11th CEI Venice Forum for Contemporary Art Curators: “The Agencies We Need”

The 11th CEI Venice Forum for Contemporary Art Curators from Central Eastern Europe is scheduled for Friday, April 19, 2024, at the Academy of Fine Arts of Venice, running from 1:45 to 6pm. The event will also be live webcast.

The meeting is a CEI Co-operation Activity and a Continental Breakfast 2024 project, organized by Trieste Contemporanea under the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Central European Initiative, the Italian National Commission for UNESCO, the Regione del Veneto, the Comune di Venezia, the Comune di Trieste, the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and the University of Trieste. It is made possible with the support of the Central European Initiative and the Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia, and in collaboration with the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice, the KCB Cultural Centre of Belgrade, and the Juliet art magazine.

The forum
The CEI Venice Forum for Contemporary Art Curators is a biennial event, closely linked with the pre-opening days of the Venice BIennale, that has been addressing the promotion of art and contemporary culture, as well as facilitating the exchange of curatorial practices, since 2001. This initiative welcomes art curators and professionals from Central Eastern Europe, as well as commissioners of the Venice Biennale responsible for the national pavilions of the CEE countries. It stands as one of the primary international activities within Trieste Contemporanea’s “Dialogues with the Art of Central Eastern Europe” program, which was initiated in 1995.

“The Agencies We Need”
The inertia often observed within traditional public cultural institutions in response to the rapidly evolving contemporary cultural landscape, shaped by electronic communication and changing public sensibilities, highlights the necessity and potential for non-institutional initiatives to take action. This need is particularly acute in Eastern Europe. These initiatives serve as dynamic agents at the intersection of artistic creation and public engagement, adept at devising novel methods of cultural promotion and presentation. They operate with a shared commitment: to address cultural needs in ways that benefit all stakeholders. The 11th CEI Venice Forum for Contemporary Art Curators aims to shine a spotlight on emerging visionary agents who are catalysts for their region’s cultural evolution, providing them with a platform to share inspirations, goals, experiences and projects. ​—Branko Franceschi, 2024 Forum convenor. Read his full introduction here.

Speakers
Ms Ioana Ciocan, Romania; Ms Klaudia Fagu, Albania; Mr Branko Franceschi, Croatia: Mr Marin Ivanović, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Mr Michal Koleček, Czech Republic; Ms Róna Kopeczky, Hungary; Ms Alexandra Lazar, Serbia; Mr Tevž Logar, Slovenia; Ms Martina Yordanova, Bulgaria; Ms Vanja Žanko, Croatia. YACA finalists: Ms Lera Kotsyuba, Ukraine; Ms Teodora Talhoș, Romania. Read here about the Speakers. Read here the Programme.

Young Art Critic Award Trieste Contemporanea (YACA)
To highlight a specific activity of art criticism by young contemporary art curators, an inaugural experimental edition of a new criticism award connected to the Venice meeting has been launched in 2024. The award is open to art curators born in Central Eastern Europe and under thirty-five years old. Participants were asked to submit a review of a contemporary art exhibition they found most compelling, visited between 2022 and 2024. The Award judging panel reviewed submissions and selected the three finalists that will be invited to participate as speakers at the Forum. The audience in Venice will vote to determine the Award winner.

Attendees registration
Both in-person and online audiences are welcome to attend the event. There is no participation fee, but online advance registration is required for all attendees. Registration form.

Go to previous Forum Editions / Read about Trieste Contemporanea. More information: Marina Lutmann, Trieste Contemporanea Committee, info@triestecontemporanea.it / T +39 040 639187 (Tuesday–Friday: 4–8pm).