Artissima

Torino's contemporary art fair, the only one in Italy dedicated exclusively to the contemporary.

The corridors and stands of the fair at the Oval — From the publication by ANSA Piemonte, 17 September 2026

Artissima Internazionale d'Arte Contemporanea is Torino's contemporary art fair, the only one in Italy dedicated exclusively to contemporary art. It is held in the spaces of the Oval Torino, at the Lingotto ^[1].

The 2026 edition

The thirty-third edition, presented at the Gallerie d'Italia, runs from Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November 2026 and coincides with the fifth year of Luigi Fassi's direction. The edition's theme is «Fancy: A Flexible, Acrobatic Body» ^[1].

A hundred and eighty-three Italian and international galleries take part, sixty-six of them with monographic projects; the galleries come from thirty-five countries ^[1]^[2].

The sections

The fair is organised into four main sections — Main Section, New Entries, Monologue/Dialogue and Art Editions — and three curated sections: Present Future, Back to the Future and Disegni ^[1].

The fair and the city

The Città di Torino's Councillor for Culture, Rosanna Purchia, presented the edition as confirmation of the event's role as «Italy's leading contemporary art fair», and as a lever for cultural development and international promotion for Torino ^[1].

The first editions at the Lingotto

The first edition of Artissima was held at the Lingotto in September-October 1994 and drew more than 15,000 visitors.¹

In 1999 the fair was held at Palazzo Nervi with works from 120 galleries.²

In November 2001 Artissima was held for the first time at Torino Esposizioni, with 154 participating gallerists.³

The tenth edition, in October-November 2003, returned to the Lingotto and was presented at the Caffè San Carlo by president Roberto Casiraghi.⁴

The eleventh edition, promoted by the Fondazione Torino Musei in November 2004, brought together 160 gallerists from around the world.⁵

The second and fifth editions

In October 1995 the second edition of Artissima opened at the Lingotto, dedicated to twentieth-century artists, with gallerists arriving from around the world.¹

On 23 September 1998 the fifth edition of Artissima opened in pavilion 3 of Lingotto Fiere, at via Nizza 280, with a hundred gallerists present.²

The third and fourth editions (1996-1997)

In 1994 the fair occupied Pavilion 3 of the Lingotto Congress Centre, designed by architect Renzo Piano, at via Nizza 294, drawing a crowd of onlookers and collectors.¹

From 26 to 29 September 1996 the fair returned to the Lingotto, covering an area of about 12,000 square metres.²

Having reached its third edition, Artissima was described in 1996 by semiologist Omar Calabrese as an «international-democratic» fair, open also to a less art-savvy public and designed to foster a mass aesthetic.³

In September 1997 an initial assessment of the event at the Lingotto recorded visitor satisfaction, with the works especially appreciated by younger visitors, on the eve of the final sell-out crowd.⁴

From 2000 to 2005: success, relocation and return to the Lingotto

In 2000, seven years after its founding, the fair was presented as an established success; its director and creator Roberto Casiraghi claimed credit for its «winning formula», while fearing that the market might take it away from him.¹

In the 2001 edition the fair was held, from 15 to 18 November, at the Palazzo di Torino Esposizioni rather than at the Lingotto, with a preview on 14 November reserved for a select audience.²

In 2003 the fair returned to the Lingotto for its tenth edition, scheduled from 6 to 9 November; president Roberto Casiraghi stated that, not without uncertainties about its own future, Artissima was celebrating ten years of activity.³

The same edition paired the galleries' offerings with a packed calendar of events, conferences and seminars, including an evening at the Mole Antonelliana.⁴

In 2004 the eleventh edition, promoted by the Fondazione Torino Musei, was held from 5 to 7 November in the spaces of Lingotto Fiere, with the participation of about 150 galleries.⁵

In November 2005 the twelfth edition opened at the Lingotto, drawing a large turnout for the opening evening.⁶

The editions of the 1990s and 2000s

In September 1996 Artissima reached its third edition; critic Omar Calabrese called it an «international-democratic» fair, designed to foster a mass aesthetic and open also to a less art-savvy public.¹

In October 1999 that year's edition of Artissima was held at Palazzo Nervi, with the participation of 120 Italian and foreign galleries.²

On 22 October 2003 «Artissima 10», the fair's tenth edition, was presented at the Caffè San Carlo, scheduled at the Lingotto from 6 to 9 November.³

On 11 November 2005 the twelfth edition of Artissima opened at the Lingotto, drawing a large crowd.⁴

From its debut at the Lingotto to the Fondazione Torino Musei: 1994-2005

The first edition of Artissima was held at the Lingotto in Pavilion 3 of the Congress Centre designed by Renzo Piano, at via Nizza 294, under the name Fiera internazionale di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea.¹ Over its four opening days, in the autumn of 1994, the event drew more than 15,000 visitors.²

The second edition, in 1995, was dedicated to twentieth-century artists.³ In 1996 the fair returned to the Lingotto from 26 to 29 September, covering an area of 12,000 square metres,⁴ thus reaching its third edition.⁵

In 1998 the fifth edition opened by invitation in Pavilion 3 of Lingotto Fiere, at via Nizza 280, with a hundred participating galleries.⁶ The following year the fair was held at Palazzo Nervi, with 120 Italian and foreign galleries present.⁷

In 2000 the event's director and creator, Roberto Casiraghi, described the fair's success as achieved after seven years of work.⁸

In 2001 Artissima changed venue, taking place from 15 to 18 November at the Palazzo di Torino Esposizioni⁹ with 154 gallerists present.¹⁰

In 2003 the fair, having reached its tenth edition, returned to the Lingotto from 6 to 9 November.¹¹ President Roberto Casiraghi celebrated its ten years of activity,¹² while the programme was enriched with side events, including an evening at the Mole Antonelliana.¹³

In 2005, for the twelfth edition, the opening at the Lingotto drew a large audience.¹⁶

2026 edition

In 2026 Artissima reached its 33rd edition, scheduled from 30 October to 1 November at the Oval del Lingotto with 183 galleries from 35 countries.

Chronology

17 September 2026 — Artissima, Torino's contemporary art fair, returns for its 33rd edition from 30 October to 1 November at the Oval del Lingotto with 183 galleries from 35 countries. ANSA Piemonte TorinoClick

Related articles: 33ª edizione di Artissima (2026)

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