In Italy, the first strategic plan for the development of photography saw the light in 2018, with the idea of valorising the most up-to-date results of a discipline that until then had been guiltily left behind compared to other contemporary languages. Born within the framework of the Franceschini ministry, with the declared objective of determining new perspectives and opportunities for photography at a national and international level and directing the activities of an institutional structure responsible “for enhance Photography as an important part of contemporary art and Italian creativity”, the Plan is still the prerogative of the MiC, which on 29 April 2024 presented the strategy for the three-year period 2024-2026, together with the public notice Photography Strategy 2024.
The Strategic Plan for the Development of Photography 2024-2026
The new strategic plan, which takes up and develops some instances of the previous one, is divided into two macro areas: the first is linked to knowledge and conservation of the current heritage national photographic culture, the second wants to support and promote the Italian photographic sector in its artistic and professional components. The aim will therefore be to implement the photographic heritage and at the same time to support contemporary artistic creation, also with targeted internationalization operations. Privileged assets will also be training – with incentives for professional courses – and support for good practices in the field of cultural planning in the photography sector. But photography will also be “used” for “promote the Italian national image and identity abroad”. “Photography plays a leading role in the construction of the cultural identity of the Italy of the future”, to put it in the words of Lucia BorgonzoniUndersecretary for Culture with responsibility for Photography, corroborated by the minister Gennaro Sangiuliano: “Among contemporary creative expressions, this art is the one most capable of capturing the spirit of the context on which it intervenes while at the same time leaving the observer a great imaginative space and opening a thousand horizons to the viewer“. For Angelo Piero CappelloGeneral Director of Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture, the commitment to supporting Italian photography “it also extends beyond national borders, aiming to promote it as a key to understanding our culture and identity at an international level“.
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The public notice Photography Strategy 2024
The first action is the publication of the public notice Photography Strategya program promoted by the Directorate General for Contemporary Creativity and now in its fourth edition, which will be able to benefit from the highest budget allocation ever made available so far, equal to 2,700,000 euros (in the three past editions a total of 4,278,895 euros were allocated). The funds will be used for acquisition of works and commissioning (allocated budget 1,400,000 euros), promotion of photography (800,000 euros), development and promotion of photography talents (500,000 euros). With the Photography Strategy, the Ministry sets itself the objective of supporting the increase in Italian public collections with acquisitions of photographic works and projects, as well as commissioning new productions, but also enhancing production, practice and artistic, critical and curatorial research of a high quality level in the field of Italian photography. To encourage the development of publishing specialized in photography, and to support the training and development of the careers and research of Italian photographers, photojournalists, artists and professionals in the world of photography, scholars, curators and critics. The notice is therefore addressed to museums and places of culture, public and private bodies, universities, foundations, cultural associations, formally constituted committees and any other non-profit entity with registered office in Italy; but also to photographers, photojournalists, artists, curators, critics, researchers and photographic post-producers. Deadline to respond: June 28, 2024.
Livia Montagnoli
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