Lisbon Art Weekend
Contact
info@lisbonartweekend.com
Lisbon Art Weekend (LAW) is a citywide contemporary art event founded in 2019 by Marc Kean Paker and Merve Pakyuürek. Taking place annually in Lisbon, the initiative offers a free and inclusive public programme designed to connect galleries, museums, independent spaces, artists, and audiences across the city. The event promotes collaboration within the contemporary art ecosystem while encouraging broader public engagement with art through accessible formats such as guided tours, talks, performances, workshops, and special events. Now preparing its 8th edition, scheduled from 5 to 8 November 2026, Lisbon Art Weekend continues to expand its network and programme. In the previous edition, the event brought together over 50 participating spaces, including leading museums and cultural institutions in Lisbon, and presented around 80 events, all free and open to the public. Operating as a non-profit cultural platform, LAW focuses on audience development, cultural mediation, and strengthening Lisbon's visibility within international contemporary art networks. Through its growing programme and partnerships, the initiative aims to facilitate dialogue, support artistic exchange, and build long-term connections between local and international cultural communities.
coordinator
Merve Pakyürek
Merve Pakyürek is a cultural programmer and producer with over 15 years of experience in the arts and cultural sector, working across contemporary art, public programmes, and international collaboration. Based in Lisbon, she focuses on developing inclusive, citywide cultural initiatives that connect artists, art spaces, institutions, and audiences at both local and international levels. Her work emphasises accessibility, audience development, cultural mediation, and the creation of sustainable cultural networks. She graduated from Paris 8 University with a degree in Creative Industries: Media, Web, and Art. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with a wide range of public and private cultural institutions, contributing to the development of contemporary art projects, exhibitions, and large-scale cultural events. Her professional experience includes working for the European Capital of Culture 2010 and the international art fair Contemporary Istanbul, where she was responsible for exhibitor relations, partnerships, and project coordination. Before moving to Lisbon, she served as coordinator of the Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art in Istanbul, where she worked closely with the museum collection and developed public programmes aimed at strengthening audience engagement. She is the co-founder of Lisbon Art Weekend, a citywide contemporary art platform connecting galleries, independent spaces, artists, and audiences.
Contact
info@lisbonartweekend.com
Lisbon Art Weekend (LAW) is a citywide contemporary art event founded in 2019 by Marc Kean Paker and Merve Pakyuürek. Taking place annually in Lisbon, the initiative offers a free and inclusive public programme designed to connect galleries, museums, independent spaces, artists, and audiences across the city. The event promotes collaboration within the contemporary art ecosystem while encouraging broader public engagement with art through accessible formats such as guided tours, talks, performances, workshops, and special events. Now preparing its 8th edition, scheduled from 5 to 8 November 2026, Lisbon Art Weekend continues to expand its network and programme. In the previous edition, the event brought together over 50 participating spaces, including leading museums and cultural institutions in Lisbon, and presented around 80 events, all free and open to the public. Operating as a non-profit cultural platform, LAW focuses on audience development, cultural mediation, and strengthening Lisbon's visibility within international contemporary art networks. Through its growing programme and partnerships, the initiative aims to facilitate dialogue, support artistic exchange, and build long-term connections between local and international cultural communities.
coordinator
Merve Pakyürek
Merve Pakyürek is a cultural programmer and producer with over 15 years of experience in the arts and cultural sector, working across contemporary art, public programmes, and international collaboration. Based in Lisbon, she focuses on developing inclusive, citywide cultural initiatives that connect artists, art spaces, institutions, and audiences at both local and international levels. Her work emphasises accessibility, audience development, cultural mediation, and the creation of sustainable cultural networks. She graduated from Paris 8 University with a degree in Creative Industries: Media, Web, and Art. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with a wide range of public and private cultural institutions, contributing to the development of contemporary art projects, exhibitions, and large-scale cultural events. Her professional experience includes working for the European Capital of Culture 2010 and the international art fair Contemporary Istanbul, where she was responsible for exhibitor relations, partnerships, and project coordination. Before moving to Lisbon, she served as coordinator of the Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art in Istanbul, where she worked closely with the museum collection and developed public programmes aimed at strengthening audience engagement. She is the co-founder of Lisbon Art Weekend, a citywide contemporary art platform connecting galleries, independent spaces, artists, and audiences.
Image credits from left to right: Spot Lisbon Exhbition, Dialogue Gallery, Performance at Galeria Vera Cortes, Perfomance at Galeria Foco