MURo Festival 2019: David Diavù Vecchiato on Street Art's Evolution and Challenges

The MURo Festival, running in Rome until October 2019, celebrates a decade of urban art projects by the Cultural Association MURo. Founder David Diavù Vecchiato, who established the Museo di Urban Art di Roma (MURo) in 2010, discusses the festival's aim to critically examine street art's theoretical and practical evolution. He criticizes dilettantish approaches by public administrations that commission artists for free work, artists unaware of legal protections, and self-proclaimed curators lacking support. The festival includes roundtables with institutions like ANAS, Municipi, Ambasciate, and Soprintendenza Capitolina, addressing street art's shift toward a new form of public art. Events began May 11 at MACRO museum with the GRAArt project, featuring 10 documentaries on murals along the Grande Raccordo Anulare. Other highlights include a May 18 talk on copyright law with lawyers, a May 19 discussion with Sky Arte's director, and a May 31 unveiling of a project at Mercato Menofilo di Quarto Miglio with artists Beau Stanton, Jim Avignon, Lucamaleonte, and Nicola Verlato. A final roundtable on June 9 at MACRO, titled 'Oltre il MURo,' will address freedom of movement, migration, and authoritarianism, moderated by Vecchiato and musician Pierpaolo Capovilla. The festival concludes with an exhibition opening October 5 at Rosso20Sette Arte Contemporanea, presenting the first catalog of MURo's decade-long work.