Physical Address
Indirizzo: Via Mario Greco 60, Buttigliera Alta, 10090, Torino, Italy
The 9th edition of the International Festival of Contemporary Art in Algeria (FIAC/IFCA), under the theme “Beyond Borders”, will take place from November 29 to December 6, 2025. The main exhibition of the festival will be hosted at the Moufdi-Zakaria Palace of Culture, while other events and exhibitions will be held in several cultural spaces in the capital.
As is customary for this type of event, a press conference was held yesterday at the Palais de la Culture. On this occasion, the festival’s curator, Hamza Bounoua, accompanied by Maamar Guerziz, artistic director of the event, and Wahiba Merabet, in charge of public relations, presented the main points of the 9th edition of the International Cultural Festival of Contemporary Art in Algeria. This edition, organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Arts, is placed this year under the slogan “Beyond Borders”.
According to Hamza Bounoua, the choice of this slogan reflects the desire to make art a meeting space capable of transcending political, cultural and ideological barriers. In a global context marked by conflicts, violence, discrimination and humanitarian disasters, the festival, he argued, claims art as a lever for change, mutual understanding and critical reflection.
“Art should not be considered as a simple aesthetic luxury, but as a form of soft power,” Hamza Bounoua then insisted, emphasizing, in this sense, that strong cultural policies support artists, to promote their mobility and, ultimately, strengthen their presence on the international scene. The festival thus aims to become a bridge between the creators of the world, a space where solidarity, diversity and freedom of expression are affirmed, always according to the same speaker.
Another major point of this edition is that of the new dynamic given to the art market. “For the first time since independence, more than 22 international galleries will participate in the International Contemporary Art Festival, alongside 8 Algerian galleries,” said the festival commissioner.
In total, 120 foreign artists from 34 countries will take part in the event. An eclectic participation, which the organizers present as a meeting, positioning Algiers as a ground for professional exchanges between artists, gallery owners, collectors and the public.
According to the festival’s curator, the stated objective is to address committed themes, to strengthen the visibility of the Algerian artistic scene, to stimulate opportunities for creators and to place the festival sustainably in the network of major international events. “Western Sahara is fully participating in this edition, which constitutes a strong political message,” declared Hamza Bounoua.
International Forum of Contemporary Art
The 2025 edition will also offer an International Contemporary Art Forum, designed as a space for analyzing rapid transformations in the sector. Discussions will focus in particular on the impact of artificial intelligence, the place of contemporary African art, as well as new geographical and identity configurations of creation. Artists, researchers and specialists will be invited to compare their visions and question the future of artistic practices in a constantly evolving digital world.
Convinced of the need to support emerging talents, the festival devotes an important part to training. A workshop dedicated to the profession of exhibition curator, supervised by Ehab El-Labban (Egypt), will allow participants to familiarize themselves with the professional tools of curating and managing cultural events.
Other sessions will target emerging artists, with training on cultural marketing and professional communication, led by the artist Mohamed El Masry, from Egypt, and by Redha Djemai, an Algerian painter. The objective is to support aspiring creators in building solid careers and give them the means to assert themselves on the artistic scene.
Diaspora Exhibition and Special Round Table
Another major novelty, the creation of a collective exhibition entirely dedicated to artists from the Algerian diaspora, under the supervision of Yasmine Azzi-Kohlhepp, AYN GALLERY. “This initiative aims to strengthen links between creators established abroad and national cultural institutions, while promoting the richness of artistic careers influenced by exile, the plurality of cultures and new international scenes,” explained the festival commissioner. Note that a round table will bring together exhibiting artists to discuss the challenges and opportunities linked to belonging to the diaspora, as well as perspectives for cultural cooperation.
Speaking at the conference, Wahiba Merabet highlighted the “strategic” scope of the tourist circuits programmed, this time, for official guests. These visits, she indicated, will make it possible to discover the historical sites and heritage regions of the country, with the ambition of showing an Algeria that is open, welcoming and rich in its diversity.
“Art and culture are a soft force capable of deconstructing stereotypes,” she further declared, believing that these initiatives contribute to improving the image of the country while promoting its heritage.
Each participating gallery will receive a festival trophy, and several national artistic figures will be honored during a recognition ceremony, organizers said. The festival will end, automatically, at the end of the exhibition period, on December 6, thus closing an edition announced as one of the most open and international since its creation. Last year, the event welcomed participants from 39 foreign countries.
The opening is scheduled for Saturday, November 29; The Moufdi-Zakaria Palace of Culture will be the setting for the official inauguration of the festival by the Minister of Culture and Arts, in the presence of diplomatic representatives, followed by the opening of the public exhibition. On Sunday, November 30, the École supérieure des Beaux-Arts will be the setting for the international intellectual forum entitled “Beyond Borders”. Monday 1er December, a tourist visit is planned for guests to the Villa Boulkine (Hussein-Dey), which will also present the exhibition of IFCA workshops dedicated to emerging artists, followed by their opening, while an intellectual seminar bringing together artists from the diaspora will be organized the next day. On Wednesday to Friday, December 3 to 5, participants will attend a workshop on the profession of exhibition curator and the awards ceremony. Finally, the permanent exhibition will continue until the official closing of activities scheduled for December 5 and 6, 2025.