European Cultural Centre to be part of the official collateral events of the 2026 Venice Biennale, one of the most influential events in contemporary art internationally. The works are in contention for the Biennale’s Emerging Artist Prize.
This selection is a direct recognition of the quality of the training, research, and artistic innovation developed within ADEMA’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program. This presentation has also been bolstered by the students’ international experience, thanks to their participation in exhibitions at the Cookhouse Gallery in London, the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk, and our University Art Biennial—experiences that have shaped their artistic and creative development.
ADEMA’s participation takes the form of a group exhibition at Palazzo Bembo, one of the international exhibition spaces associated with the Biennale and managed by the European Cultural Centre. Located in a prime spot next to the Rialto Bridge and facing the Grand Canal, this space hosts artists and institutions from around the world each year, establishing itself as one of the most visited venues on the Biennale’s exhibition circuit.
In this context, a selection of final degree projects developed by students will be presented, having passed a rigorous curatorial evaluation process by the organization. Inclusion in this official program strengthens ADEMA’s position within international cultural networks and showcases its students’ work in a highly visible environment.
The European Cultural Centre, the institution organizing this program, has a long and successful track record in promoting contemporary art and architecture globally. In its latest edition, its exhibitions attracted over half a million visitors, demonstrating the international reach of this platform.
The official opening program will begin on May 7, 2026, with the launch of the PS2026 inaugural events in the Jardins de la Marinaressa, with the participation of the European Cultural Centre team, institutional guests, and international media. A pre-opening day for press and professionals will take place on May 8 in the various exhibition spaces at the ECC, while the exhibition will officially open to the public on May 9, coinciding with a special gathering for guests associated with the exhibition program.
ADEMA’s proposal is directed by artist and professor Amparo Sard and her academic team, and is structured around a curatorial approach that explores the relationships between individuals, communities, and their environments. The project focuses on how personal narratives influence and shape collective human experience through a diversity of contemporary artistic languages and practices.
In addition to their participation in the exhibition, student artists will also be eligible for the ECC Awards, an initiative that offers opportunities for international recognition and can provide a significant boost at the start of their professional careers.
ADEMA’s presence at the Venice Biennale not only represents an academic and institutional milestone, but also contributes to strengthening the external projection of Mallorca and the Balearic Islands as a territory linked to contemporary creation, artistic research and connection with international art circuits.
This meeting with the President of the Government underlines the institutional support for an initiative that places a new generation of artists on the international map, consolidating the commitment to culture, training and the internationalization of young talent.
The European Cultural Centre: a bridge between artists and the world
The European Cultural Centre was founded in 2002 with the mission of promoting cultural initiatives and fostering dialogue through art. Since 2011, ECC Italy has been active in Venice, where it has developed a wide range of international exhibitions, conferences, publications, educational programs, and other cultural initiatives. The ECC champions a fair and inclusive approach, creating a cultural platform open to all, both established professionals and art lovers in general.
Palazzo Bembo: contemporary art in a historic space
The Palazzo Bembo, home to the ADEMA student exhibition, is a historic 15th-century building located in a privileged location, next to the Rialto Bridge and facing the Grand Canal. Today, thanks to the management of the European Cultural Centre, it has become an international exhibition center, renowned for its curatorial programming and for hosting projects by emerging and established artists.