Every collection is as unique as its collector; from its thematic focus to how its contents are acquired, there is no “right” way to build – and no one pathway to entry. But across every collection, one thing remains true: each individual addition enhances the value of the whole. The barriers may seem high, but the most thoughtful collections aren’t often inherited: they are built, with passion and curiosity. In a candid, rare “fireside chat” style panel, contemporary collectors and advisors compare notes and share stories about how they got into acquiring art.

After the experiences of war and the pandemic, regions in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) face new challenges in the future of energy supply and transformation towards sustainability. The recent events have underscored the fragility of independence and democracy, prompting a shift towards local and regional solutions within the CEE and DACH regions. The discussion aims to explore strategies to enhance energy resilience and sustainability in the face of these contemporary challenges.

Do collective, cross-generational art experiences exist that make global issues such as human-made environmental destruction, climate change, species extinction, and advancing technologization tangible? In collaboration with Klima Biennale Wien, viennacontemporary examines the influence of courageous and critical art that questions artistic, political, and social conventions and may offer new answers to the energy crisis, the future, and sustainability.

Contemporary art fairs and the collateral programs that sprout up around them have had no small impact on the identities of the cities that house them. Basel springs to mind as one locality that has been irrevocably shaped as a destination and international brand by the global art fair named after it – despite being Switzerland’s third most populous city, and a centuries-old hub of culture and learning.

How do curators and institutional directors from across Europe approach curation? The discussion with this year’s participants of Join the Conversation will explore some of the current concerns, new ways of production, and changing ideas around exhibition making. What is the role of the curator today and how can that be reimagined?

In an increasingly networked, hyperconnected world, what is the value of regional cultural ecosystems? And, in a world in which monolithic ideas of nationhood and belonging continue to have catastrophic consequences, how should arts institutions build ties and identify with their neighbors?