The fair grew organically: first at Palacio de Neptuno, then at COAM<\/em>, and for the past two years in a 4,000 m\u00b2 tent installed at Matadero Madrid. Over time, its aisles have welcomed nearly 150,000 visitors and showcased works by around 1,500 artists. From the outset, CAN Madrid<\/em> has been a space for discovery and for the democratisation of contemporary art.<\/p>\n The evolution of the project also called for a change of name. \u201cThe word \u2018urban\u2019 started to feel limiting,\u201d<\/em> Sancho explains. \u201cAlthough we began with a strong influence from the underground and urban art scenes, today that profile represents only 10 to 15 per cent of the programme.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The new name \u2014 CAN Madrid (Contemporary Art Now)<\/em> \u2014 reflects a desire for coherence with its sister fair in Ibiza and a broader, more inclusive view of the contemporary art landscape.<\/p>\n The 2026 edition will be the most ambitious to date. With more than 50 confirmed galleries and a programme structured around five parallel sections, CAN Madrid<\/em> reinforces its role as a platform for new voices. Among this year\u2019s highlights is Counterflow<\/em>, a section curated by Sa\u0161a Bogojev<\/em> (also curator of CAN Ibiza<\/em>), featuring artists whose practices deliberately run counter to market conventions.<\/p>\n Another new addition is CAN Design<\/em>, dedicated to collectible design. Curated by Marisa Santamar\u00eda<\/em>, this section responds to the growing interest in works that sit at the intersection of art and design. Solo\/Duo Projects<\/em> also debuts this year, welcoming first-time galleries through presentations focused on one or two artists.<\/p>\n The Young Galleries<\/em> programme doubles in size, hosting ten spaces with fewer than three years of activity, further reinforcing the fair\u2019s commitment to discovery. Finally, FOCO LATAM<\/em> returns with a proposal centred on Latin American “New Surrealisms”, curated by Christian Viveros-Faun\u00e9<\/em>.<\/p>\n One of CAN Madrid<\/em>\u2019s most significant achievements has been its international positioning. From its first edition, the fair has welcomed international galleries, and in 2026 around 50 per cent of participants come from outside Spain.<\/p>\n From Tokyo to Santiago de Chile, Paris to New York, the geographies converging at Matadero Madrid underline the project\u2019s global vocation.<\/p>\n As Sergio Sancho<\/em> puts it: \u201cThe fair is a meeting point. Our aim is to foster exchange between galleries, collectors, artists and the public. We want to remain a platform where the languages shaping the present are discovered.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n We recently spoke with Sergio Sancho<\/em> about the fair\u2019s ten-year journey. Here\u2019s what he shared with us.<\/p>\n This year marks the fair\u2019s tenth edition, now under the name CAN Madrid. How has the journey been from the first Urvanity in 2016 to today?<\/strong><\/p>\n These ten years haven\u2019t been easy, but they\u2019ve been a lot of fun. It all started as a dream \u2014 the idea of creating a different, complementary proposal within Madrid Art Week<\/em>.<\/p>\n The first edition was a turning point, as it gave visibility to many artists coming from the street and more underground scenes. Gradually, that idea took shape and we carved out our own space.<\/p>\n What prompted the change of name from UVNT to CAN Madrid?<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the main reasons was that the word “urban” had become too restrictive. At first, it was a broad category, but over time we were labelled as “the urban art fair”. Many of the artists have evolved, and so have we. Contemporary Art Now <\/em>better reflects what we do today.<\/p>\n What criteria guided the selection of the more than 50 galleries in this edition?<\/strong><\/p>\n We always look for freshness, distinctive proposals and a strong identity. We visit fairs and galleries, analyse trends \u2014 we want a curated perspective, a clear thread. The balance between established names and new projects emerges naturally from that approach.<\/p>\n CAN Madrid is expanding with new sections. What objectives lie behind these additions?<\/strong><\/p>\n Counterflow<\/em>, CAN Design<\/em> and Solo\/Duo Projects<\/em> reflect our desire to grow coherently. We want to diversify the visitor experience, engage with other languages and make it easier for new galleries to take part. And of course, to continue strengthening our commitment to Latin America through FOCO LATAM<\/em>.<\/p>\n The fair has clearly become more international. How was this global positioning achieved?<\/strong><\/p>\n From the beginning, we had an international outlook. We\u2019ve worked hard to expand our network, attend fairs and build connections. Today, around 50 per cent of our galleries are international. It\u2019s a fair built on exchange and discovery.<\/p>\n What is the medium-term vision for CAN Madrid?<\/strong><\/p>\n We want to continue consolidating the fair step by step, supporting the artists and galleries opening up new paths. Madrid is in a very interesting moment, and we want to remain ambassadors for that scene. Together with CAN Ibiza, the two fairs form a coherent and complementary platform.<\/p>\n The name change is not merely cosmetic. CAN Madrid<\/em> is, at its core, a declaration of intent: a fair that seeks to remain attentive to what is happening now<\/em> in contemporary art, and that isn\u2019t afraid to evolve. From Urvanity<\/em> to CAN<\/em>, the journey has remained faithful to a spirit of discovery, risk and freshness. Ten editions on, that energy is very much alive.<\/p>\n Save the date!<\/p>\n (*)<\/strong> Sergio Sancho’s photo: Carlos Alba (@carlosalbastudio).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" From independent impulse to a consolidated project The story of CAN Madrid begins with the vision of Sergio Sancho, a senior executive in the advertising world who, after visiting fairs and galleries in cities such as Seoul, Tokyo and New York, identified a gap in Spain\u2019s art scene: a platform for artists experimenting with new […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":97509,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5917,5916,5902,5901,5900],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-97128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews","category-inspiration-en","category-exhibitions","category-artists","category-art-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFrom Urvanity to CAN Madrid: a necessary shift<\/h6>\n
New sections, new perspectives<\/h6>\n
A fair with a global DNA<\/h6>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ccmagazine.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Sergio_UVNT_-7.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCAN as a Mirror of the Present<\/h6>\n