Day 1 – Imagining Futures

Start your day at the headquarters of Manifesta 15, the former Gustavo Gili publishing house, located in Barcelona’s L’Eixample neighbourhood. Here, you can buy your ticket and ask any questions you might have to our staff members. The Gustavo Gili presents three archival presentations, complementary work by local and international contemporary artists and a diverse array of public programmes.

Next, cycle or take the train to the Three Chimneys in Sant Adrià de Besòs. Opening for the first time to the general public, you can explore newly commissioned work in the towering industrial landmark’s turbine hall. Don't miss the immersive installation by Carlos Bunga and the outdoor intervention by Mike Nelson. Other notable works include those by Jokkoo, Jeremy Deller, Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg, Niels Albers, Claire Fontaine, CHOI+SHINE Architects, Asad Raza, Carolina Caycedo, Julian Charrière and Nnena Kalu.

Day 2 – Balancing Conflicts

Start your day in El Prat de Llobregat at Casa Gomis, a spectacular Modernist villa that is usually closed to the public. Marvel at the art collection that the property’s first owners built up over their lifetimes, including a monumental jute tapestry by Magda Bolumar Chertó and a series of sculptures by Moisès Villèlia, situated in a garden of his design. The owners’ collection is complemented by newly commissioned work by the likes of Catalan artist Lola Lasurt and the multidisciplinary collective the Embassy of the North Sea, specifically adapted work by Larry Achiampong and exemplary work by Chiara Camoni, Ana Mendieta and Annette Barcelo, among others – seen in an altogether new way in this one-of-a-kind home.

You must book a timeslot to visit Casa Gomis, as it is a small private house with limited capacity. You can do so on our website’s ticketing page.

After visiting Casa Gomis, head to L’Hospitalet de Llobregat: a metropolitan city that was home to the Catalan textile industry in the 19th century and has recently become a centre for cultural production and presentation. In L’Hospitalet, visit Can Trinxet: a former textile factory where Manifesta 15 presents a captivating installation by Binta Diaw.

If you have time left, we also recommend visiting La Caldereria in Cornellà de Llobregat: where you can view a film and sculptural work by the Estonian artist Katja Novitskova.

Day 3 – Cure and Care

This day is dedicated to the cities north-east of Barcelona. Start your day in the charming city of Sant Cugat: located at the foot of the Collserola Mountain Range. Head straight to the Monastery of Sant Cugat, a spiritual sanctuary that epitomises the importance of caring for ourselves, each other and the natural environment. As a contemporary art enthusiast, you are invited to explore the work of 14 Manifesta 15 participants, including radio SLUMBER, Marie-Claire Messouma Manlanbien, Martin Toloku, Bea Bonafini, Fanja Bouts, Simone Fattal and Dana Arwatani. Following your visit to the monastery, walk 10 minutes to Cal Quitèria, a Manifesta 15 venue hosting a solo presentation by the artist Nora Ancarola.

After a pleasant lunch in Sant Cugat, make your way to Terrassa, the other city in the Manifesta 15 Cure and Care cluster. The journey will take 18 minutes on the conventional FGC train (line – S1). A short walk from the station will bring you to the See of Ègara. This vital landmark is emblematic of the cultural exchanges that took place between the 5th and 6th centuries in the region. Artists not to be missed at this venue include Tanja Smeets, Marcos Kueh, Buhlebezwe Siwani and Seyni Awa Camara.

Day 1 – Imagining Futures

Start your day at the headquarters of Manifesta 15, housed in the former Gustavo Gili publishing house: which is located in Barcelona’s L‘Eixample neighbourhood. At this storied Modernist complex, you can buy your ticket (if you have not done so already) and ask any questions you might have to our staff members. While here, make sure to visit the three archival presentations that collectively form the historical and contextual foundation for this edition of the European Nomadic Biennial. The presentations provide compelling insights into the democratic struggle in Catalonia as well as the local history of radical pedagogical situations and the resilience of marginalised communities.

Next, head to the Three Chimneys in Sant Adrià de Besòs: a thermal power station that was decommissioned in 2011. Opening for the first time to the general public, you can explore newly commissioned work, ranging from installations by Carlos Bunga, Kiluanji Kia Henda and Asad Raza to an outdoor intervention by Mike Nelson. Also tackling ideas related to post-industrial architecture are participants Ugo Schiavi and Julian Charrière. Dedicate at least two hours to exploring this venue and grab a drink or a bite in our café as you enjoy the Catalan coastline.

Finally, head to Mataró and visit the city’s former prison, now home to Mataró Art Contemporani – M|A|C. This venue was the first in Spain to adopt the panoptic model, cementing its infamy in the history of carceral architecture in Spain. During Manifesta 15, work by the Catalan artists Eva Fàbregas and Domènec as well as films selected in collaboration with the Han Nefkens Foundation are on view.

Tip: If you are travelling by car, pressed for time and cannot go to Mataró, then go to La CIBA in Santa Coloma de Gramenet. Here, you can enjoy work by Rosa Tharrats and Gabriel Ventura as well as Chiara Camoni.

Day 2 – Balancing Conflicts

First, head to the protected natural environment in El Prat de Llobregat and specifically to Casa Gomis: a spectacular Modernist villa that is usually closed to the public. Casa Gomis is the leading venue for Manifesta 15’s Balancing Conflicts cluster — revel in the work of 20-plus participants as well as the property’s exemplary detailing. No detail was too small for the architect Antoni Bonet i Castellana, whose plans can be reviewed in situ.

Important note: You must book a timeslot to visit Casa Gomis, since it is a small private house with restricted capacity. You can do so on our website’s ticketing page. If travelling by public transport, you can get on the PR5 bus from the centre of El Prat de Llobregat. Please check the schedule in advance so as to not miss your time slot.

After your visit to Casa Gomis, head to L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, a metropolitan city that was the home of the Catalan textile industry in the 19th century and has recently become a haven for the bustling creative sector. In L’Hospitalet, make sure to visit Can Trinxet: a former textile factory where Manifesta 15 is presenting a captivating installation by Binta Diaw.

Then, as your final stop, visit La Caldereria in Cornellà de Llobregat. In this former factory and warehouse, Manifesta 15 presents an installation by Katja Novitskova that meditates on “the extreme present”.

Day 3 – Cure and Care

This day is dedicated to the cities north-east of Barcelona. Start your day in Granollers, where Manifesta 15 invites you to four different venues, all of which you can reach by foot. To visit these venues, we suggest you block four hours. Start in the main city square, where you are invited to listen to Félix Blume’s sound installation at La Porxada, a reconstructed 16^th century corn exchange. From here, walk through the city centre to Can Jonch. Cultural Centre for Peace: in whose garden Manifesta 15 is presenting a video installation by MASBEDO. Next, head to the Natural Science Museum: where you can enjoy work by Hugo Canoilas, Eva Chettle and Jonathas de Andrade. Last, but certainly not least, visit Roca Umbert: a former textile factory turned cultural hub. Here, you can view a large tapestry by Lara Schnitger, hanging from the former factory’s smokestack, as well as a video installation by Alba G. Corral.

Grab a well-deserved lunch in Granollers and then head to your final stop, the beautifully-restored Vapor Buxeda Vell in Sabadell. In this former textile factory, enjoy installations by Jonathas de Andrade, Tanja Smeets and Lamin Fofana, as well as another of Schnitger’s tapestries.

If you only have one day for visiting Manifesta 15 and want to see a selection of architectural highlights, then we suggest you visit the Gustavo Gili in Barcelona, the Three Chimneys in Sant Adrià de Besòs and Casa Gomis in El Prat de Llobregat; for the latter, please remember to book your timeslot ahead.

Day 1 – the ancient history of Catalonia

Start your day in the charming city of Sant Cugat, located at the foot of the Collserola Mountain Range. The first historical vestiges of Sant Cugat can be found in the remains of the aged farmers’ settlement around the Monastery of Sant Cugat, the leading venue of the Cure and Care cluster. A Benedictine Abbey founded in the 9^th century and completed in the 14^th century, the monastery also includes a Romanesque cloister, where Manifesta 15 presents work by 14 participants. Each in their own way, the participants evoke the importance of caring for ourselves, each other and the natural environment. Note: there is one additional venue in Sant Cugat, Cal Quitèria, which hosts the work of Nora Ancarola during Manifesta 15.

Sant Cugat has an array of great restaurants and cafes, where you can enjoy lunch or a coffee before heading to the oldest venue in Manifesta 15: the See of Ègara in Terrassa. This episcopal archaeological complex includes the Cathedral of St. Mary and the Churches of St. Michael and Peter. It was the seat of the Bishopric of Ègara during the 5th century, marking the start of its golden age. The See is a vital landmark in understanding the historical-cultural transfers that took place between the 5th and 6th centuries in the territory. This spectacular site hosts work by six Manifesta 15 participants: including the Terrassa-born Antoni Miralda.

Day 2 – Industrial History

Start your day at the headquarters of Manifesta 15, housed in the former Gustavo Gili publishing house: which is located in Barcelona’s L‘Eixample neighbourhood. At this storied Modernist complex, you can buy your ticket (if you have not done so already) and ask any questions you might have to our staff members. While here, make sure to visit the three archival presentations that collectively form the historical and contextual foundation for this edition of the European Nomadic Biennial. The presentations provide compelling insights on the democratic struggle in Catalonia as well as the local history of radical pedagogical situations and the resilience of marginalised communities.

Next, head to the Three Chimneys in Sant Adrià de Besòs: a thermal power station that was decommissioned in 2011. Opening for the first time to the general public, here you can explore newly-commissioned work, ranging from installations by Carlos Bunga, Kiluanji Kia Henda and Asad Raza to an outdoor intervention by Mike Nelson. Also tackling ideas related to post-industrial architecture are participants Ugo Schiavi and Julian Charrière. Dedicate at least two hours to exploring this venue and grab a drink or have a bite in our café as you enjoy the Catalan coastline.

Finally, head to Mataró and visit the the city’s former prison, which is now home to Mataró Art Contemporani – M|A|C. This venue was the first in Spain to adopt the panoptic model, cementing its infamy in the history of carceral architecture in Spain. During Manifesta 15, work by the Catalan artists Eva Fàbregas and Domènec as well as films selected in collaboration with the Han Nefkens Foundation are on view.

Day 3 – Modern Architectural History

Start your day at the headquarters of Manifesta 15: located in the former Gustavo Gili publishing house in Barcelona’s L’Eixample neighbourhood. Here, you can buy your ticket (if you have not done so already) and ask any questions you might have to our staff members. The Gustavo Gili also hosts three archival presentations that collectively form the contextual foundation for this edition of the European Nomadic Biennial; the presentations are organised by the Manifesta 15 Education and Mediation Department, Germán Labrador Méndez – a scholar of Modern and Contemporary Spain who is on the faculty at Princeton University, and Tania Safura Adam – a journalist, cultural producer and founder of Radio Africa.

From Barcelona, head to the protected natural reserve in El Prat de Llobregat, and specifically to Casa Gomis: a spectacular Modernist villa that is usually closed to the public. Casa Gomis is the leading venue for Manifesta 15’s Balancing Conflicts cluster. During the biennial, work by 20-plus local and international participants is presented in and around the property. The nuanced discussion between art and architecture reflects and amplifies that between sustainability and modernisation.

If you only have one day to visit Manifesta 15: we recommend that you visit the following three venues: the Gustavo Gili in Barcelona, the Three Chimneys in Sant Adrià de Besòs and the Monastery of Sant Cugat.

Day 1 – Imagining Futures

Start your day at the headquarters of Manifesta 15: housed in the former Gustavo Gili publishing house in Barcelona’s L’Eixample neighbourhood. Here, you can buy your ticket and ask any questions you might have to our staff members. While at the Gustavo Gili, make sure to visit three archival presentations brought together the prominent scholars and researchers Germán Labrador Mendéz and Tania Safura Adam, as well as by the Manifesta 15 Education and Mediation Department. A the Gustavo Gili, you can also see a work by Lorenzo Sandoval that reflects on extractivist activities, touristic speculation and the consequences of intensive agriculture on the Mar Menor.

Your next stop after the Gustavo Gili is the Three Chimneys in Sant Adrià de Besòs. Often referred to as the “Sagrada Família of the workers”, the Three Chimneys is the leading venue for the Manifesta 15 Imagining Futures cluster. Manifesta 15 opens this former thermal power station to the public for the first time. Located next to one of Catalonia’s most polluted waterways, the Besòs river, the Three Chimneys is a proving ground for the eco-social transition. All the work that Manifesta 15 presents here is linked to this transition. CHOI+SHINE Architects’ monumental Urchins speak to the possibility of marine life (re)claiming the Three Chimneys, Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg’s stained-glass window pays homage to the great, great grandmother of all green plants alive today and Asad Raza’s billowing intervention gives shape to the wind that rolls in across Mediterranean Sea. This is but some of the enrapturing work that you will encounter at the Three Chimneys.

From the Three Chimneys, you can easily walk or cycle to Badalona (25 minutes), where you can view – and hear – an aquatic intervention by Félix Blume. Located off the coast of the Platja del Coco, Blume’s work consists of 160 bamboo poles, each of which is topped by a flute that is ‘played’ by the sea.

Day 2 – Balancing Conflicts

First, head to the protected natural environment in El Prat de Llobregat and specifically to Casa Gomis: a spectacular Modernist villa that is usually closed to the public. Casa Gomis is the leading venue for Manifesta 15’s Balancing Conflicts cluster. The work presented here deals with the topics of growth and degrowth, as well as how we deal with urban sprawl.

Enter Casa Gomis through the garden, where you will first encounter Elmo Vermijs’ Parliament of Trees. Later, enter the house and contemplate a newly-commissioned work by Lola Lasurt: which explores the legacy of Amics del Sol (Friends of the Sun), a pioneering Catalan naturalist movement. Elsewhere inside, make sure to view Ana Mendieta’s film and Carlos Pérez Siquier’s photographs of the explosion of Spanish beach tourism in the 1970s, amongst others. After your visit, rest in the garden while listening to a twisted symphony, that of the roar of airplanes mingling with the songs of wildlife.

In addition, if you have some time left, then we also recommend visiting La Caldereria in Cornellà de Llobregat, where Manifesta 15 is presenting a video installation by Katja Novitskova.

Day 3 – Cure and Care

Start your day in the charming city of Sant Cugat at the foot of the Collserola Mountain Range. The first historical vestiges of Sant Cugat can be found from the remains of the aged farmers’ settlement around the Monastery of Sant Cugat, the leading venue of the Cure and Care cluster. A Benedictine Abbey founded in the 9th century and completed in the 14th century, the monastery also includes a Romanesque cloister where Manifesta 15 presents work by 14 participants. The work by these participants addresses different forms of spirituality, with a particular focus on work that dissents against patriarchal and occidental narratives, amplifying the voices of women, traditional healers and ancestral spirits while prioritising respect for nature and promoting more-than-human care practices.

After your visit to Sant Cugat we recommend that you head to the Natural Science Museum in Granollers. Focusing on geology, botany, palaeontology and zoology: the museum connects culture and nature across two interconnected buildings. Here, Manifesta 15 presents work by Eva Chettle, who collects elements from the natural world and assembles them into hybrid creatures, as well as Jonathas de Andrade and Hugo Canoilas.

If you only have one day to visit Manifesta 15 and you want to focus on ecological topics just visit: Gustavo Gili in Barcelona, The Three Chimneys in Sant Adrià de Besòs and Casa Gomis in El Prat de Llobregat.

Barcelona > Casa Gomis (El Prat de Llobregat)

When travelling to Casa Gomis from Barcelona, we recommend travelling by taxi or electric car, which you can park at the car park close to Casa Gomis on the coast (Aparcament de la Platja El Prat). If you prefer public transport, travel by metro (line – L9S) to the Centric stop or by train (Rodalies Renfe) to El Prat de Llobregat. From there, take the PR5 bus to stop at Can Camins. Please check the timetable for the bus to avoid missing your timeslot for Casa Gomis. When arriving by bicycle, we suggest cycling through the wetlands and the natural park. Please note that biking from Barcelona to Casa Gomis is time-consuming and the route is tricky and not always easy to find.

El Prat de Llobregat > L’Hospitalet > Cornellà de Llobregat

After visiting Casa Gomis, go back to the Cèntric metro stop, where you should take the L9S (direction – Zona Universitària) and disembark at Torrassa. From Torrassa, it is an 11-minute walk to Can Trinxet. To get to La Caldereria, get on the L85 bus at Sta Eulàlia-J. Goicoechea and disembark at Carretera d’Esplugues-Torres i Bages.

Barcelona > Sant Cugat del Vallès > Granollers

If travelling from Barcelona, the connection to Sant Cugat is very convenient, with frequent direct FGC trains from Provença and Plaça de Catalunya to Sant Cugat station. The monastery is a short walk from the station. Returning to Barcelona is equally straightforward; take the S1 back in the direction of Plaça de Catalunya, Barcelona.

If you are heading to Granollers, then go to Sant Cugat Coll Favà Renfe train station and hop on the R8 line (direction – Granollers centre). From the station in Granollers, it is only a seven-minute walk to the Natural Science Museum.

Sant Cugat del Vallès > Terrassa

To continue on to Terrassa, you can get on the S1 local train to the Vallparadís Universitat stop in Terrassa (20 minutes). From the stop, it is a short 7-minute walk to the See of Ègara. To return to Barcelona, take the S1 (direction – Pl. Catalunya).

Barcelona > Three Chimneys (San Adrià de Besòs) > Mataró

It is easiest to do this route by car. It is also possible to do with public transport. To go from the Gustavo Gili to the Three Chimneys, take the train (Rodalies Renfe) from Barcelona-Sants and get off at Sant Adrià; it takes 22 minutes using the R1 line (direction – Maçanet-Massanes). Then get on the train again at Sant Adrià and head north towards Mataró on the same line – a 30-minute ride.