The City and Science Biennial 2025 is once again extending to Madrid, consolidating the scientific and cultural alliance between both cities. From 18 to 23 November, the Círculo de Bellas Artes will host a series of activities that will put scientific knowledge into dialogue with philosophical reflection and artistic expression, within the framework of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.

The Madrid program includes conversations, debates and exhibitions that invite you to explore the quantum revolution from multiple perspectives, with the participation of prominent figures in contemporary thought and frontier research.

Opening conversation: a dialogue with the avatar of Albert Einstein 

The opening ceremony, which will take place on November 18 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sala de Columnas of the Círculo de Bellas Artes, will mark the beginning of the program in Madrid with an unusual proposal: a conversation between María García Díaz, Carlos Sabín and an artificial intelligence avatar of Albert Einstein. 

A virtual recreation of the German physicist has been made possible thanks to the technology developed by the Q-Math research group of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (ICMAT) and the Carlos III University, and will allow a dialogue between past, present and future on the challenges of modern physics and the social implications of quantum science.

Quantum Philosophy and Technology

On Saturday, November 22, journalist and writer Marta Peirano will talk with physicist Ignacio Cirac, a world pioneer in quantum computing, in the session titled “What is the optics of quantum?” A dialogue about how quantum technologies are transforming the way we see the world, and how these changes are redefining our cultural and economic structures.

A bridge between Barcelona and Madrid: Carlo Rovelli and Blanca Pujals

One of the most symbolic moments of this edition will be the conversation between Carlo Rovelli and Blanca Pujals, entitled “Quantum Loops between Madrid and Barcelona: Meeting with Professor Carlo Rovelli”, which will be held on November 19 simultaneously in both cities.

The event, which will connect the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid and the Born MHB in Barcelona, ​​turning both into spaces of knowledge, dialogue and collaboration between territories, disciplines and shared perspectives.

Open Forum: Quantum Physics as an Open Debate 

On Friday, November 21, the Sala de Columnas of the Círculo will also host the Open Forum on Quantum Physics, organized by redACTS. In this session, the finalists of the competition will present their proposals and projects to the public, in an open format that seeks to bring frontier research closer to citizen debate.

Artistic installation: Origin. The circle in transformation

As part of the Madrid Biennial program, artist Mar Solís presents the exhibition Origin. The circle in transformation, an installation that moves between art, science and philosophy to explore concepts such as matter, emptiness, space, time and perception.

The work creates a multidimensional and abstract fabric that invites us to rethink the relationship between the tangible and the invisible, between form and thought. The circle, a universal symbol of continuity and change, becomes here a metaphor for a universe in constant transformation.

The exhibition, installed in the Ballroom of the Círculo de Bellas Artes during the Biennial, reflects on the deep links between scientific research and artistic intuition, showing how both disciplines share the same concern to understand the origin and complexity of the world.

A consolidated collaboration

With this new shared edition, Barcelona and Madrid reinforce their role as capitals of science and culture, weaving a stable bridge between institutions such as the Círculo de Bellas Artes, ICMAT, Carlos III University and Barcelona's research and innovation centers. The City and Science Biennial thus continues to expand its geographical and conceptual scope, offering a shared space for critical reflection and scientific dissemination on an international scale.