ART FAIRS: The Platforms Project 2026

Athens is set to become a vibrant hub for contemporary art this September as the Platforms Project – Independent Art Fair returns for its 14th consecutive year. From September 17 to 20, 2026, the iconic Hellenic Parliament Tobacco Factory at 218 Lenorman Street will transform into a dynamic meeting point for artistic creation and exchange .

By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo: Platforms Project Archive

This year’s event promises to be the largest international visual arts exhibition of the independent art scene in Greece and one of the few global events exclusively. The Platforms Project 2026 will feature 66 artistic platforms from 22 countries, showcasing the work of more than 1,100 artists . The participating nations span the globe, including Greece, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, Finland, the United States, Austria, Germany, France, Australia, South Korea, Poland, Belgium, Turkey, Ireland, Brazil, Portugal, Albania, Colombia, Japan, and Romania .

The fair was founded in 2013 by visual artists Artemis Potamianou and Michalis Argyrou, who continue to direct the project, with Potamianou serving as the artistic curator . What began as a parallel program at Art Athina has evolved into one of the world’s two largest independent art exhibitions of its kind, comparable only to Stockholm’s Supermarket art fair .

For the third consecutive year, the exhibition will be held at the Hellenic Parliament Tobacco Factory, an impressive industrial space that provides a raw, unpolished setting perfect for contemporary art . The venue is made available with the kind support of the Hellenic Parliament . The building’s gritty industrial charm creates an atmospheric backdrop for installations, performances, and thought-provoking projects .

Beyond the main exhibition, the Platforms Project 2026 will present a comprehensive parallel program featuring conferences, talks, performances, presentations, guided tours, educational activities, and workshops . The event transforms the exhibition space into an open venue for encounters, research, and artistic dialogue . A distinctive feature of the Platforms Project is its emphasis on the live presence of artists themselves, offering the public the opportunity to converse directly with creators and gain firsthand insight into contemporary independent artistic processes .

Alongside the main fair, a special exhibition titled “M#3, Moments, Meetings, Memories” will be held at the Lofos art project exhibition space. Curated by Liesbeth Bos and Konstantin Economou, this exhibition features artists who have participated in the Platforms Project in previous years .

The Platforms Project’s core mission is to document and highlight the independent international arts scene, strengthen collaboration among artistic groups, and develop a sustainable international network for exchange . Over its 14-year history, it has created the conditions for meaningful dialogue between artists, curators, theorists, and independent initiatives from around the world .

For those seeking to experience Athens’ authentic creative energy and discover the independent voices shaping contemporary art, the Platforms Project 2026 offers an unmissable opportunity to engage with the global independent art scene in one of the city’s most distinctive venues .

Participating Platforms: ACEY Europe – Arts & Culture Community , adARTes, Alter, Art For Earth 22, Art Group Ana | Εικαστική Ομάδα ἀνά, Art in a box, art team Συν | ομάδα τέχνης Συν, ArtCode, artplatform | elsewhere / museum of forgetting, ArtUnitas | Αρτ Ούνιτας, ATHENS STREET ART FESTIVAL, AVARTS, AXIONART, Broen Project, BROKEN ART GROUP, Common Ground | Κοινός Τόπος, Correspondents, CUBE ART EDITIONS | ΚΥΒΟΣ ΕΚΔΟΣΕΙΣ ΤΕΧΝΗΣ, Daily Temporary and Wanderlust, Darling Pearls &; Co. DepArt, Dionysos and Apollon Theatre Company, Dipola | Δίπολα, Distortion art, Eco Flaneur, elementA, Encounters, Events Horizon | Ορίζοντας Γεγονότων, FARFALLA | ΦΑΡΦΑΛΑ, FokiaNou Art Space, Fundacja Ziemniaki I,  Galerie Theorema asbl, Gi-Nekyia | Γη-Νέκυια, H-M-S, Hellenic Jet Society, ID:I Gallery, Istanbul Painters Club, JS Gallery by IMC, ΚΙΝΟΥΜΕΝΗ ΑΜΜΟΣ | SHIFTING SAND, LES APACHES DE PATISSION, ΜΕΤΑ-ΦΡΑΣΤΕΣ | META-FRASTES, METApolis, Molekyl gallery, ΟΣΥΑΠΕ – ΜΕΤΑΒΑΣΗ | OSYAPE – METAVASI, Paper Project, [pool], POW WOW, Project Space Piraeus, Rhythm Section, SATELLITE ZONE, Solas Art Center, Splitart Projects, Studio 44, The Affectif Kolektyf, KΡΗΝΗ | Τhe KRINI Project, The Red Boat Projects, Tupajumi foundation, Urban Cosmos | Αστικό Σύμπαν, Visual March to Prespes | Εικαστική Πορεία προς τις Πρέσπες, VISUAL VOICES, WEDO, You’re Invited ArtGroup

Photo: FokiaNou Art Space, Panagiotis Voulgaris, Neapolis III, 2022

Info: Directors: by Artemis Potamianou and Michalis Argyrou, Artistic Director: Artemis Potamianou, Platforms Project– Independent Art Fair 2026, Former Tobacco Factory Lenorman 218, Athens, Greece, Duration: 17-20/9/2026, Days & Hours: Thu (17/9) 18:00-22:30, Fri-Sun (17-20/9) 12:00-21:00, Free entry upon presentation of a valid ID card, www.platformsproject.com