Quarter-Century Celebration of Performing Arts
The Escena Poblenou Festival marks its 25th edition from 22 to 25 October 2026, filling the streets and venues of Barcelona’s Poblenou neighbourhood with 19 performances across theatre, dance, circus, performance art, and music. Under the artistic direction of Ada Vilaró, the festival reaffirms its commitment to experimental creation, public space engagement, and community connection. This year’s programme highlights risk, critical reflection, and emerging voices in contemporary performing arts. The event begins on Thursday, 22 October with the 13th edition of Embrions, a call supporting early-stage artistic projects. Four works will be presented: 600, el temps dins del maleter by Cosinsart, a poetic journey through collective memory in a Seat 600; Dia raro by Lasombrada, a non-verbal exploration of human fragility; La presència by Adrià Sánchez-Campo, a performative walk through public and domestic spaces; and Margues Blaves by Cicuta, a documentary theatre piece reflecting on euthanasia and long-term illness.
Premieres and Key Performances
Two world premieres feature prominently in the lineup. Tros by Cia. Sputniks blends circus and historical memory, portraying four characters trapped in a cyclical timeline of wars and revolts. Nacionalitat espanyola: trampes, evidències i fotos prohibides (Spanish Nationality: traps, evidence and forbidden photos) by Maria Solà, winner of the Les Escèniques call, interrogates the intersections of art, authority, and systemic power through two decades of the artist’s performative work. Other notable performances include Skai is ful by Hermanas Picohueso, a new dramaturgy piece using humour to examine spatial occupation; Torcidxs by Las Nenas from Navarra, combining improvisation and irreverent text; and Clam by Fèmut, a contemporary circus work inspired by popular festivities. Additional premieres are El Banquet de Te Negre by Maisa Sally-Anna Perk and Imagiro by Ambae Company.
Community, Creation and Legacy
Support for independent creation remains central to the festival. The Embrions call continues its collaboration with Itineràncies Festival and Nau Ivanow, and this year includes Canal de Salt as a new partner. The initiative provides a platform for artists to develop and present works in progress, reinforcing the festival’s role as a space for experimentation and discovery. The anniversary will be commemorated with a special publication, L'escena que crema (The Burning Scene), coordinated by critic Oriol Puig Taulé and co-published by Arola Editors and Recomana. The book will document the festival’s history and cultural impact over 25 years.
The festival celebrates a quarter century of history while reaffirming its desire to continue being a space for experimenting, generating thought, and discovering new voices.
The 25th-anniversary celebrations culminate on Saturday, 24 October at the Centre Moral i Cultural del Poblenou with a grand cabaret-style party featuring performances by Hermanas Picohueso, Llum de Fideu, Hotel iocandi, and Comando Señoras.
How to Attend
The full programme and ticketing information are available via the official festival website. Events take place across multiple indoor and outdoor locations in the Poblenou neighbourhood, with performances scheduled between 22 and 25 October 2026.
Reported by thenewbarcelonapost.com, escenapoblenou.com, amiccultura.cat, Redacción Descubrir.com, annaroca.com, The New Barcelona Post.
