Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation faces uncertain future over Palazzetto Tito lease

The Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation in Venice is embroiled in controversy after president Bruno Bernardi suggested the institution might leave Palazzetto Tito when its lease expires in 2020. During a city council hearing on March 24, 2017, Bernardi stated the annual rent of €53,000 strains the foundation's budget, which receives €150,000 from the municipality. He is exploring cheaper or rent-free alternatives within city-owned properties, emphasizing that moving would not end activities but relocate them. Bernardi also floated temporary partnerships for the side windows and spaces of the Galleria di Piazza San Marco, framing them as educational collaborations with an economic component, not commercial rentals. Former president Angela Vettese criticized the plans on Facebook, recalling a 2015 event with Tate director Nicholas Serota and artist Peter Doig, warning that losing the venue would drive away sponsors supporting young artists, the library, and studios. The foundation's budget forecasts remain uncertain, and sponsorships are still being defined. Bernardi insists any partnerships will prioritize quality and selection, with revenues reinvested in promoting young art. The controversy highlights tensions between financial sustainability and the foundation's educational mission, rooted in a historic bequest to Venice and its artists.