Private dinner table with warm lighting, glassware and centrepieces in a high-ceilinged room

3-7 March 2027IFEMA MADRID211 galleries from 30 countries in 2026

Brand events during ARCOmadrid 2027

ARCOmadrid 2027, the 46th edition, runs from 3 to 7 March at IFEMA MADRID. The first two days and the Friday morning are for trade visitors only. We organise private dinners, guided tours and VIP receptions for sponsors, private banks, luxury brands and galleries that want to host their guests that week.

ARCOmadrid 2027 dates
Wednesday 3 to Sunday 7 March
Trade visitors only
3 and 4 March and the morning of 5 March. Open to the public from 15:00 on Friday 5
Venue
IFEMA MADRID, halls 7 and 9
Galleries 2026
211 from 30 countries, with around 1,300 artists
Visitors 2026
Around 95,000, of whom around 40,000 were trade visitors
Guests 2026
More than 800 invited collectors and professionals
Recommended booking
6 to 9 months ahead

2027 dates, opening hours and halls according to IFEMA. 2026 figures according to IFEMA's wrap-up report, which gives the 95,000 visitors as an estimate, and the ARCOmadrid website. Sources at the bottom of the page.

What we organise for your brand during ARCOmadrid

Formats for an audience used to the best, which expects discretion, punctuality and a good reason to give you its evening.

Private dinners with collectors

Private dinners with collectors

Dinners for 10 to 80 guests in palace rooms, private hotel dining rooms or museum spaces, with a chef's menu, wine pairing and a seating plan shaped by the host.

Guided tours of the fair

Guided tours of the fair

Tours for your clients during trade hours with a contemporary art expert, in small groups, with tickets arranged through the official channels and door-to-door transfers.

VIP receptions for sponsors

VIP receptions for sponsors

Drinks receptions for the clients of a sponsoring brand or financial institution, with a short presentation, live music and floor service that matches the audience.

Private after-hours museum visits

Private after-hours museum visits

Tours with the museum closed to the public, followed by drinks or dinner, in venues that open to private events in the evening.

Private banking breakfasts and lunches

Private banking breakfasts and lunches

Gatherings for wealth management clients with an expert talk on the art market, in private rooms in central Madrid.

Gallery and artist dinners

Gallery and artist dinners

The gallery's dinner after the opening or a meeting with one of its artists, with a closed guest list, protocol and a discreet photographer.

Transfers, protocol and content

Transfers, protocol and content

Chauffeur-driven cars, hosts, cloakroom, guest control and photo or video with image rights for the artworks cleared before the event.

An ARCOmadrid week with your brand

An example for a sponsor or a private bank. We adapt it to your guest list, your presence at the fair and the collectors' pace.

  1. Tuesday 2 March

    The day before

    • International guests arrive. Pick-up at Barajas and check-in at the hotel.
    • Welcome dinner for the small group that arrives early.
  2. Wednesday 3 March

    First trade day

    • Guided tour of the fair in small groups, just after the fair opens.
    • Private dinner with collectors in a palace room in the centre.
  3. Thursday 4 March

    Wealth management clients

    • Private banking breakfast with a talk on the art market.
    • VIP reception in a museum with a private visit and drinks.
  4. Friday 5 March

    Last trade morning

    • Second guided tour before the fair opens to the public at 15:00.
    • Gallery or artist dinner with a closed guest list.
  5. Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 March

    Weekend and wrap-up

    • Optional cultural programme for guests staying on in Madrid.
    • Edited photos for your internal report and, if you approve, your social channels.

When to book your ARCOmadrid event

The first week of March brings ARCOmadrid and HIP together, and the most sought-after museums and rooms are taken early. This is the timeline we recommend.

Book your ARCOmadrid event
  1. 9 to 12 months aheadChoose the night and hold the venue and, if there are international guests, the bedrooms.
  2. 6 months aheadConcept, chef, expert or guide, entertainment and a save the date to guests.
  3. 3 months aheadPersonal invitations, confirmations and a chauffeur transfer plan.
  4. 4 to 6 weeks aheadSeating plan, protocol, image rights and a technical visit to the venue.
  5. Fair weekProduction, coordination with the museum or palace and attention to every guest.
  6. 48 hours afterEdited photos, thank-you notes and final accounts.

What is ARCOmadrid and who comes?

ARCOmadrid is Madrid's international contemporary art fair. In 2026 it brought together 211 galleries from 30 countries, representing around 1,300 artists, according to IFEMA's wrap-up report. The organisers estimated around 95,000 visitors, about 40,000 of them trade visitors, and an impact of €195 million on the city.

The 46th edition runs from 3 to 7 March 2027 in halls 7 and 9 at IFEMA MADRID. The fair attracts collectors, museums and institutions that buy work, curators and art advisers. That week their hosts are in Madrid too: galleries, sponsors, banks with wealth management services and brands that work with this audience.

For a luxury brand or a private bank, ARCOmadrid is a natural occasion to invite its best clients. The art provides the reason. The event provides the time to talk.

Which formats work for brands, private banks and galleries?

The ARCO audience is small, demanding and in high demand. It prefers an intimate, well-run format to a big party. These are the ones we propose:

  • Private dinners. For 10 to 80 guests, with a closed list and a seating plan shaped by the host. It is the format with the most value per guest.
  • Guided tours of the fair. In groups of six to ten, during trade hours, with an expert who knows the galleries. Your clients see more, and better, in an hour and a half than on their own in an afternoon.
  • VIP receptions. For sponsors who want to gather several hundred clients at a drinks reception, with a short presentation and live music.
  • Private museum visits. With the museum closed, followed by drinks or dinner. Several Madrid museums open to private events in the evening.
  • Private banking breakfasts. A short talk on the art market from an expert, before heading to the fair.

If the format is a seated dinner with a stage, speeches or awards, see our gala dinners page. If the occasion is a chance to present a collection, a limited-edition piece or an artist collaboration, we approach it as a product launch with a cultural angle.

Which days and times should you choose?

The 2027 opening hours shape the programme quite a lot. These are the hours published by IFEMA:

Day Access Hours
Wednesday 3 March Trade only 10:00 to 20:00
Thursday 4 March Trade only 12:00 to 20:00
Friday 5 March Trade in the morning, public in the afternoon 12:00 to 20:00
Saturday 6 March Trade and public 12:00 to 20:00
Sunday 7 March Trade and public 12:00 to 18:00

For guided tours with clients, the best slots are Wednesday morning and the Thursday and Friday mornings, before the public comes in. For dinners, Wednesday and Thursday bring the most collectors into the city. The weekend is better suited to cultural programmes for guests who stay on.

Museums, palaces and hotels: where to hold your event

IFEMA is on the outskirts, but ARCO's evenings happen in the centre. For an art audience, the venue is part of the message. We propose three families:

  1. Museums with after-hours events. The Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza hosts events with the museum closed and has a viewpoint with a terrace on the fifth floor. The Galería de las Colecciones Reales offers private visits and a large terrace next to the Royal Palace.
  2. Palaces and historic workshops. The Palacio de Santoña has dining rooms for 72 guests in the Barrio de las Letras. The Real Fábrica de Tapices, a workshop that is still in operation, suits an audience that values craftsmanship.
  3. Luxury hotels. The Rosewood Villa Magna has a garden and function rooms on the Castellana, useful if your international guests are staying there.

Producing an event among works of art

An event in a museum or alongside artworks has its own rules, and it pays to know them from the start. The venue decides what can be served and where, what lighting is allowed, how many people fit in each room and which routes the waiting staff can use. It also decides whether photos can be taken and on what terms.

Before confirming the venue we go through those conditions with you, the insurance it requires and the set-up times, which tend to be short because the museum opens the next day. At the dinner we take care of protocol: personal confirmation from every guest, a seating plan approved by the host, a cloakroom and a chauffeur-driven car for anyone who needs one.

The first week of March is also one of the busiest of the year in Madrid. ARCOmadrid coincides with HIP, the hospitality trade fair, and with the world congress on dual pathology at the Meliá Castilla. You will find all the verified dates in our Madrid trade fair calendar 2027 and more formats on our page on events during trade shows and congresses.

Our experience in trade show weeks

The MC Group team has been producing corporate events for more than 20 years and has organised more than 100 in Madrid, with dedicated staff and event planners in the city. Trade show weeks are part of that work: every year the group's team produces brand events during ISE and MWC in Barcelona for Logitech, Microsoft and Yealink. They are weeks when bookings close many months ahead, guests are short of time and production runs several nights in a row.

If you want your event at ARCOmadrid 2027, tell us which night you are interested in, what kind of guests you expect and how many. We will send you a first proposal with available venues within 24 business hours.

Sources

  1. IFEMA MADRID: ARCOmadrid 2027 dates, opening hours and halls
  2. IFEMA MADRID: ARCOmadrid 2026 wrap-up (211 galleries from 30 countries, around 95,000 visitors)
  3. IFEMA MADRID: official ARCOmadrid website (more than 800 invited collectors and professionals)
  4. IFEMA MADRID: trade fair calendar

Frequently asked questions

When is ARCOmadrid 2027?

From Wednesday 3 to Sunday 7 March 2027, in halls 7 and 9 at IFEMA MADRID. It is the 46th edition, according to IFEMA.

Which days of ARCOmadrid are for trade visitors only?

3 and 4 March and the morning of Friday 5. The general public is admitted from 15:00 on Friday 5 until Sunday 7. For visits with collectors and clients, the trade days are the quietest.

How many galleries and visitors does ARCOmadrid have?

In 2026, 211 galleries from 30 countries took part, with around 1,300 artists. IFEMA estimated around 95,000 visitors, about 40,000 of them trade visitors, and more than 800 invited collectors and professionals.

Can you organise a guided tour of the fair for my clients?

Yes. We run it in small groups, during trade hours, with a contemporary art expert and a transfer from the hotel or office. Tickets are arranged through the fair's official channels.

Which venue do you recommend for a dinner with collectors?

It depends on the number of guests. For 20 to 70 people, palace dining rooms such as the Palacio de Santoña's and private hotel rooms work well. For more than 150, a museum that hosts after-hours events, such as the Thyssen-Bornemisza.

How far ahead do you need to book?

We recommend 6 to 9 months. Museums have their own calendars and few free evenings, and that week several brands and institutions compete for them.

What experience do you have with trade show weeks?

Every year the group's team produces brand events during ISE and MWC in Barcelona for Logitech, Microsoft and Yealink. It is the same discipline: booking with time to spare, looking after guests who are short of time and producing several nights in a row.

Can I use the ARCOmadrid brand on the invitation?

A private event during the fair is not an official ARCOmadrid event. The prudent approach is to present it as your event in Madrid during ARCO week, without the fair's logos, unless you are a sponsor and your agreement allows it.

Tell us about your event

We reply with a proposal within 24 business hours. No obligation.

  • We send a proposal within 24 business hours.
  • ECM is part of MC Group and specialises in corporate events, congresses and MICE in Madrid, where the team has organised more than 100 corporate events.

Tell us about your event

About: ARCOmadrid

We reply with a proposal within 24 business hours. No obligation.

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