VOLTA at 20
ENGAGE + EMERGE

Celebrating two decades of championing emerging artistic voices, VOLTA Basel’s ENGAGE + EMERGE programme delves into pressing themes shaping the contemporary and emerging art landscape: the rise of women in the art market, the impact of geopolitics on the cultural landscape, and the dynamics of local, national, and international arts ecosystems.​ 

ENGAGE | THURSDAY 19 JUNE
3:00 - 4:00PM

The Geopolitics of the Art Market 
Curated and moderated by Tallulah Patricia Bär 

Cultural strategist and AfroSwissters founder Tallulah Patricia Bär leads a discussion on how shifting global power structures are redefining cultural capital and artistic value.​ Speakers include Adriano Picinati di Torcello, Global Art and Finance at Deloitte and Lee Cavaliere, Artistic Director, VOLTA, and Julia Lechbinska, Founder of Lechbinska Gallery.

Tallulah Patricia Bär

ENGAGE | THURSDAY 19 JUNE
6:00 - 7:00PM

Women on the Rise: A Gendered Power Shift? 
Moderated by Alexandra Steinacker-Clark

Exploring the increasing prominence of women in the art world, this panel examines whether gender equity is becoming a reality for artists and gallerists.​ Speakers include Chus Martínez, Head of the Institute Art Gender Nature, FHNW Academy of Art and Design, Marie Isabelle Poirier Troyano, Artist and Loewe Craft Prize Shortlisted artist, and Kimia Nakhaei, International Manager of Mojdeh Gallery, Iran.

Alexandra Steinacker-Clark

FRIDAY 20 JUNE
11:00 - 4:00PM

Switzerland in Focus 

Liebs Basel, Viele Dangg VOLTA

Basel residents are invited to enjoy a complimentary day at VOLTA on Friday 20th June. As a gesture of appreciation for the city's long-standing support of the fair - VOLTA says thank you. This special initiative invites the local community to explore and collect a diverse range of contemporary art from around the world, discover local and international galleries, and connect with artists and curators. 

EMERGE | FRIDAY 20 JUNE
5:00 - 9:00PM

Xintong Gao, UNTITLED 25, 2025, Oil on linen, 130 x 100cm. Courtesy the Artist and LATITUDE Gallery New York

An evening that deep dives into the emerging arts ecosystem in Basel, Switzerland and beyond.  


In partnership with the magazine PROZ - Kultur im Raum Basel.

EMERGE | FRIDAY 20 JUNE
6:00 - 7:00PM

From Local to Global – How Artists and Galleries Break Through

This evening panel discusses the pathways through which artists and galleries transition from local recognition to international acclaim, highlighting the support systems necessary for such growth. 

Moderated by curator and art historian Carrie Scott, Founder of Seen.art. Speakers include ​Keabetswe Boccomino, Curator of Afrinova; Katharina Brandl, Head of Visual Arts at Pro Helvetia; Lee Cavaliere, Artistic Director, VOLTA; Stevenson Dunn Jr., Co-Founder of The Bishop Gallery​. 

Carrie Scott

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