Carrara rejects state funds for Francesco Bartoli's PAC-winning project

The Comune di Carrara has refused a €61,500 grant from the Italian Ministry of Culture's PAC (Piano per l'Arte Contemporanea) intended for artist Francesco Bartoli's project Scolpire il vento at the mudaC – museo delle arti di Carrara. The grant was announced in July by the Ministry, but the new administration under Mayor Serena Arrighi (PD), in office since June, declined the funding, citing insufficient time to evaluate the project. Bartoli, whose four-year research on the Carrara region resulted in a multimedia installation combining video, sculpture, photography, and drawing, contests the decision, stating that the project was submitted by the previous administration (M5S) in April and that the mayor received summary documents. He has retained a lawyer to access the application. Culture Councillor Gea Dazzi explained that the administration inherited an unclear project and prefers to develop its own programming for the museum, in consultation with director Laura Barreca. Bartoli called the PAC the most important production prize in Italy and warned that rejecting it dims the spotlight on the territory.