The Climate Biennial is born

• The Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, the Ministry of Housing and the Urban Agenda, the Principality of Asturias, the Avilés City Council and the Atelier itd Foundation are joining forces in a great alliance to create the Climate Biennial: the first Biennial of Art and Climate designed in Spain.
• The Climate Biennial will be a meeting place that, every two years, proposes to use culture and art to encourage reflection, debate and action in processes of just climate transition.
• Nomadic in nature, the Biennial will inaugurate its first edition in May 2026 in the host city of Avilés and in other areas of Asturias, and in subsequent editions will export its model to other cities in Spain and internationally.
• The Climate Biennial reformulates the traditional biennial model to promote sustainable artistic and curatorial production, proposing a hybrid device that appeals to diverse audiences, with codes beyond contemporary art and exhibition.
• It also aims to promote scientific-artistic research through artist residencies at AEMET and the prototyping of artistic projects for public spaces and infrastructures.

Last Monday 20 January, in a ceremony held in Avilés, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda, the Principality of Asturias, the City Council of Avilés and the Atelier itd foundation have signed a General Protocol of Action that marks the launch of the first edition of the Climate Biennial in the city of Avilés, scheduled for the year 2026.

This agreement marks a decisive step towards the consolidation of a collaborative space for the design of the first biennial of art designed in Spain, which aims to be a meeting place to promote adaptation to climate change.

The protocol was signed by Jordi Martí Grau, Secretary of State for Culture on behalf of the Ministry of Culture; Hugo Morán, Secretary of State for the Environment of the Ministry of Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge; David Lucas Parrón, Secretary of State for Housing and the Urban Agenda; Gimena Llamedo, Vice-President of the Principality of Asturias; Maria Virtudes Monteserin Rodríguez, Mayor of Avilés City Council; and Leda Stott Harrison, President of the Atelier itd Foundation.

Jordi Martí Grau, Secretary of State for Culture, stated that 'in our country it was necessary to create a space for reflection and artistic experimentation on the climate emergency, which leaves behind catastrophic discourses and opens up new political imaginaries of social change and collective action. Culture, and especially art, has a fundamental role to play in making essential what seemed implausible yesterday'.

Hugo Morán Fernández, Secretary of State for the Environment, stressed that ‘we need the social acceptance of our citizens. We need to join forces to implement the transversal change we are seeking. And, for this, And for this, all alliances are few. I can think of few actors better positioned than our creators and artists to promote cultural transformation, social awareness and the modification of habits and customs necessary to build a country that is reconciled with its nature’.

David Lucas Parrón, Secretary of State for Housing and the Urban Agenda, said, ‘Climate change is a priority for the Spanish government and all institutions, both regional and local. The main objective is to prepare citizens, following the principles of the SDGs through the 2030 Agenda and the Spanish Urban Agenda. From the Government, we are promoting policies to combat climate change, reduce carbon emissions and promote healthier cities, with initiatives such as the Recovery Plan and the Spanish Urban Agenda, in collaboration with municipalities. The Climate Biennial should serve to raise awareness, review our policies and improve them to make future actions more effective. I am convinced that we can transform this unfavourable reality with the help of all sectors. Although the international challenges are significant, we must act with greater determination to make progress in the fight against climate change’.

According to Gimena Llamedo, Vice President of the Principality of Asturias, “one of the great challenges of our time is the fight against climate change: a technological and economic challenge, but also a cultural one. The voice of art, creation, and culture is important, which is why this biennial is such a well-conceived project.”

Leda Stott Harrison, president of the Atelier itd foundation, stated that “to promote just transitions, spaces for experimenting with a learning-based approach are essential. Challenges as complex as climate change require multi-stakeholder collaboration across different administrative levels, sectors, and territories.”

Amanda Masha Caminals, artistic director of the Climate Biennial, explained that “we are designing an open-source biennial that appeals to a wide range of audiences beyond those specialized in contemporary art. Climate denial and the discrediting of scientific institutions operate on a sensory level. To counter them and align minds and spirits with the current ecological transition, it is essential to give prominence to those who best master this language—artists, in all their diversity.”

The mayor of Avilés, Mariví Monteserín, emphasized that the city will be the first venue for the Biennial because “the transformation of Avilés is a model of urban reinvention, resilience, and overcoming the environmental and sociological scars left by past industries. Its commitment to knowledge, sustainability, heritage restoration, and culture makes Avilés the ideal choice as the host of this first Climate Biennial, and we feel honored by this recognition.”