Pier Giorgio De Pinto on Swiss Art Scene and Brain Drain

Pier Giorgio De Pinto, born in 1968 in Civitavecchia, studied in Tuscany and now works as Coordinator, Curator and Media Trainer at MACT/CACT Arte Contemporanea Ticino in Bellinzona. He moved to Switzerland in 2009 after participating in a group exhibition at MACT/CACT, obtaining a B permit for independent lucrative activity after six months and a C permit after five years plus one year waiting. He cites advantages such as transparent professional recognition, direct access to public cultural officials, and financial support from entities like the Federal Office of Culture, cantons, and Pro Helvetia. Key art venues in Ticino include LAC in Lugano (housing MASI under Tobia Bezzola), Museo Villa dei Cedri (directed by Carole Haensler Huguet), MACT/CACT (directed by Mario Casanova), La Rada (managed by Riccardo Lisi), and Fondazione La Fabbrica del Cioccolato (artistic director Franco Marinotti). De Pinto contrasts Swiss public engagement with art—citizens vote on museum expansions and acquisitions—with Italy's bureaucratic and tax burdens. He advises Italian artists to learn English, travel, and make a pros-and-cons list before relocating.