Lucca Art Fair 2026:
The 10th edition brings together 49 exhibitors at the Real Collegio.
September in Lucca has its own rhythm. After the summer busier with tourists, the city opens up to events that resonate more with locals than with those just passing through. The Lucca Art Fair is one of them, and this year marks its 10th edition.
Between September 25th and 27th The Real Collegio hosts 49 Italian and international exhibitors, divided into four sections: Main Section, Art Projects, Independent, and Editor. This year's theme is Let's Get Lost, inspired by Chet Baker and the period when the trumpeter was detained in Lucca in the early 1960s. The curatorial team uses this story as a starting point to discuss getting lost as a conscious act, a way of regaining attention to what habit makes invisible.
Why does the Royal College matter?
Anyone who has visited the Real Collegio knows that the space is only half the experience. The fair's layout unfolds among rooms, cloisters, and passageways, encouraging direct contact with the gallery owners and allowing time to calmly observe the works, quite different from the logic of a typical fair pavilion.
What to expect from the programming
The Main Section brings together 29 galleries, with established names on the national scene alongside international presences such as Centro de Edición Galería (Buenos Aires), Galeria Richard Vanderaa (Celrà), and Prototip Gallery (Belgrade). Art Projects focuses on solo shows and duo shows of more experimental research. Independent brings together collectives and independent spaces outside the traditional market logic. The Editor section, new to this edition, is dedicated to independent publishing and artist's books.
It's worth setting aside time for three specific points in the program:
One luminous sculpture by Bruno Bani, installed in the first cloister of the Real Collegio, at the entrance to the fair, part of the Esercitarsi allo sguardo project curated by Leonardo Conti.
A sound performance of saxophonist Dimitri Grechi EspinozaFriday, September 25th at 6 PM, at Chiostro B, revisiting jazz standards in dialogue with the acoustics of the space.
An exhibition dedicated to Joseph Chiari, at Sala Museum, celebrating the artist's centenary, with works from the 1960s to the 2000s.
Practical information
Real Collegio, Piazza del Collegio 13, Lucca. Friday 3pm to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am to 8pm. Admission Friday €5, Saturday and Sunday €10 (reduced €8).
For those who live in Lucca
September in Lucca already brings together the Lucca Film Festival and, at the end of October, the Lucca Comics & Games. The Lucca Art Fair closes this autumn cultural cycle and is a good reminder that the city thrives on events all year round, not just during the peak tourist season.
Want to know in advance what's happening in Lucca and Tuscany each week? Check out the complete cultural agenda at ToscanaLucca and follow the upcoming editions, published weekly with a selection of events.
