Arte Fiera launches IN GALLERIA online platform to support exhibitors during coronavirus crisis

Arte Fiera, the Bologna-based art fair, has launched IN GALLERIA, a digital showcase for galleries that participated in its 2020 edition. The initiative aims to support exhibitors forced to close physical spaces due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Every Tuesday, six galleries will present their current or most recent exhibitions through images and brief texts on the fair's website, with promotion on Facebook and Instagram. The order follows the alphabetical catalog of exhibitors. The first edition on March 17, 2020, featured galleries 1/9unosunove, 10A.M. ART, Aarte Invernizzi, Andrea Ingenito, A+B Gallery, and aA29 Project Room. The platform will remain active even after the emergency ends, serving as a permanent digital communication tool. Fair director Simone Menegoi and deputy director Gloria Bartoli described the initiative as an anomalous but necessary response to an anomalous situation, offering free visibility. Gallerists reportedly reacted positively, with many already intensifying online activity. The project underscores the severe economic impact on Italian galleries, particularly mid-tier ones, as fairs are postponed or canceled and the art market faces recession.