Numero Cromatico's urgent plea for Italian art research funding

Numero Cromatico, a research center founded in Rome in 2011 by a group of researchers from visual arts and neuroscience, has published an open letter denouncing the lack of structural support for artistic research in Italy. Despite being named best independent space in Italy at ArtVerona 2020, the center faces closure due to the pandemic and insufficient government aid. The letter criticizes Italian cultural policies for failing to recognize artistic research as a legitimate field, noting the absence of PhD programs, grants, and legislative frameworks comparable to those in other countries. It argues that existing funding calls are mere palliatives, favoring short-term projects and CV-based selection over genuine research value. Numero Cromatico has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover operating costs until November 2020, urging institutions to implement stable, long-term cultural policies and immediate emergency funding to prevent the collapse of independent research spaces.