BAW – Bolzano Art Weeks 2026: Art, Ecology and a City in Transformation
From 25 September to 4 October 2026, Bolzano becomes a city-wide stage for contemporary art with the sixth edition of BAW – Bolzano Art Weeks. Over ten days, more than 80 events in over 50 locations will bring exhibitions, performances, installations, workshops and participatory projects into museums, galleries, artists’ studios, parks, gardens and unexpected urban spaces.
This year’s theme, REGARD(EN)! – REGREEN! – REGROW!, is an invitation to change the way we look at the world around us, reconnect with nature and explore new forms of growth and regeneration. At a time of ecological crisis, BAW asks what role art can play in creating more sustainable and shared futures — not simply by reflecting on change, but by actively taking part in it.
The 2026 edition brings together more than 100 local partners, creating an open and diverse network that connects Bolzano’s artistic, cultural and social landscape. The festival deliberately moves beyond conventional exhibition spaces, opening up gardens, parks, workplaces, community spaces and other places across the city to artistic experimentation and encounter.
BAW opened on 25 September with Aufstand der Wälder – The Forest Uprising, a creative and peaceful public action organised by Climate Action Southtyrol. Taking place in front of the Provincial Parliament, the performance transformed participants into a symbolic “living forest”, highlighting the vital role forests play in protecting biodiversity, regulating the climate and sustaining our shared environment.
During these 10 days, visitors can encounter a remarkable range of projects. Among them are sound performances, contemporary art exhibitions, interactive installations, family workshops and site-specific interventions. The programme also extends beyond Bolzano with BAW26 ON TOUR, taking audiences through the Isarco Valley for a day of exhibitions, artists’ studios and encounters.
The second weekend focuses particularly on care, community and our relationship with urban space. Community Day brings together shared meals, music, workshops, reading groups and creative activities, while Streets for Kids temporarily transforms a car park into a space for play and social interaction. Other projects explore care, motherhood, memory and our relationship with the more-than-human world.
The festival concludes on 4 October with a final day dedicated to Bolzano’s western neighbourhoods, featuring urban art, exhibitions, performances and community projects. The closing programme culminates at the Semirurali Garden, where art, ecology and collective participation come together once again.
At its heart, BAW – Bolzano Art Weeks is an invitation to experience art beyond traditional boundaries: to explore the city, discover unexpected places, meet people and rethink our relationship with the environment we inhabit.
Because sometimes change begins simply by looking differently.
BAW – Bolzano Art Weeks 2026
25 September – 4 October 2026
Bolzano, Italy
More than 80 events · 50+ locations · 100+ partners
Full programme & interactive map:
BAW 2026 – Programme & Map
Official website:
Bolzano Art Weeks
Images credits:
BAW26 WINNER. Andrea Di Lorenzo, One of a thousand ways (2024), installation view. Nuovo Forno del Pane, Grizzana Morandi. Photo by Lorena Bucur
BAW26 WINNER. Alyona Larionova & Martina Melilli, Did you water your plants
Aktion nach Unwetter, 2023. Climate Action Southtyrol
