FRA Forum in Pescara Challenges Art World Elitism

On November 22, 2019, the FRA – Futuro Ragione Arte forum took place in Pescara, Italy, organized by the association Hub-c, led by president Giovanna Romano. The event aimed to reposition culture as a tool for dialogue and inclusion rather than an elite status symbol. Participants included poets, accountants, economists, park directors, superintendents, video game creators, artists, and influencers, all sharing a vision of culture as a balance between opposites. The forum opened with a reading by poet Federica Maria D'Amato, whose work on Abruzzo framed the discussions. Critiques were leveled at the contemporary art world's focus on fairs, exclusive vernissages, and art as investment, which create distance between elites and the public. The forum emphasized the need for accessible language, using video games and social media as essential connectors. It also addressed the paradox of 'culture as food' versus the expectation that culture remain separate from profit. The event was seen as a seed planted in Abruzzo's fertile but needy territory, a forward leap toward a new humanism.