Italian art education: academies, universities, and the struggle for reform

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digitalisation in Italian art education but also exposed deep structural flaws. The AFAM (Alta Formazione Artistica e Musicale) system, governed by the incomplete 1999 reform (law 508/99), suffers from bureaucratic stagnation, underfunding, and precarious faculty contracts. Key figures like Antonello Tolve (Accademia Albertina di Torino), Piero Di Terlizzi (Accademia di Belle Arti di Foggia), Alessandra Pioselli (Accademia di Belle Arti “G. Carrara” di Bergamo), and Marco Scotini (NABA) criticise the lack of implementing decrees, unequal status compared to universities, and outdated course divisions (Painting, Sculpture, etc.). Claudia Löffelholz (Fondazione Modena Arti Visive) and Angela Vettese (IUAV) note improvements in curriculum breadth and professionalisation but highlight persistent issues: insufficient resources, poor facilities, and a cultural undervaluation of creative professions. The pandemic forced a shift to online teaching, which, while beneficial for accessibility, weakened hands-on practice and human interaction. Many graduates seek master's degrees for better job prospects, yet the art system remains hierarchical and stressful. International comparisons show that while no model is perfect, Italy needs structural change—better funding, faculty recognition, and modernised curricula—to retain talent and foster innovation.