This week saw the launch meeting for the 2027 City and Science Biennial, which will take place between February 23 and 28. Those in attendance included the fourth deputy mayor and head of the Science department, Jordi Valls; the director ofel Círculo de Bellas ArtesValerio Rocco; and the four advisors for the new edition of the Biennial, which will once again be held between Barcelona and Madrid (in el Círculo de Bellas Artes): Lucía Bosoer, Raquel Jorge, Rosa Arias and Jorge Luis Marzo. In this first meeting, the name of the curator for the fifth edition of the Biennial was revealed: the philosopher Daniel Innerarity.

The 2027 City and Science Biennial will be a space for collective reflection, open to all citizens, on the relationship between science and democracy today. To this end, talks, roundtables, participatory workshops, citizen science activities, and art installations will be held, featuring prominent figures from the local, national, and international spheres.

The mayor of Barcelona, ​​Jaume Collboni, highlighted the relevance of the theme of the Biennial, "addressing such an urgent and topical issue at a global moment marked, on the one hand, by the key role of science in progress and, on the other, by political positions that deny its evidence, such as climate change and vaccines, and fuel disinformation, denialism, and democratic disillusionment." In this regard, Daniel Innerarity commented that the 2027 Biennial "touches on a crucial issue for our society and comes at a time when the proper relationship between the two is threatened both by those who expect science to provide the solution to all problems and by those who attack science and knowledge as the root of all evil."

"To strengthen democracy in our societies and face global challenges together, such as the climate emergency," the director stated.el CírculoValerio Rocco argues that an alliance between art and science is necessary. This link is fundamental to the Biennial's approach and its entire program.el Círculo de Bellas ArtesTherefore, the next edition of the Biennial calls, more than ever, for citizen participation in a common space for debate on issues that demand clear answers to the main challenges of our time.”

The relationship between science and democracy, in the spotlight

The Biennial aims to highlight the capacity of democratic institutions to integrate scientific knowledge into public decision-making, a crucial factor for their legitimacy and effectiveness. Furthermore, it seeks to discuss how science needs democratic frameworks to guarantee its autonomy, transparency, and social accountability. The objective is to examine how the relationship between science and democracy should enable societies to make the best decisions regarding the complex problems they face, such as climate change, health crises, financial stability, and social inequality.

The Biennial's central theme will be addressed through three main thematic axes: participatory science, the geopolitics of science and technology, and the relationship between artificial intelligence and democracy. A fourth cross-cutting axis will link art, science, and design.

The philosopher Daniel Innerarity will be in charge of the program.

Daniel Innerarity is Professor of Political Philosophy, an Ikerbasque Research Fellow at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), and holds the Chair of Artificial Intelligence and Democracy at the European University Institute in Florence. He has also been a visiting professor at several European and American universities, including the Sorbonne University (Paris I), the London School of Economics and Political Science, and Georgetown University. He is a member of the Board of the Institute for Social Research at the University of Frankfurt, and his most recent books include "A Theory of Complex Democracy," "A Critical Theory of Artificial Intelligence" (winner of the Eugenio Trías Essay Prize), and "The Future of Democracy." He has received numerous awards, including the National Essay Prize, the Prince of Viana Prize for Culture, and the National Research Prize in the Humanities. The French government named him a Chevalier des Palmes Académiques in recognition of his contribution to French culture. He holds honorary doctorates from several universities.

The curatorial team consists of four scientists: Raquel Jorge, Director of European Affairs and Director of Adigital's Brussels Office; Rosa Arias, a chemical engineer with a master's degree in Energy; Lucía Bosoer, a predoctoral researcher at Pompeu Fabra University and at the Chair of Artificial Intelligence and Democracy at the School of Transnational Governance of the European University Institute in Florence; and Jorge Luis Marzo, an art historian with a doctorate in Cultural Studies. He is a tenured professor at BAU, the University Center for Art and Design.

Five editions of this scientific culture event

The Biennial is one of the most important scientific culture events of recent years and, following the success of the 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 editions, has become a key reference point as a space for reflection, debate, and dissemination. The collaboration between Barcelona and Madrid continues the path begun in 2023, and, on the Madrid side, the organization is once again in the hands of...el Círculo de Bellas ArtesAnd even more so in this edition, since the curatorial team will be the same for both cities.