Antonio Bisaccia's 'Burocrazzismo e arte' Exposes AFAM Inequality

Antonio Bisaccia's book 'Burocrazzismo e arte. Cronaca di un'equiparazione cosmetica nell'Alta Formazione Artistica, Musicale e Coreutica' (Castelvecchi, December 10, 2020) critiques the systemic neglect of Italy's AFAM institutions (20 Accademie di Belle Arti, 59 Conservatories, 5 ISIA, 1 dance academy, 1 drama academy) managed by the Ministry of University and Research. Bisaccia, director of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Sassari and president of the national conference of state academy directors, argues that despite a 1998 reform equating AFAM diplomas to university degrees, these institutions remain underfunded and undervalued. Issues include lower teacher salaries, lack of ministerial attention to infrastructure, delayed doctoral programs, and a frozen recruitment system. The book highlights a 'historical precariat' awaiting the '205 bis' competition and overreliance on contract teachers. Bisaccia also addresses the pandemic's impact, noting that online teaching is ill-suited for disciplines like violin or sculpture. He calls for structural investment in education, citing economist J. Galbraith on the importance of aesthetics for Italy's economy and soft power. The volume blends rigorous legislative analysis with literary prose, advocating for a productive rather than merely conservative approach to beauty.