MADRID.- Three days, 44 exhibitions, around 50 artists and the most important cultural institutions of the city, all together, celebrating a party which will open up the city to the contemporary art. Apertura is an invitation to explore Madrid in a different way, and to discover the latest from the current creation, from September 11 to 13.

For the last five years, Apertura is an event which marks the beginning of the year in September. It is the weekend of the inauguration of more than 40 art galleries, all at once, extending their opening hours and planning special activities. In parallel, with the cooperation of institutions (Reina Sofía Museum, Matadero, Centro Dos de Mayo…) and private collectors—who open up their collections—a wide activity programme is developed to bring the latest creations to the general public.

The city becomes a large exhibition hall of contemporary art, where the Spanish art is discovered through new-generation artists, such as Moisés Mahiques, Abigail Lazkoz or Secundino Hernández, who live alongside acclaimed names, such as Dora García, Miquel Navarro, Ángel Vergara or Alfonso Albacete.

Apertura 2014 is also a tour through all disciplines, such as installation (Daniel Canogar), painting (Jorge Galindo), photography (Pablo Boneu), sculpture (Milena Muzquiz)...

Additionally, there is space for the international contemporary art within the showrooms of this particular "museum." Prominent figures, such as Stephen Irwin, Claudia Wieser, Suda Yoshihiro, Fred Sandback, Maya Lin, B. Wurth, Stéphane Dafflon, Cristopher Knowles, or Manuel Caeiro, among other top names, are part of the Madrid galleries' programme.

Apertura is a great art event which brings collectors, experts and professionals to our city from all over the world. Its purpose: to bring the contemporary creation closer to the public. Among the activities developed during these days, we highlight the guided tours by experts through galleries, workshops for families—taught by educators and artists—or special visits to large museums by their directors or curators.

This wonderful contemporary art event is organized by the art gallery association Arte_Madrid, which currently gathers 44 members. These galleries are regularly involved in the most prestigious international fairs, such as Art Basel, Frieze, The Armory Show, FIAC, Artissima Torino, ArtBo, SP Arte…where they act as ambassadors of the Spanish art within the international artistic scene.

Madrid is also the capital of contemporary art in Spain. 50% of Spanish galleries belonging to the Spanish Consortium of Contemporary Art Galleries—the National Association Union—are based in the city. 44 spaces open to the best of contemporary art, besides the presence of top art centres, make Madrid a lively and exciting place to visit in September.