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Programme
The first route of the museum ship will be the Mediterranean, an area of millennia of history and exchange, which has always mobilized and nourished the inspiration of artists, and naturally invites intercultural dialogue.
Discover the programme of activities on the quayside and in the towns: performances, concerts, conferences, screenings, workshops, meetings and other events.
Upcoming events
The underwater divines are flying and floating and melting with us
A visual and sonic symphony that immerses us in the mysteries of the deep sea, while also becoming an ode to imagination and creation. Based on a film by the artist Rosa Tharrats aboard a ship on an expedition with the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the performance includes a soundtrack created in situ, in a process of dramatic and musical improvisation led by musician Mau Boada (Esperit!), singer Clara Enrich-Genestar, and poet Gabriel Ventura.
Grief and grievance: listening as learning
On this occasion, Ikram Bouloum reappropriates her technique as a selector to present "Grief and grievance: listening as learning", a listening session in which she traces a journey through different musical genres and sound archives, entering into dialogue with her referents and opening up space for new superpositions to address questions of poetic belonging.
Winds know what maps have forgotten
”Winds know what maps have forgotten” is a hands-on, immersive workshop where sound, maps, and imagination meet. Participants inhabit a large floor map of the Mediterranean to create wind-inspired soundscapes, stories and speculative narratives.
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La Bissaperie
La Bissaperie is a collective invocation of Frantz Fanon's memory through a shared reading of his texts and the preparation of bissap, a hibiscus flower drink. I propose a friendly and horizontal meeting place focused on the revolutionary ideas of the thinker and a platform for people to connect with their identity, heritage and community.
Fiction and Lies. The Role of the Novel in the World of Post-Truth
In our time of fake news, disinformation, and political manipulation, the difference between truth and lies seems increasingly unclear. Artificial intelligence can distort our perceptions, and social media encloses us in bubbles that destroy the very idea of a shared reality. In this world, what place does fiction occupy—the old craft of telling stories that never happened? Can novels contain more truth than reality as we see it? The Colombian novelist Juan Gabriel Vásquez proposes a conversation about our relationship with invented stories in an increasingly uncertain world.
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Pulso y Horizonte (Pulse and Horizon)
“Pulso y Horizonte” is an instrumental project led by Pedro Javier González, one of the most respected guitarists on the contemporary Spanish music scene. Flamenco, jazz, world music and improvisation converge in an open, celebratory proposal inspired by the Mediterranean, where rhythmic pulse and collective dialogue shape a vibrant and highly communicative musical experience.
The Drought. An oasis.
The Drought: An Oasis is a contemporary flamenco performance that brings together dance, live guitar, and flamenco singing (cante) to explore themes of water, drought, and migration. Originally created in Southern Spain, this new version of the piece is now presented in Catalonia, while keeping its strong Andalusian roots.
The show reflects on the historical impact of Francoist hydraulic policies, including the Badajoz Decree, and on the migration of Andalusian working-class communities who moved to Catalonia to work in industry and construction. These histories are translated on stage through flamenco music and movement. Some of the lyrics are sung in Catalan, alongside Spanish, as a symbolic gesture that connects flamenco with the linguistic and cultural reality of Catalonia and Barcelona. On stage, the performance features flamenco dance, live guitar, and cante, combined with a strong visual dimension. The final part of the piece takes the form of a “final de fiesta” inspired by Rumba Catalana, bringing collective energy, rhythm, and celebration to the stage.
Disco Atlas (with accompanying artists)
The concept is centered on Disco Atlas’ own artistic project, in which he invites artists to join as surprise guests. By collaborating with Gnawa musicians—specifically emerging performers rather than established Maâlems—Disco Atlas highlights how the music he plays can organically merge with live instrumentation. The aim is to demonstrate that this sound is flexible, alive, and open to reinterpretation through live performance, creating a unique and spontaneous experience each time.
Breakwater: drift through forgotten spaces
Walking through the port and its surroundings based on a reflection on the sea as a forgotten space and its limits. The breakwater at sea and on land. The itinerary will unfold in dialogue with the notions of the artist and photographer Alan Sekula, maritime ex-votos, and urban transformation.
Breakwater: drift through forgotten spaces
Walking through the port and its surroundings based on a reflection on the sea as a forgotten space and its limits. The breakwater at sea and on land. The itinerary will unfold in dialogue with the notions of the artist and photographer Alan Sekula, maritime ex-votos, and urban transformation.
Seitons Masdeu Hola i Adeu
Seitons Masdeu Hola i Adeu is the official presentation of a vinegar-marinated anchovy company founded by the artist, daughter of the last fish auctioneer (crying out bids aloud) in Arenys de Mar, her hometown. The piece sits somewhere between a performative meal, a 1990s television program, and a theatrical work.
Stories from the Periphery, told by Silvia Albert Sopale and Kouyate Ansoumane
A collection of stories from diverse origins, told to broaden perspectives, open hearts, and bring souls closer together. All of these stories share a common thread: the presence of Afro-descendant people as protagonists. Brave, resilient, and joyful individuals who serve as mirrors for us to reflect on and imagine our own lives.
Past events
Ger Kacerja
Ger Kacerja, widely known on social networks as Tdalshin Tomthat, is a passionate and dedicated figure in the electronic music scene. Despite his playful online personality, he approaches music with the utmost seriousness. His eclectic sound spans Disco, House, Tech House and Electro, but it's his refined taste and carefully selected selections that have earned him great respect, sometimes even justifying a slight touch of arrogance. Over the past 15 years, he has been a key player in Tirana's nightlife, performing in the city's clubs and venues, as well as at numerous regional events.
Karaoke Night with Hot Stuff Band
Everyone is welcome to join in, sing along, and enjoy.
Ivana Dragsic - DJ Set
Ivana Dragsic was bred on the dance-floors-at-making in the late 90s’ Skopje, first as a dancer, radio host and then as a DJ. Ideologically tied to the Second Summer of Love and wary of the capitalist hetero-patriarchal framework of dance culture today, she is interested in the transformative social power of sharing music and dancing together.
Genc Elezaj - DJ Set
Genc Elezaj is a musician and DJ living and working in Prishtina. Throughout his career in music creation he has contributed to various projects, spanning from writing songs in bands, to composing music for theatre pieces and film scores, to writing music for electronic music live acts — while simultaneously DJ-ing across local, regional and international events.
Edible ART “The season on the plate”
Children will create art pieces using local, seasonal food while learning about healthy eating habits, traditional Albanian ingredients, and sustainability. The project combines visual arts, storytelling, and hands-on food exploration to make learning about food engaging and memorable.
Uj Pa Gaz
His work is rich with live instrumentation, blending organic and electronic elements into a signature sound that has evolved over nearly a decade
Battista Acquaviva - Corsica, Music, and Elsewhere
Kengetare-autore kengesh, multi-instrumentalist edhe performuese e muzikes se Mesdheut ne 8 gjuhe, Battista eshte e njohur per zerin e paster si kristal dhe performaca qe te bejne per vete. Shfaqjet e saj live jane kombinim mes te vecantes, emocionit dhe virtuositetit, duke krijuar nje lidhje unike me publikun. E vetme ne skene, ajo shoqerohet nga cithara e saj, nje instrument magjepses i muzikes se Korsikes, mes dy a kapelash ekzaltuese
Tirana - Tirona Allstars
Tirona — Tirana AllStars is a collective of exceptional virtuoso singers and instrumentalists, renowned for their emotionally charged performances that bring Tirana's rich musical heritage to life. Blending South Easter European modal melodies with Western harmonies, the group creates a unique sound that captivates audiences with its subtle phrasing and dynamic energy.
Ali Güney - Day Set
Ali Güney is a Belgrade based DJ and co-owner of the Lift club in Belgrade’s Cetinjska district. Originally from Izmir, Turkey, he relocated to Belgrade over a decade ago, immersing himself in the city’s vibrant nightlife.
DORUNTINA VINCA: Kosovo Fugue in Seven Parts - A collective reading of June Jordan in Albanian
Kosovo Fugue in Seven Parts is a collective reading led by Doruntina Vinca, introducing June Jordan’s poetry in Albanian.
Amari Alepha
Amari Alepha is a multicultural collective that moves between countries and cosmologies, traveling with a caravan to share their experiences through a fusion of video, music, and magic. In Albania, with the support of Vila 31 x Art Explora, they engaged with Roma communities, gathering stories that will be integrated into their upcoming performance.
SELMA SELMAN: Crossing the Blue Bridge, Film
Crossing the Blue Bridge is a film by Selma Selman that revisits her mother’s memories of the war in Bihać in 1994.
Water, papermaking and other forms of creativity
In this workshop we will transform paper waste that carries the potential for new transformation; written upon, drawn upon, folded, torn, and, ultimately, recycled to begin again. The whole process is an act of deconstruction and reconstruction, recognizing our own place in nature’s rhythm. This workshop will be a creative space, set up as an open studio, creating conditions for all ages (especially for children) to freely explore the creative process.
Erdiola Kanda Mustafaj - Fryj, të fryshë, frymë. It's just a touch?
Fryj, të fryshë, frymë. It’s just a touch? is a ritual workshop by Erdiola Kanda, inspired by her Vlach heritage. Drawing from her grandmother’s stories, Kanda guides participants through a ritual of breath, memory, and transmission over three evenings. Each session includes an incantation, ancestral words, and Kanda’s own writing, reactivating the past and creating a space where generations meet in silence.
Zeineb Henchiri - Echo Chamber
Especially for the Art Explora Festival artist Zaineb Henchiri creates a performance that incorporates her recent research with existing performative elements in her practice. In her performances Henchiri creates different personas that function as alter egos of the artists as well characters she has encountered online and in her daily life. Echo Chamber is a performative reading accompanied by visual projections. The performance questions the ability to have a distinct voice within the contemporary realm of technological and political changes. Shadows Durres works as a repository of a patchwork of phrases left on the internet, messages shared with the artists, and available tutorials.
Frequently asked questions
The Art Explora Festival will take place from spring 2024 to spring 2026 in various Mediterranean cities.
Festival events take place both on the museum boat's quay and in heritage and/or emblematic sites in the stopover towns. To find out all about upcoming events in your town, consult our Agenda.
The Art Explora Festival offers a rich, multi-disciplinary program including visits to the museum ship, exhibition pavilions, virtual reality experiences, artistic performances, concerts, lectures, film screenings, creative workshops and meetings. You'll be able to discover local and international artists, as well as thinkers and cultural players exploring contemporary themes related to the Mediterranean region. To find out all about upcoming events in your city, consult our Agenda.
All Festival events are free of charge. Please note, however, that some events - such as workshops - require a reservation via the ticket office. Please consult the page dedicated to each event for more information on times and booking procedures.
To ensure that everyone has the best possible experience at the Festival, we have drawn up a visitors' charter listing a few good practices.
Yes, the boat is freely accessible on site. However, you can pre-book your time online on our website.
For reasons of safety and preservation of the boat, high heels and stilettos may not be worn on the boat.
To take part in the workshops and meetings offered during the Festival, you'll generally need to register in advance. Information on how to register will be available on the dedicated event page, where you can also find details of times and how to take part.
Yes, the Art Explora Festival also offers child-friendly activities, such as creative workshops specially designed for young participants. Take a look at the program to find out about events and activities for children and families.
The museum boat is open to all free of charge. To find out on which quay it will be moored, or to pre-book your slot, consult the page dedicated to your town.
Appropriate facilities have been set up on the Festival site for the reception and access of people with reduced mobility. The boat is equipped with a 1m-wide ramp, accessible to people with reduced mobility, but may require the accompaniment of a third party due to its gradient of over 6%. Access to the aft deck and immersive exhibition is possible. However, the upper deck is not accessible. Please inform us in advance of any special accessibility requirements, so that we can make the necessary arrangements.
Thank you for your interest in the Art Explora Festival! To find out more about our volunteer opportunities and to apply, please visit our "Become a volunteer"section of our website. There you'll find all the information you need about the roles available and the application procedure. We look forward to meeting you!
We're delighted to consider new partnerships for the Art Explora Festival. To find out how, please visit our dedicated page or write to us at contact@artexplora.org