EVERYONE SHOULD DO ITS PART

1 Cultural themes should become one of the premises for the reorganization of the country’s lines of development. Art has always had at least an indicative function regarding the cultural and social characteristics of a country. Contemporary art, in particular, since the 1960s has increased the impact of this indispensable role, with its “global” language as a crossroads of different cultures.
2 The difficulties of the moment are quite clear. Available funds are earmarked first of all to cover ongoing costs of personnel, maintenance, utilities/services, etc. Cultural programming and policies of acquisition have to rely on private support and constant fundraising activities. Where acquisitions are concerned, in some cases it is still possible to benefit from spontaneous private donations, which are clearly the result of a previously established relationship of trust and esteem. The present situation can only be a moment of passage, because an institution without economic stability cannot program its activities far enough in advance to make them feasible.
3 What is needed is rethinking and reshaping of fiscal policy, to grant some oxygen to the public-private relationship, always on the basis of an understanding that administrations have to invest in responsible professionals and believe in the projects that are to be supported.
4 Representation in the public administrations should rely at least on professional figures for the management of possible resources, not selected to satisfy political requirements.
5 In Italy the cultural institutions, above all, reflect a situation of lack of administrative and economic independence; very often they have to adapt to political changes or trends over and above their activities themselves, which prevent normal, fluid programming over the medium-long term.
6 I would say that everyone has to do their part in relation to their expertise and profession, and that the balances are certainly delicate: the commercial and cultural sectors, each in its own way, share the objective of support of contemporary culture.
7 The first responsibility of artists and institutions is to have the possibility of working, using specific professional figures for each aspect and sector, to bring the right contribution to the fulfillment of the project and mission that is to be achieved.
8 It would be useful for art and culture workers to establish a relationship with politicians and administrators, when the specific professional roles of each are concrete and well defined.
9 With the MAXXI we are working and have always worked in the direction of the most complete collaboration with artists, which I believe is the foundation for real support and promotion of contemporary art. The museum staff and artists work in close contact, to complete each project in the best possible way both for the artist and for the institution.
10 Rome already has, in the city and its history, everything that would be needed to create an organic system of networks to connect, spread and enhance the cultural and artistic circuit that has always been a vital part of the life of the city.

ANNA MATTIROLO
Director of MAXXI Art since the institution of the museum.