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
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Experiences on board the museum boat
Experience on reservation. Duration: 45 min.

Workshop Mastro Sol, in preparation of Mastro Sol, Maja Escher
In this workshop, each participant shapes and creates their own edible form (biscuit-flag) made from biscuit dough that will be suspended as part of Mastro Sol, an installation inspired by vernacular celebrations and the mastros de promessa of the Alentejo region, where circular cakes are traditionally suspended on festive structures. Each form preserves the gesture and intention of the person who made it, becoming part of a collective artwork shaped by many hands. On June 27 at 11:30 am, when Mastro Sol is activated by the public, participants are invited to rediscover their own flag, see how it became part of the final installation, and harvest it to share, offer, or eat.

Caravanserá Workshop
Before the performance (on June 27th), audiences are invited to take part in a participatory workshop where movement, sound, and collective actions gradually shape the world of Caravanserá. Inspired by historical “caravanserais” – places of encounter and exchange –, the workshop creates an informal space where participants of different ages contribute to the atmosphere of the performance, blurring the boundaries between audience and performers.

Workshop Mastro Sol, in preparation of Mastro Sol, Maja Escher
In this workshop, each participant shapes and creates their own edible form (biscuit-flag) made from biscuit dough that will be suspended as part of Mastro Sol, an installation inspired by vernacular celebrations and the mastros de promessa of the Alentejo region, where circular cakes are traditionally suspended on festive structures. Each form preserves the gesture and intention of the person who made it, becoming part of a collective artwork shaped by many hands. On June 27 at 11:30 am, when Mastro Sol is activated by the public, participants are invited to rediscover their own flag, see how it became part of the final installation, and harvest it to share, offer, or eat.

Caravanserá Workshop
Before the performance (on June 27th), audiences are invited to take part in a participatory workshop where movement, sound, and collective actions gradually shape the world of Caravanserá. Inspired by historical “caravanserais” – places of encounter and exchange –, the workshop creates an informal space where participants of different ages contribute to the atmosphere of the performance, blurring the boundaries between audience and performers.

NEW BOWING BAND
NEW BOWING BAND is a project aimed at creating an intercontinental band that blends the musical traditions of the diverse cultures found in the municipality of Odemira. It is the stories and musical experiences of each musician that shape this soundscape, marked by a variety of influences. It is, therefore, a gathering of musicians from different countries who come together to play, sing, and, above all, create a new, contemporary, and vibrant sound.

Sopa de Pedra
Sopa de Pedra a Portuguese all-female vocal ensemble that explores the country’s oral traditions, passed down for generations by women through work songs, lullabies, ballads, and festive and religious songs. Their music is based on a cappella polyphony, sometimes accompanied by traditional percussion instruments such as the adufe and the pandeiro. Through their polyphonic arrangements, they breathe new life into a heritage long confined to the domestic sphere, bringing it to the forefront of contemporary stages, both in Portugal and abroad. Concert curated by Alain Weber.

PLO Man
In a DJ set shaped by dense atmospheres and subtle sonic drifts, PLO Man builds a sonic journey where house, techno, breakbeat and dub echoes intersect in a fluid way. Closely connected to the universe of Acting Press, a cult label within the underground electronic scene, he develops an approach attentive to texture, duration and the slow transformations of the dancefloor. The video projection of an original drawing by JAS expands this sensory experience.

KAI – JAS & Pedro Moura
An immersive performance where live drawing and sound unfold together. Through the collaboration between JAS and Pedro Moura, image and music merge into a shared sensory experience.

Bal Moderne
A contemporary dance event where everyone is invited to take part in a lively and joyful late afternoon full of movement. The audience learns, in just a few minutes, choreographies created by international artists, becoming performers themselves. Between learning and celebration, this collective format dissolves the boundaries between stage and audience, fostering connection, sharing, and the discovery of contemporary dance through direct experience.

CAROLF
In an immersive DJ set, CAROLF guides the audience through subtle sonic landscapes, weaving experimental textures, ethereal atmospheres, and sporadic rhythms. Her selection reveals a deep sensitivity to detail and mood. The experience is enhanced by video projections of JAS’s original drawings, creating a sensory dialogue where sound and image merge into a contemplative, ever-evolving universe.

Fiz um foguete imaginando que você vinha, de Janaína Marques
Rosa lies inside an MRI machine. She is asked to think of a happy memory, something she doesn’t have. It is time to create one, by returning to her childhood, when her mother was arrested and accused of murder. And there they are, in a realistic reverie, travelling in an old hot dog van along the dirt roads of northern Brazil. Janaína Marques’ feature debut is a guided tour through a mind in turmoil, its landscapes and its wounds.
Past events

Sailing, You Would Sea Where To Go by Laure Prouvost
Discover Laure Prouvost's unique commission, unveiled for the first time: IDEALLY YOU WOULD SEA WHERE TO GO – HERE WE DREAM OF NO MORE FRONT TEARS. These phrases, written on the sails of the museum ship and produced in a specialized workshop in Brittany, are based on a hybrid play on words between English and French.

Love Difference - Mar Mediterraneo by Michelangelo Pistoletto
Discover the emblematic work Love Difference - Mar Mediterraneo by international artist Michelangelo Pistoletto, taking the form of a table of mirrors assembled according to the contours of the Mediterranean Sea, presented more than twenty years after its first iteration at the Venice Biennale (2003).

Mass Struggle by Akram Zaatari
Discover the artwork Mass Struggle by artist Akram Zaatari, created especially for the Art Explora Festival. Invited by Amanda Abi Khalil and Danielle Makhoul – associate curators of the touring exhibition – the artist presents a work that takes the form of the Mediterranean Sea.

Carte Blanche Méditerranéen
On the upper deck of the boat, every day between 5pm and 7pm, the festival’s curators and a collaboration with the national pavilions of the Biennale offer concerts, performances, screenings, talks, panels... on a ‘carte blanche’ principle, echoing their unique way of understanding the major themes of the Festival throughout its itinerancy, embodying the purpose of the project through cultural cooperation on a regional scale.

Concert by Gulay Hacer Toruk and Spyridon Halaris
“Sacred and unholy songs, from the East to the West, from Turkey to Greece” Concert by Gulay Hacer Toruk and Spyridon Halaris, programmed by Alain Weber (Head of World Music at the Philharmonie de Paris)

Ambient DJ Set
Androula Kafa (artist and director of The Island Club, Cyprus).
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Films on Loop Programme
No Title (For the Sea) by Renata Poljak, 2024. The Image Remains the Same by Ali El-Darsa, 2023 The Seaman, by Bouchra Khalili, 2012

Carte Blanche Méditerranéen
On the upper deck of the boat, every day between 5pm and 7pm, the festival’s curators and a collaboration with the national pavilions of the Biennale offer concerts, performances, screenings, talks, panels... on a ‘carte blanche’ principle, echoing their unique way of understanding the major themes of the Festival throughout its itinerancy, embodying the purpose of the project through cultural cooperation on a regional scale.

Films on Loop Programme
What things may come by Marianne Fahmy, 2019 Di queste Luci si Servira La Notte by Adrian Paci, 2017

Carte Blanche Méditerranéen
On the upper deck of the boat, every day between 5pm and 7pm, the festival’s curators and a collaboration with the national pavilions of the Biennale offer concerts, performances, screenings, talks, panels... on a ‘carte blanche’ principle, echoing their unique way of understanding the major themes of the Festival throughout its itinerancy, embodying the purpose of the project through cultural cooperation on a regional scale.

Films on Loop Programme
Acéra or the witches' ball by Jean Painlevé, 1972 LODOS by Didem Özbek, 2014, HOLE by Didem Özbek, 2015, Climbing the sea (Arrampicare il mare), by Alex Cecchetti, 2023

Ocean Evening
On the occasion of the 60th Venice Biennale, Art Explora, TBA21 and LAS Art Foundation are pleased to invite you to this great evening event, part of the Ocean Weekend program developed by the Art Explora Festival, a cultural festival traveling around the Mediterranean thanks to its museum boat.

Films on Loop Programme
Breathings of the moon by Leonor Serrano Rivas and Diego Delas, 2022 The sun does not rise in the north by Mónica de Miranda, 2023
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Ocean Weekend
Ocean Weekend is a weekend dedicated to the ocean climate emergency, organized in collaboration with UNOC, TBA21, LAS, and UNESCO. Through panels of artists, researchers, and scientists, open to the public, discussions will address issues related to sea-level rise, the aridity line, the climate emergency, blue education, and more. A grand Ocean Evening will take place on Saturday the 20th at Espace Océan in collaboration with TBA21 and the LAS Art Foundation, featuring concerts, performances, and screenings.

Films on Loop Programme
The lifting by Louisa Babari, 2009 Bird watching by Stelios Kallinikou, 2023 Video Study (I WILL FOLLOW THE SHIP) Matthew Attard
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
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