NESXT: New Independent Art Fair Launches in Turin During Art Week

NESXT, a new non-profit art fair and festival, launched in Turin on October 27, 2016, during the city's art week. Directed by Olga Gambari, formerly of The Others fair, NESXT is structured in two phases: an off-circuit festival involving 24 spaces (including Autofocus | Vanni, Barriera, Diogene, e/static, Fusion Art Gallery, Teatro Baretti) and a main exhibition at Spazio Q35 (Via Quittengo 35) during Artissima, featuring 20 independent Italian production realities such as Rave (Udine), Bocs (Catania), Wekbank (Bolzano), Ramdom (Lecce), Carico Massimo (Livorno), and Museo d'inverno (Siena). The project is entirely non-profit, free for participants, and supported by the Fondazione per l'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea CRT. Gambari discussed the fair's origins, her departure from The Others due to conflicts with ownership, and the need for greater support for independent cultural production. She also commented on Turin's new M5S city government, praising the appointment of Francesca Leon as assessor to culture but noting recent tensions, including the resignation of Patrizia Asproni from the Fondazione Torino Musei. Gambari emphasized the importance of listening to grassroots cultural producers and advocated for fiscal reforms and direct dialogue with the sector by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage (MiBACT).