Velázquez’s Meninas will once more fill the streets of Madrid from 15 November to 15 December. This initiative, which is in its eighth edition in 2025, displays more than 30 maids standing more than 1.8 metres high and designed by celebrities from music and entertainment, fashion, gastronomy, sport or social media. Gloria Estefan, Los del Río or Paula Echevarría are some of the celebrities who will bring the popular figure by Velázquez back to life this year.
The colourful versions of Las Meninas, Infanta Margarita’s maids of honour who featured in Velázquez's famous painting, will once again fill the streets of Madrid in an original open air art exhibition. The project is backed by the artist Antonio Azzato with the support of the ‘Todo está en Madrid’ (Everything is in Madrid) municipal programme and the National Association of Textile, Accessories, and Leather Trade (Acotex).
As in previous editions, the Meninas will be auctioned at the end of the exhibition, either in person or on-line, except in those cases in which it has been agreed to give them directly to the sponsor of the Menina or donated to an institution. 80% of the proceeds will be donated to charitable foundations and associations selected by the organisation.
In the 2025 edition, 34 figures standing 1.8 meters tall will be on display in the districts of Barajas, Centro, Chamberí, Moncloa-Aravaca, and Salamanca. In Barajas, there will be two Meninas located at the airport, welcoming passengers arriving in the city or passing through it. The Centro district will have four sculptures (two in Plaza del Callao, one in Plaza de España and another at number 18, Gran Vía).
Plaza de Chamberí, on the corner of Calle de Santa Engracia, 43, will have a menina this year, and the Moncloa-Aravaca district will display its own menina on Calle de Ferraz 1, in front of the Temple of Debod.
Finally, the Salamanca district will display 26 figures (four in Plaza de Colón, another at Calle de Goya 2, on the corner of the Jardines del Descubrimiento; 13 along Calle Serrano and at the junctions of Calle Serrano and Calle Hermosilla and Calle de la Armada Española, and three at Calle Ortega y Gasset 29 and at the junctions with Calle Lagasca and Calle Claudio Coello; one at Calle Jorge Juan 18; another at Calle Ayala,43 and three on Paseo de Recoletos at the junctions with Calle Villanueva, Calle Armada Española and Calle Prim).
The artists participating in this edition include the singer Gloria Estefan, the musical duo Los del Río, the actress and influencer Paula Echevarría, the radio presenters Javi Nieves and Mar Amate, the influencer Erika de la Vega or the artists Eduardo Valenciano and Mausha Marsá. They will be responsible for reinterpreting the meninas and capturing their unique vision of Spanish culture and the traditions of the city and its residents.
It must be highlighted that sport plays a prominent role this year with special references to major international events hosted by the city, such as the first official National Football League (NFL) match to be held in Madrid. The Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders American football teams, the World Football Summit or the NFL itself convey their messages in the iconic figure by Velázquez.
Meninas Madrid Gallery 2025 will also focus on artificial intelligence (AI) through Menina Alexa, which fosters innovation through AI and offers daily updates on the exhibition, as well as providing curious facts and mysteries regarding these figures.
Each sculpture will also have a QR code that can be scanned using any mobile device for an explanation of the concept behind the work and to present the menina virtually.
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