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MACBA employees’ manifesto

Magazine

13 April 2012

MACBA employees’ manifesto

MACBA, leader of Contemporary art in Catalonia or leader in layoffs at Barcelona’s museums?

The employees of the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) condemn the contradiction that the Government of Catalonia and the City Council of Barcelona have made, situating the museum as one of the references of Contemporary art in Catalonia, but at the same time demanding that the museum makes cuts in both its staff and activity.

CHRONICLE OF AN INCONSISTENCY

September 12, 2011. The Government of Catalonia and the City Council of Barcelona ask the directive team of MACBA during the Delegate Committee to elaborate a report about the actual state of contemporary art in Barcelona, which was delivered on November 9, 2011.

February 7, 2012. The Government of Catalonia and the City Council of Barcelona publicly declare that it is a priority to secure and expand MACBA as “the nation’s bid to lead the contemporary art system”. Likewise, they recognize the necessity to provide new spaces for MACBA in order to give more visibility to its Collection. The suggested spaces are the former chapel on Carrer Montalegre and the current building that houses FAD (once they move to the new design museum, DHUB).

February 22, 2012. It is announced in the press that MACBA will expand by nearly 4.000 square meters within the following five years, adding a new building on Carrer Montalegre (site of the of the former chapel).

March 7, 2012.The Government of Catalonia announces the new Museum Plan, where for the first time, MACBA is placed at the same level as the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), and together with the Museu Nacional de Ciències Naturals (MNCN) and the future Museu Nacional d’Història de Catalunya (MNHC) will form the four pillars of the new museum map of Catalonia.

March 19, 2012. The directive team of MACBA announces to its employees a new contingency plan required by the administrations, and consequently, the necessity to reduce the museum’s staff by about 10%, in addition to a reduction of its activities.

The employees of MACBA are currently confronted with the beginning of a series of layoffs and condemn the lack of respect that the governmental administrations have shown towards a project of excellence based on the efforts and rigor of a team that is completely identified with the objectives and dedicated to its development since 1995.

Barcelona, April 12, 2012

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