Riga Contemporary concludes record-breaking second edition with 17,000 visitors

Save the date - the third edition of Riga Contemporary art fair will take place 1–4 July 2027 at Hanzas Perons in Riga.

The second edition of Riga Contemporary art fair, organised by Kim? Contemporary Art Centre in collaboration with Riga City Council, concluded on 5 July after four days of exhibitions, talks and public programming, welcoming 17,000 visitors. With a quarter of attendees travelling from outside Latvia, the fair further established itself as a growing meeting point for the international contemporary art community, while strengthening Riga's position as an emerging centre for contemporary art and cultural exchange in the Baltic and Nordic region.

Bringing together 42 galleries from 16 countries, alongside artists, collectors, curators, museum directors and arts professionals from across Europe, North America and Asia, Riga Contemporary continued its mission of creating an accessible platform for dialogue, collaboration and discovery. Complementing the gallery presentations, an ambitious public programme of talks, performances, guided tours, educational activities and family events reaffirmed the fair's commitment to reaching the widest possible audience, while international visitors contributed to increased activity across Riga's hospitality, tourism and cultural sectors, highlighting the role of major cultural events in raising the city's international profile and supporting the local economy.

"Welcoming 17,000 visitors in just four days confirms that Riga Contemporary is steadily finding its place within the international art fair landscape," said Zane Čulkstēna, founder of Kim? Contemporary Art Centre and Riga Contemporary. "From the outset, the fair has been conceived as a platform for long-term exchange between the Baltic region and the wider international art world. The continued trust of participating galleries, artists, speakers and partners demonstrates both the relevance of this model and the growing international interest in Riga as a place where meaningful cultural connections can be made."

"The fact that one in four visitors travelled to Riga from abroad reflects the city's growing international appeal as a destination for culture and business events. Riga Contemporary brings together galleries, collectors and cultural professionals from across Europe, North America and Asia, generating tangible value for local businesses while reinforcing Riga's position as a city where culture, creativity and international exchange go hand in hand. Events of this calibre strengthen Riga's international profile and demonstrate how investment in culture contributes to the city's long-term economic development," said Fredis Bikovs, Director of the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency.

This year's edition also introduced the Citadele Audience Choice Awards, presented together with the fair's general sponsor, Citadele. Visitors were invited to vote for their favourite gallery presentation throughout the fair. The award was presented to LETO (Warsaw), securing an invitation to return to Riga Contemporary in 2027.

"Riga Contemporary has once again demonstrated that contemporary art has the power to bring people together, spark meaningful conversations and inspire new ideas. At Citadele, we believe it is important to support initiatives that encourage openness, creativity and international collaboration. We are especially pleased that this year we were able to engage visitors directly by inviting them to vote for their favourite gallery, giving the winner the opportunity to return to Riga Contemporary next year. We believe that this kind of participation helps build an even stronger contemporary art community in Latvia," said Kristaps Urpens, Head of Private Banking at Citadele.

Riga Contemporary is organised by Kim? Contemporary Art Centre in collaboration with Riga City Council (Rīga). The fair is made possible together with main partner Citadele, alongside a network of supporters including BTA (Vienna Insurance Group), Sorainen, Inchcape, MINI, the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia, British Council, ArtFairs Service, Hanzas Perons, Kalve Coffee Roasters, Truffle Pig, Pure Chocolate Truffles and Stockmann, as well as media partners Radio SWH, Arterritory, IR, JCDecaux, Visual Media, Riga Neighborhood, Media Port and Riga This Week, whose continued support reflects a shared commitment to strengthening Riga as an international destination for contemporary art.

Looking ahead, the organisers have confirmed that the third edition of Riga Contemporary will take place from 1 to 4 July 2027, continuing the fair's commitment to building a lasting platform for contemporary art in the Baltic region.

Notes to Editors

Riga Contemporary

Riga Contemporary is an international contemporary art fair organised by Kim? Contemporary Art Centre in collaboration with Riga City Council. The fair aims to strengthen the Baltic region's role within the international contemporary art ecosystem by creating a platform for collaboration between galleries, artists, collectors, curators, institutions and audiences. Riga Contemporary combines an international gallery programme with a public programme of talks, performances and educational events while maintaining free admission for visitors and affordable participation fees for galleries.

Participating Galleries

MISAKO & ROSEN (Tokyo); Jenny's, Polina Berlin, Margot Samel and The Gallery (New York); Good Weather, TALA, Weatherproof and Met Him Pike Hoses (Chicago); Gattopardo and Kristina Kite (Los Angeles); The Green Gallery (Milwaukee); Galerina (London); PROVENCE (Zurich); Castiglioni and eastcontemporary (Milan); Bukia Vakhania (Tbilisi); Gauli Zitter and Kin (Brussels); nico bernath (Bratislava); Ivan Gallery (Bucharest); LETO (Warsaw); Longtermhandstand (Budapest); new gallery galerie (Paris); Pitted Dates and SIC (Helsinki); Alma, 427, ISSP Gallery, Kim?, LOOK! Gallery, Māksla XO, Part Time Gallery and TUR Telpa (Riga); Art Station Dubulti (Jūrmala); Artrovert, Temnikova & Kasela and Tütar Gallery (Tallinn); Kogo Gallery (Tartu); Meno Parkas (Kaunas); The Rooster Gallery and Galerija Vartai (Vilnius).

Public Programme

Supported by Sorainen, the Public Programme featured Anne Barlow (Tate St Ives), Melanie Gerlis (The Financial Times), Emily Watlington (Art in America / ARTnews), Saara Hacklin (Kiasma / Finnish National Gallery), Sebastian Cichocki (University of Arts in Poznań), Sarah Philp (Delfina Foundation), Julie Quottrup Silbermann (CHART Art Fair), Gilles Neies (Art Düsseldorf), Juliana Halpert (e-flux Education), together with artists Flo Kasearu, Andris Eglītis, Robertas Narkus, Tobias Kaspar and MAREUNROL'S.

Additional public activities included guided art tours, the BTA Children's Zone, creative workshops organised with Roboskola, and Krišs Salmanis' newly commissioned work Milda (2026), produced with the support of Radio SWH.

For more information, visit rigacontemporary.com.