Stephanie García Albán on Museum Autonomy and Community Service at MAAC

In an interview for Artishock Revista's series on museum directors in Latin America, Stephanie García Albán, director of the Museo Antropológico y de Arte Contemporáneo (MAAC) in Guayaquil, Ecuador, argues that institutional autonomy is essential for museums to serve their communities. She emphasizes that autonomy is not a privilege of the director but a necessary condition for public service. García Albán discusses the challenges of operating within Ecuador's social, economic, and security crises, asserting that museums must engage critically without becoming partisan tools. She advocates for accessibility as a form of cultural redistribution, aiming to create multiple entry points for diverse audiences rather than simplifying content. On economic constraints, she notes that while funding limits growth, it should not determine intellectual direction; she highlights bureaucratic obstacles and the need for sustainable institutional structures. García Albán stresses the importance of collaboration, continuity, and building a culture of belonging, warning against audiences feeling disconnected from cultural institutions. The interview is part of a series reflecting on transformations and tensions in contemporary museums.