In contemporary art, taking risks is not optional: it is the norm. It is the impulse of those who dare to think, imagine, and create, even from the margins and precariousness. In Barcelona, this experimental spirit is not limited to the works: it overflows and also transforms the structures that support art. It is not only a new generation of artists, but also of gallerists who understand risk as a way of doing, both in creation and in management. Gallerists who are committed to overcoming hermeticism and opacity in the art business, breaking stereotypes, communicating with transparency, and opening up to new audiences and rethinking the relationship between artist and gallerist.
The effervescence of the emerging gallery scene in Barcelona is unstoppable. Despite the notable closures of historic galleries such as Sala Dalmau or Estrany-de la Mota, the city has seen the birth of a new generation of galleries. This is evidenced by the figures: according to the latest report on the Spanish art market (2021), almost a third of Spanish galleries have emerged after the 2008 crisis, complementing a landscape where widely consolidated galleries also stand out, with more than 30 years of experience, which have demonstrated their adaptability.
Today, the sector is also mostly led by young people or middle-aged individuals —with only 11.4% of workers over 50 years old—. A leadership, moreover, largely female (74.2%). These new generations of gallerists are characterized by a change of model: less dependence on local collecting, with a clear international outlook and a growing mastery of digital channels and social media communication.
But beyond market strategies, the fresh air of these galleries is also felt in their internal structure: abandoning "personalistic" models and opting for horizontality in processes. "Galleries are abandoning this individualistic model, built around the personality and interests of the gallerist, to opt for a new system where different voices are added," remarks Lorena Pizarro, director of SELTZ by Ritter Ferrer. The gallery, which occupies the space of the historic Joan Prats, opened its doors in April 2025 with photographs by Cristina García Rodero, and conceives the project from a diverse perspective, ranging from figurative painting to digital art.
“The gallery model evolves towards increasingly smaller structures, but also more agile and with a more defined identity and discourse,” assures Laura Facci, co-director of BETA Contemporary, a gallery founded in Berlin by a collective of Venezuelan creators in diaspora and which, since 2024, operates from Barcelona.
“Art must be a reflection of the rhythm of the street and the present and, since the city is vibrant, the gallery must also open its doors to different languages and styles,” reflects Pizarro while finalizing preparations for SELTZ’s new inaugurations: with exhibitions, on the one hand, by Rosa Brun, and her defined abstract style, and on the other, by Mónica Jover Calvo, who fills the entire exhibition space with fabric and threads.
This abandonment of personalism and individualism occurs not only in the structure of the gallery, but also in the way of establishing and understanding artistic processes. “I am not interested in the figure of the gallerist as an authority, but as a dialogue. The goal is to break hierarchies and work alongside the artist, as equals,” defends Juliana Sorondo from her gallery Sorondo Projects, which will soon celebrate two years of existence.
“I like to build accompanying relationships, not just represent on a one-off basis,” adds Sorondo. Unlike traditional galleries, where the relationship with the artist is often limited to organizing the exhibition or selling works almost as commercial intermediaries —through a commission that can rise up to 50%—, emerging galleries seek a constant and deep proximity. “It’s a constant, almost daily relationship, understanding their processes and thinking about opportunities that work for them,” adds Anna Pérez Milán, co-director and head of fairs at Fuga, inaugurated at the end of 2023 within the Trafalgar axis.
Laura González (Chiquita Room): "If there is no risk, there is no art"
The gallery is no longer a simple commercial representative, but a companion. For Laura González, founder of Chiquita Room, her role is almost that of an editor: "The gallerist's task is to guarantee the necessary conditions for the artist's creativity to fully unfold." It was precisely through the editing of artist books that González began her journey in gallery management, a sector previously unknown to her: first as a publisher, Chiquita Ediciones (2013) —a task he continues to cultivate— and, almost naturally as an exhibition space, launched in 2018.
New voices and stories on the margins
The revolution, however, is not only formal, but also conceptual: emerging galleries and their new model of gallerist-artist relationship also favor risk and experimentation. "I like to conceive Chiquita Room as a kitchen space, for material and conceptual experimentation. If there is no risk, there is no art.For me, risk is an inherent attribute in art because it does not become a commodity, but rather make us think, make us uncomfortable and shake us emotionally,” remarks González
An artistic experimentation that finds its natural space in emerging galleries. "In recent years, a more porous and less conservative gallery scene has consolidated, where spaces operate from experimentation, and not solely from commercial logic," assures Facci. Furthermore, unlike established galleries, which already have a more defined and established discourse and artist catalog, these new spaces promote liquid proposals without fixed labels, betting on artists who are just beginning their professional career; although there are also emerging galleries that directly bet on mid or long-career artists.
All this, without forgetting the demands of the market. Because even though emerging galleries are a space for experimentation, this risk must be able to combine with global trends. Art is already a precarious profession in itself, and these galleries must find the balance between experimentation and viability. As Pérez Milán, from Fuga, reminds us, this is also the task of the gallerist: "to detect market trends and, without intending to dilute the essence of the artist, ensure that they could fit with current demands, guaranteeing that experimentation is not just an abstract bet, but also sustainable."
Thus, emerging galleries bring a renewed air to artistic practices, giving visibility to voices and discourses that have often been marginalized. These are projects that overflow the established limits of genres and disciplines and expand the presence of traditionally silenced voices: female artists —which is the main line of galleries like Fuga— queer creators or people who create from the diaspora —a concept embraced by several spaces in the city, from BETA Contemporary to Sorondo Projects or Zielinsky—, all of them voices underrepresented in art history.
Redefining the limits of the artistic space
This transformative energy of the new galleries has also reconfigured the city's map. The traditional gallery axis of Consell de Cent has given way to a new pole of cultural dynamism: the Trafalgar axis, that today sets the pace of contemporary art in Barcelona. Along this street are concentrated thirteen galleries, and at key moments for the sector, such as the Barcelona Gallery Weekend or Art Nou, it transforms into a true collective museum with multiple venues open to the public.
A community feeling that the galleries located on this axis want to reinforce, through the creation of the Trafalgar Art Hub, promoted by Pau Escat, director of Escat Gallery —with headquarters in Trafalgar, Sarrià and Maó (Menorca)—, together with Maria Costafreda (Fuga) and Carlos Senda (Galeria Senda). The objective is ambitious: to synchronize the inaugurations of the different galleries and set the pace of the city's cultural agenda. As Escat explains: "We want anyone passing through the street, whether local or tourist, to be able to connect with contemporary art, through the work of galleries that work together to create a unique and accessible experience."
But the Trafalgar Art Hub is not the only active pole in Barcelona. Contemporary art is disseminated throughout the entire Barcelona cartography: from Gràcia or Ciutat Vella to l'Hospitalet de Llobregat. Escat, who was an artist before becoming a gallerist, is convinced that the creative solitude, which the creator can often feel, can be compensated with new work models and greater associationism between galleries and institutions.
As the city sees new active poles emerge, emerging galleries also create flexible and ephemeral spaces that respond to creativity in constant movement. Fuga's Entreactes (Interludes) are an example: temporary interventions of two or three weeks that are situated between major exhibitions, almost like a theatrical interlude between performances, but with a crucial function: to give visibility to "emerging artists who often remain outside Barcelona's institutional circuit and who, otherwise, would not find their exhibition space for years," summarizes Pérez Milán.
A quixotic task: survival and precariousness
Despite the transformative spirit and the energy that drives the emerging scene, being a gallerist in Barcelona is, in the words of the director of SELTZ, a “taskquixotic": a challenge that demands constant effort, ingenuity, and passion, often in the face of precarious conditions and a demanding market. The sustainability of the business is, in reality, the true challenge, as gallery ownership is a sector with few entry barriers, but with a limited survival rate. “There are no entry barriers: anyone can open a gallery. The difficult part is making it last,” warns Miquel Alzueta.
In this sense, one of the main barriers faced by emerging gallery owners is taxation: the 21% cultural VAT has become a significant hindrance. "Cultural VAT suffocates incipient collecting and Catalonia risks losing competitiveness compared to its European competitors, who do have tax advantages," warns Pérez Milán from Fuga. "It's an unfair situation, especially because we are not talking about the millionaire figures that often appear in auctions, but about the basic income for the artist to sustain their practice and trajectory," clarifies Pizarro. This situation has led some Catalan galleries to even reconsider opening in other European cities to maintain their competitiveness, despite their roots in Barcelona and its artistic scene.
"The talent in Barcelona is undeniable, but the other half is still missing: a significant number of active local collectors. The majority of our collectors are international," laments the director of Chiquita Room, highlighting that, beyond taxation, the consolidation of local and renewed collecting, which also appeals to new generations, remains a crucial challenge for the emerging scene.
The lack of pedagogy and even interest in contemporary art is palpable. Faced with this reality, emerging galleries are working to dismantle the stereotypes surrounding collecting, transforming their spaces into accessible and attractive places for all audiences. Furthermore, they demonstrate that collecting art is not exclusive to great fortunes: it is also possible for more modest budgets, with pieces by emerging artists that can often be acquired for 200 or 300 euros —although the average price of works exhibited in galleries usually exceeds a thousand euros—, far from the prices that, at first glance, one might imagine.
Laura Facci (BETA): "It's not enough to just offer a space for representation and sale: activities need to be diversified, from residencies and international fairs to editorial projects or public interventions"
From galleries like Chiquita Room, initiatives such as SOFT Collectors, an annual subscription model of €150 that allows receiving three graphic works or artist editions throughout the year and which becomes an accessible gateway to collecting, even for the youngest. "Buy works by living artists. Afterwards, it no longer helps them sustain their practice and ends up being more expensive," she recalls from Chiquita Room.
A new conception of community
Faced with these global challenges, the gallery model is evolving, as Laura Facci, head of, warns, towards a broader conception: "it's not enough to offer just a space for representation and sale: activities must be diversified, from residencies and international fairs to editorial projects or public interventions". Thus, emerging galleries increasingly function as cultural centers and community nodes: with workshops, recitals, concerts, and other activities that foster encounters and interaction. “The gallery must be another element of the neighborhood, like the bookstore where you go to browse books, talk to the bookseller, and feel part of a living and shared space,” Lorena Pizarro defends.
And this community is not only built in the physical space: digital channels have also become a natural extension of the project, with social networks and platforms like Artsy, which already represent 17% of global sales and allow connecting with collectors and international public. At the same time, international fairs —in addition to the three big ones in Barcelona: Swab, By Invitation and Loop— continue to be a key piece for visibility and the creation of international networks, functioning more as instruments of reputation and connection than as a source of immediate economic return.
Like bamboo, which fortifies its roots before growing strongly, Barcelona's emerging galleries have worked with patience and constancy, building a new model on solid principles such as community, experimentation, and transparency. Today, this effort is beginning to materialize in a vibrant, diverse, and horizontal gallery scene, which dares to challenge the limits of contemporary art and demonstrates that art can be accessible and even become an integrated element in daily life.