Presentation of the First Edition of the Climate Biennial and Artistic Residencies at the Avilés Cultural Factorytiques de la Factoría Cultural d’Avilés

• The organizers presented program highlights for the first edition to Asturias' cultural sector at the Factoría.
• As part of its collaboration with the Factoría, the Climate Biennial will enhance the center 's artistic residencies.
• The first climate and art biennial developed in Spain is the result of an alliance between the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda, the Ministry for Ecological Transition, the Government of Asturias, the City of Avilés, and the Atelier itd Foundation.

The Factoría Cultural of Avilés hosted the presentation event of the 1st Edition of the Climate Biennial last Thursday, June 5, which will take place in Avilés and across Asturias from May to September 2026. The Climate Biennial is a space for dialogue that aims to harness art and culture to foster new collective sensibilities in response to the need for just climate transitions.

The Biennial is the result of a joint effort by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda, the Government of Asturias, the City of Avilés, and the Atelier itd Foundation.

During the presentation, which was attended by representatives from Asturias' cultural sector and regional public entities, the Climate Biennial outlined its approach: a decentralized and collaborative model committed to avoiding the overproduction of artworks and promoting a program that is accessible to all audiences, featuring a diversity of venues, formats, and artists.

The presentation also outlined the groundwork carried out by the Climate Biennial team to engage with the local context, which led to the definition of the three thematic areas for this first edition. Finally, they announced the collaboration with the Avilés Cultural Factory, through which the center's artistic production residencies will adopt a transdisciplinary approach this year, closely linked to the industrial sector.

FIRST EDITION OF THE CLIMATE BIENNIAL

The choice of Avilés and Asturias as the venue for the first edition of the Climate Biennial is no coincidence: this territory, with its rich industrial heritage, is at a pivotal moment of social, economic, and civic transformation. The Avilés Cultural Factory, which hosts this event, embodies this process.

Housed in the former Confecciones Camino shirt factory, it is now one of Avilés' main artistic production centers and an important meeting point for local cultural communities — a clear example of industrial transformation from a cultural and social perspective.

Through this presentation, the Climate Biennial sought to establish future links with local communities, as it aims to be a space open to citizen participation and the cultural sector. The Biennial intends to reflect this participatory spirit in its program through artistic interventions in the city's landmark spaces, artistic residencies, transdisciplinary research projects, and opportunities for dialogue and citizen engagement.

With this goal, the artistic program is being structured around three thematic areas that emerged from a contextual analysis of Asturias and Avilés. The first area reimagines 21st-century industry in the context of the energy transition, shaped by the demands of decarbonization and the rise of digital capitalism. The second area explores the ecological and social impact of food systems, while also viewing food as a catalyst for community — an element that invites us to come together. The third area focuses on practical utopias, highlighting diverse proposals that show us how it is possible to live sustainably and regenerate our relationship with the environment.

STRENGTHENING THE ARTISTIC RESIDENCIES AT THE AVILÉS CULTURAL FACTORY

The Avilés Cultural Factory has a longstanding commitment to supporting the local cultural sector. One of its key initiatives is its annual artistic residencies. During the next edition of these residencies, the Avilés Cultural Factory and the selected artists will benefit from additional support from the Climate Biennial.

The aim of this collaboration is to link the residencies to climate issues and interdisciplinary creation, connecting the selected artistic proposals with scientific research projects. Additional financial support will also be provided according to the needs of each project, along with curatorial guidance and increased visibility.

In the coming days, an open call will be announced to select six local artists, one national artist from Spain, and one international artist to participate in the residencies. Within the thematic frameworks of the Climate Biennial, these residencies will take on a transdisciplinary approach connected to 21st-century science and industry. The works created during the residencies will be exhibited as part of the Climate Biennial between May and September 2026.