Pontevedra will host the La Luga Poster Biennale in 2026, an international poster competition that attracted over 2,000 submissions from 66 countries. Organised by the Faculty of Media Arts and Design (FMAD) and the Institute of Research in Design, Media and Culture (ID+) at the University of Porto, along with the Galician Design Association (Dag), the event has resulted in a selection of 300 posters from 43 countries, which will be displayed at the Faculty of Fine Arts from 10 December to 15 January.
In addition to the main exhibition, there will be a showcase of works by Galician designer Pepe Barro and a series of conferences as part of a broader programme developed in collaboration with the University of Vigo (UVigo), the Pontevedra City Council, the Xunta de Galicia (Galician Government), and the Didac Foundation. The initiative is also supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology of Portugal (FCT) and the type foundry R-Typography.
The programme was announced at the Casa das Campás by Marián Fernández, the vice-rector of the campus; Vítor Quelhas, the director of ID+; María Ramos, the president of Dag; and Demetrio Gómez, the councillor for Culture and Education. Fernández described this second biennial as “the first of many collaborations” with FMAD and other involved institutions, which will contribute to the consolidation of the Crea specialisation campus.
Gómez highlighted the “genuine luxury” of hosting the second edition of an event that originated in Porto in 2024. Quelhas explained that La Luga aims to connect Galicia and Portugal while promoting reflection on “the poster in contemporary society” as a significant form of visual communication and cultural expression.
Beyond being an exhibition event, La Luga seeks to create a space for interaction among authors, researchers, students, and professionals, fostering research, critical thinking, and experimentation around posters, emphasising their ability to communicate, question, and engage with the public sphere. Ramos added that the initiative is designed to be a meeting point for researchers, students, educators, and professionals, as well as to reach the general public for reflection on contemporary creation.
The 300 selected posters will be displayed in the corridors of the Faculty of Fine Arts starting 10 December and will also be compiled in a publication expected to be launched at the closing event on 15 January. On the same day, a monographic exhibition celebrating the 50-year career of Galician designer Pepe Barro will open at the Professor Manuel Moldes University Hall.
Additionally, the Pazo da Cultura will host conferences by Helena Barbosa, a researcher and lecturer from the University of Aveiro and a jury member for the competition, and Valencian designer Ibán Ramón, who has several pieces featured in the exhibition. The Pazo da Cultura will also hold the awards ceremony for the winners in four categories: cultural, political and social, experimental, and animated posters.
