Stefano Coletto on the Decline of Venice's Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation

Stefano Coletto, former curator and atelier manager at the Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa in Venice, recounts the institution's transformation from a beacon of experimentation to a marginalized entity. He describes his early work under presidents Luca Massimo Barbero and Angela Vettese, when a young staff of thirteen managed exhibitions, ateliers, and outreach, fostering a 'home for artists' ethos. After 2015, a new board reorganized the foundation under the city's Development and Promotion Directorate, prioritizing local programming and deeming previous efforts too experimental and international. Coletto now handles administrative tasks, no longer curating or jurying. The foundation still runs 15 ateliers and the 103rd Collettiva Giovani Artisti, but staff has shrunk to two in-office employees plus three external guards. Coletto supports Art Workers Italia's goals for artist protections and fair pay, but notes the broader precarity across all labor sectors. He remains passionate about the foundation's mission, quoting its founder's vision to support young artists, and highlights the rarity of public atelier programs in Italy.