Cantiere del Contemporaneo in Palermo: a forum on the future of Italian

Cantiere del Contemporaneo in Palermo: forum on the future of Italian contemporary art

The Regional Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Riso in Palermo hosts a practical think-tank on contemporary art. The series “Cantiere Cultura e del Contemporaneo”, which began on 14 March 2026 and runs until 2 October 2026, gathers art historians, curators, cultural operators and institutions to examine challenges and opportunities within Italy’s art ecosystem.

Sessions focus on actionable topics: supporting emerging artists, the role of local and national institutions, public acquisition policies for art, and strategies to make the art market more inclusive.

• Speakers and participants: contributors include curators and directors such as Guido Talarico, Adriana Polveroni, Roberto Grossi, Alessia Cellitti and Andrea Cusumano, with additional international guests expected later in the program.
• Practical aims: to promote operational solutions, increase visibility pathways for young artists, and assess legislative and financial tools supporting contemporary production.
• Proposals under discussion: revitalizing public acquisition schemes (for example allocating a percentage of public works budgets to buy art) and investing in new professional roles and cultural infrastructure.

Organised by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the Sicilian Region with support from local cultural organisations, the series functions as an open platform where institutions, curators and artists build concrete proposals to strengthen the national art system and the relationship between art and territory.

For professionals and the interested public, the meetings provide a practical opportunity to learn about ongoing strategies, explore funding possibilities and join a collaborative network linking museums, exhibition spaces and cultural regeneration projects.