The name Mostra refers to reflecting what is moving within Barcelona’s scene, and we always try to give space in the programme to artists who live in the city or are closely connected to it. But at the same time Mostra connects with the idea of art, film or theatre mostras — showcases — which is why each edition focuses on a guest country by booking artists from that particular place. It is a programming line designed to connect Barcelona with other international scenes without giving up on being a project rooted in the city.
The countries, year by year
The first guest country, in 2022, was the United States, represented by Patrick Russell, Ulla — performing as LOG alongside Perila — Vicki Siolos and Philip Sherburne, who runs the Barcelona label Balmat.
In 2023 Switzerland took over, with Varuna — the project formed by Giomar Scialfa, Mario Oetterli and Simon Montfort — and Timnah as its protagonists, in an edition supported by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia.
In 2024 the focus shifted to the United Kingdom with a programme bringing together Ario, Sybil, Forest Drive West and Hems, spread across Hangar and the Castell de Montjuïc. It was also the edition in which the relationship with the British scene made itself felt beyond the line-up, with the ExtraMostra nights in London alongside Astral Industries and Introspective Electronics.
In 2025 the guest country was Japan, with Lynne, ENA and OCCA — the latter two making their debut in Spain — alongside a conversation within the Mostra’m sessions moderated by Kentaro Terajima, with the nominal support of the Japan Foundation.
In 2026 the French focus extended across the festival’s entire ecosystem and not only the line-up: artists such as Aerae, Marylou and Toé within the musical programme; projects present at the Fira including Melifera Records, Polën and Klape Nunsen; and Mostra’m sessions with two special activities, ‘French Affair’ and ‘In the Name of <3’. It was the fullest expression to date of what we mean by a guest country: not a flagship artist, but an entire scene crossing the city for a week.
A fact about each year
The guest country is, for that reason, a fact about each year rather than a section of the festival. It is recorded edition by edition in the archive, alongside everything else that happened that year, and from there it can be walked backwards: who came, with what institutional support, in which spaces they played and what they left behind.
The other heartbeats