La Regionale is a biennial exhibition showcasing the works of artists from Ticino and Italian-speaking Grisons, with the aim of promoting the contemporary art scene of the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland. The first two editions took place at Villa Ciani, opening in December 2021 and December 2023 and lasting a month. Those first editions achieved great success and attracted a significant number of visitors. Participation to La Regionale is open to artists of all generations from Italian-speaking Switzerland who work in the visual arts and either reside, work, are related, born or have lived and worked for a significant period in Italian-speaking Switzerland.

Starting in 2026, La Regionale will enter a new era: thanks to the success of its first two editions, which confirmed the importance and urgency of the format, the project - that remains biennial - will expand across the entire canton and each edition will be hosted by a different local museum institution. Beginning in Locarno, in the venues of Museo Casorella and of the Castello Visconteo, la Regionale reaffirms itself as an important platform for exchange and presentation for the whole region.

Admission Criteria:

The call for applications is open to those who meet the following requirements:

• Strong demonstrated connection with Italian-speaking Switzerland
• Proven artistic practice in the field of visual arts
• Only the applications of artists who regularly exhibit in recognized cultural institutions and/or artistic spaces will be considered, taking into account their age and years of activity.

The application dossier can be submitted no later than Friday, October 31.

Applications sent by mail or email, as well as files through WeTransfer, Google Docs, Dropbox, etc., will not be accepted.

Selection Process:

The selection of candidates will include a total of 20 participants and will be made on the recommendation of an independent jury composed of renowned experts in the field of visual arts.

The jury's decision will be announced mid December 2025 and is final.

Exhibition and Participation Regulations:

• The selected artist will receive a fee of CHF 300.
• Transport and installation expenses for the works, as well as insurance costs, will be borne by ACXSI.
• There is no funding provided to cover the production costs of the works.
• The ACXSI Association, curator of the exhibition, is responsible for the installation plan of the works.
• The competition is not linked to a cash prize. The sale of the works exhibited by the participating artist in the context of The Regional is authorized and supported by ACXSI. The first editions of the exhibition proved to be an opportunity for several participants to sell their works to private individuals and institutions.
• The selected artist grants the reproduction rights of the exhibited works, which will be photographed by a professional appointed by ACXSI.

More information on the exhibition spaces of Museo Casorella and Castello Visconteo can be found at: Museo Casorella and Museo Castello Visconteo 

We also invite you to view the documentation of the last edition of The Regional by consulting our website: www.laregionale.ch