La Mercè will transform Barcelona into a stage open to the world with a program of circus, dance and free theater in six venues, with the Parc del Fòrum as the new main venue.
Barcelona becomes the capital of the performing arts with the Mercè Arts de Carrer 2025 festival, a proposal that floods spaces in the city with circus, dance and theater performances for all audiences from September 23 to 28.
With nearly 70 national and international companies, this year’s program has been designed by a curatorship formed by Jordi Duran, Jordi Querol, Cristina Cazorla, Sergi Ots and Tortell Poltrona, from Clowns Without Borders.
This year, as the main novelty, the stage of the Castell de Montjuïc will be moved to the Fòrum due to the works in the castle’s moat.
But still the offer will be deployed in six spaces: the Port Olímpic, the Parc de la Trinitat, the Parc de l’Estació del Nord, the Parc de l’Aqüeducte, the Jardins Joan Maragall and, as a great novelty, the Parc del Fòrum.
New spaces and programming Mercè Arts de Carrer 2025
One of the main changes of this edition is the transfer of the Castell de Montjuïc to the Parc del Fòrum, which will be the epicenter of the European contemporary circus. It will host large-format shows such as The Genesis by Copenhagen Collective, Wild by Motionhouse and Vent de l’Ouest by Les P’tits Bras.
Parc de la Trinitat extends its activity to three days with a proposal marked by proximity and popular character. Highlights include the premiere of the street version of Monument by Àngel Duran, the inclusive dances of Stopgap Dance Company and the spectacular installation Fire Garden by Walk the Plank, which will transform the park into a garden of fire.
The Parc de l’Estació del Nord will be the main stage for Manchester, the guest city of 2025, with a dozen British companies. In addition, it will premiere the new night program “Glam Canalla: Nits al Nord”, a scenic mosaic with transgressive proposals ranging from contemporary dance to queer varieties.
The Jardins Joan Maragall, on the grounds of the Palauet Albéniz, will offer intimate and sensory pieces in a natural setting, while the Port Olímpic consolidates in its second year with a family program by the sea, including a “clown corner” with figures such as Maite Guevara and Pere Hosta.
Finally, the Parc de l’Aqüeducte will host an emotional tribute by Clowns Without Borders. The show El riure per la Pau will recall the organization’s expeditions and celebrate the spirit of the film El 47, with the participation of artists such as Tortell Poltrona, Andreu Buenafuente, Eduard Fernández and Clara Segura.
All the detailed daily program can be consulted on the official website of Mercè Arts de Carrer.