Swab Barcelona is an independent art fair and a meeting place for emerging and alternative projects with a divulgative and experimental vocation. With an open and democratic structure, Swab brings together proposals from all over the world, avoiding the usual hierarchies of the art market to create a diverse and welcoming environment.
At Swab, young and innovative projects can find the freedom to explore new curatorial languages, forms of creation, and collective pathways. It is a space for dialogue and exchange, where the discourses that transform the global art scene can be developed and shared.

Swab reaffirms its commitment to making contemporary art more accessible. We define ourselves as a human-scale fair that prioritizes the quality of the artistic program and proximity to the public. With the aim of fostering a sustainable and open art market, Swab promotes emerging collecting and connects cultural agents with new markets. With this philosophy, Swab offers a platform for artists, galleries, collectors, and art enthusiasts to meet and evolve together.

Swab, founded in 2006 by architect and collector Joaquín Díez-Cascón, was created with the purpose of inviting new international artistic proposals to Barcelona and connecting them with the local context.
After 17 years, Swab has established itself as a must-attend event for global emerging art, embracing sector transformations and promoting spaces and disciplines that redefine the course of contemporary creation. Currently led by Carolina Díez-Cascón, in collaboration with the selection committee and independent curators, the fair consolidates its commitment to cultural avant-garde while preparing for its next edition from October 2 to 5, 2025.

Swab grows and defines itself in harmony with the cultural fabric of Barcelona and the cosmopolitan, Mediterranean spirit of the city. Celebrating Swab in this context means becoming a platform for exchange and dialogue, an inclusive meeting space where diverse perspectives on contemporary artistic practice can be shared, consolidating the city’s role as a global cultural link.