VOLTA’s 2026 thematic Pavilion endeavours to tell the powerful stories of contemporary Aboriginal artists whose work holds universal significance and power. Anchored in the concept of “Everywhen,” the Pavilion explores the Indigenous concept of time as a continuum in which the past, present and future coexist simultaneously.

Aboriginal Australians hold a history extending back more than 65,000 years. The Pavilion will connect visitors to VOLTA with these ancient histories, ancestral mythologies, cultural traditions, and the vibrant contemporary art practices being created today.

Many of the featured artists are recognised in major institutional collections, including Tate Modern, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, the Vatican City, and the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. 

Everywhen: Contemporary Aboriginal Art is curated by VOLTA Artistic Director Lee Cavaliere, and advised by a community of curators and experts in Indigenous art, including Rebecca Hossack, Stèphane Jacob, Jasmine Coe, Sixtine Crutchfield, Dr Catherine Kineweskwêw Richardson, Theresa Burkhardt, Shonae Hobson, Gautier Chiarini, Rob Russell, Swisspeace and Emilia Galatis. With thanks to Museum Partner, Fondation Burkhardt-Felder.

Explore the Pavilion galleries here.

Artwork: Detail of Emily Kam Kngwarray, Untitled, 1993, acrylic on linen, 905 x 1310 mm. Courtesy Knight Fine Art, Australia

Frische! highlights bold and innovative approaches from emerging galleries, and those with distinctive curatorial methods. A dynamic and energetic group of 8 galleries, this section showcases fresh voices and experimental practices at the forefront of the contemporary art market.

Explore the Frische! galleries here.

Artwork: FU-Hau Shiuan, In the Palm of One’s Hand, 2025, oil on canvas, 72 x 90cm. Courtesy Donna Art

The EMERGE + ENGAGE programme will continue to create a space for further conversations to unfold in real time. Through encounters, exchanges, and activations that connect audiences to new ideas, VOLTA aims to demonstrate what it means to collect, create and connect with intention. Details of the program will be announced in April.

For the first time, VOLTA presents The 5,000 Edit: A curated series of artworks that spotlight standout works available for under CHF 5,000 - offering collectors and newcomers alike an accessible entry point into the fair.

Artwork: Yannick Fournié, Solaris 14, 80 × 80cm. Courtesy Ange Monnoyeur Gallery

VOLTA’s love letter to Basel continues. In partnership with This is Basel, the 2026 edition of VOLTA will again pay tribute to the fair’s founding city of Basel. For the second year, Basel residents are invited to experience VOLTA and a special program with complimentary access from 19 - 21 June, 2 - 4PM, as a gesture of appreciation for the city's long-standing support of the fair.