CAC Fabra i Coats management competition: lack of clarity and guarantees

The Catalan Association of Art Criticism (ACCA) and the Platform of Artists of Catalonia (PAAC) have expressed their disagreement with the conditions established in the competition for the direction of the Center d'Art Contemporani Fabra i Coats (CAC) in Barcelona, convened by the Institute of Culture of Barcelona (ICUB). After a detailed analysis of the bases, the entities have detected multiple deficiencies, some of a serious nature, which call into question the transparency and fairness of the process.

The proposed hiring model perpetuates a situation of job insecurity that already affects other contemporary art centers managed by the City Council, such as La Capella and La Virreina. This system, based on contracts for the provision of services for self-employed workers, makes it impossible to establish long-term projects and reinforces instability. In the case of the CAC, the proposed contract is for two years, without the option of extension, which makes it even more difficult to articulate a solid and quality management.

Added to this lack of continuity are the insufficiency of guarantees on available resources. The rules of the competition do not specify either the allocated budget or the team with which the future management will have. This lack of definition creates uncertainty about how such ambitious functions as territorial coordination in the metropolitan area can be fulfilled. Likewise, the relationship with other institutions, such as the MACBA, or with the centers integrated in the Public Visual Arts Equipment System (SPEAV), is not clarified, making it difficult to plan long-term objectives.

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The selection process has also been strongly questioned. The absence of a detailed rating scale encourages arbitrariness and a lack of legitimacy in the results. The deadlines for the submission and development of projects are extremely short and unrealistic, and no financial compensation has been provided for the finalist projects . The lack of transparency is exacerbated by the non-disclosure of the members of the jury and the lack of guarantees regarding the confidentiality of the candidates and their projects. This is in addition to the fact that it is not considered essential to have a specific qualification linked to the position, a decision that minimizes the relevance of academic expertise in a public facility of this magnitude. Likewise, it should be noted that, as this is a position linked to a public institution, it is unacceptable that the possibility of appealing the bases to the judicial sphere is limited, bypassing the administrative appeal mechanisms that should be guaranteed in this type of calls.

The entities have asked the ICUB to reconsider the competition urgently and to adapt the process to the standards included in the Code of Good Practices for Management Competitions. In addition, they have reaffirmed their willingness to collaborate to design a new call that ensures dignified and transparent conditions, valuing the importance of the CAC as a center of reference for contemporary art in Barcelona and throughout the country.

This conflict highlights the need to rethink the management of municipal art centers to guarantee their sustainability, quality and commitment to the artistic community.