For four days in September, Ortisei becomes an art centre: The traditional Val Gardena art fair takes place
Image gallery: UNIKA Art Fair
It was back in 1994 when the foundation stone was laid in the Val Gardena for a platform for sculpture, painting and photography by local and regional artists. Named Unika, it now organises the four-day UNIKA Art Fair with "UNIKA's LONG Night": On that Saturday evening, a different art form is presented to complement the works, such as a concert or poetic texts by young writers, inspired by the exhibits. In the meantime, well over 100 artists have presented their work here to a broad audience, including Aron Demetz, Wilhelm Senoner, Peter Demetz and Gregor Prugger.
At the Tennis Centre in Roncadizza, 34 Unika members - including sculptors, photographers, painters and woodturners - display hundreds of works as part of the fair. In 2020, the first female member joined, and in 2024 the 30th anniversary was celebrated. In 2025, in the run-up to the 2026 Winter Games, some of the exhibited works were part of the Cultural Olympiad - The Arts Programme, which conveys Olympic values through the combination of culture, creativity, sport.
The art fair has set itself the goal of preserving and appreciating the artistic heritage handed down over generations, as well as promoting new talent: Every year, several young artists are also present, getting the chance to introduce themselves here for the first time.
