Last night, La Nit de l’Art once again transformed the streets and cultural venues of Palma into a grand stage for contemporary art. The 30th edition of the event, organized by Art Palma Contemporani (APC), drew thousands of people during a bustling afternoon and evening, marked by large crowds and, at the same time, a calm and relaxed atmosphere, free of crowds, which allowed visitors to explore galleries, museums, and institutions at their own pace.
The celebration, which took place from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., marked the 30th anniversary of the first Nit de l’Art, held in 1997. Three decades later, the event has established itself as one of Mallorca’s premier cultural events and as the kickoff to the island’s exhibition season.
The anniversary edition featured the 16 galleries affiliated with APC and a program that included more than 50 exhibitions and brought together over a hundred artists. The program took place throughout Palma as well as in Andratx, Pollença, and Santanyí, featuring works in painting, photography, sculpture, installation, and new media.
In addition to the galleries, museums, institutions, and partner venues joined the initiative, including Es Baluard Museu d’Art Contemporani, the Fundació Miró Mallorca, the Juan March Foundation, CaixaForum Palma, Casal Solleric, Can Balaguer, La Llotja, La Misericòrdia, and the Museu de Pollença, as well as other cultural venues and private establishments.
Thirty Years of an Event That Began in Palma
La Nit de l’Art was launched in September 1997 on the initiative of gallery owners Pep Pinya and Xavier Fiol, through the AIGAB. The idea of simultaneously opening the city’s galleries to bring contemporary art to the public has, over the years, become a landmark event on Mallorca’s cultural calendar.
Last night’s celebration highlighted this journey and the role that the galleries have played over the past three decades in shaping and promoting the island’s art scene. The anniversary also served to reinforce the event’s international dimension, with the presence of art advisors, curators, and invited collectors.
Among the highlights of this edition was the inclusion of Santanyí-based a66 Gallery in Art Palma Contemporani. The gallery presented *Conditions of Perception*, featuring works by Paris Giachoustidis, Marcos Juncal, and Moritz Moll.
A City Passionate About Art
One of the highlights of the evening was the audience’s response. Thousands of people took to the streets to participate in the tour of the various events, creating a buzz of activity in downtown Palma and at the circuit’s main venues.
Despite the large turnout, the event took place in a relaxed atmosphere, without crowds that would have prevented people from enjoying the exhibitions and activities. The open, urban nature of Nit de l’Art once again transformed the city, for a few hours, into a meeting place for artists, industry professionals, collectors, and the general public.
The program also included guided tours, talks, gatherings, and musical performances. Highlights included the 3 Pilgrims concert at CaixaForum Palma and various activities organized by the participating institutions.
“Capvespre” as a Symbol of the Anniversary
The 30th edition was accompanied by a new visual identity created by the Mallorcan design studios HASTALASTANTAS and HONDO. The concept of “capvespre”—the transition between afternoon and evening—served as the campaign’s central theme.
The image sought to reflect precisely the significance of this anniversary: three decades of history that bring one cycle to a close and usher in a new era for Nit de l’Art. The sunset, symbolizing what lies behind us, and the dawn of a new day, representing what lies ahead, accompanied a celebration that once again reaffirmed Palma’s role within the international contemporary art scene.
With this 30th edition, the Nit de l’Art thus brought to a close another day of engagement between the city and contemporary art, reaffirming its ability to mobilize the public and, year after year, to foster a cultural scene that transcends the galleries themselves and extends across much of Mallorca.
