Art can officially be a form of therapy. Interview with Undersecretary of Culture Lucia Borgonzoni, godmother of the project

L’arte può essere ufficialmente una forma di cura. Intervista al Sottosegretario alla Cultura Lucia Borgonzoni madrina del progetto

The Italian Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Health have signed a formal protocol recognizing art as a form of therapy and care. The agreement, championed by Undersecretary of State for Culture Lucia Borgonzoni, mandates that museums, libraries, archives, and cultural institutions play a central role in developing therapeutic pathways using art to improve individual and community well-being. Borgonzoni, who has advocated for this initiative for nearly a decade, traces its origin to a 2018 study at the Sanctuary of Vicoforte that measured cortisol levels in visitors before and after viewing frescoes, showing significant stress reduction.

Hermitage Museum Director and Putin Ally Mikhail Piotrovsky Sanctioned by European Union

The European Union has sanctioned Mikhail Piotrovsky, the longtime director of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, for his close association with Vladimir Putin and his active support of Russia's war against Ukraine. Announced on April 23, the sanctions are part of a broader package targeting over a hundred individuals and entities, including other cultural figures like Sergei Obryvalin, Igor Solonin, and Andrey Polyakov, for their roles in the seizure of Ukrainian cultural property and the spread of Russian propaganda in occupied regions.

Victorien Bornéat : « De l’échec de la démocratisation culturelle est né un sentiment d’exclusion »

Victorien Bornéat has published a manifesto arguing that French cultural democratization policy, rooted in André Malraux's vision of making masterworks accessible to all, has failed. He cites budget cuts by regional presidents Laurent Wauquiez and Christelle Morançais, police raids on bookshops like Violette and Co, and statistical studies showing that working-class audiences still do not spontaneously attend theaters, museums, or opera. Bornéat contends that the policy's emphasis on direct confrontation with canonical works ignored the need for cultural codes and institutional literacy, creating an exclusion that politicians now exploit for electoral gain.

Au Louvre, des directeurs de département entre responsabilités internes et rôle national

Maximilien Durand has been reappointed as head of the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Arts at the Louvre Museum, a role that carries both internal museum responsibilities and national duties on behalf of the French state. Two decrees signed by Culture Minister Catherine Pégard formalize his renewal: one as head of the museum department, and another as head of the corresponding major heritage department, a status held by only nine of the Louvre's departments.

Berliner Finanzsenator Evers übernimmt Leitung von Kulturverwaltung

Berlin's finance senator Stefan Evers (CDU) has been appointed to temporarily lead the city's cultural administration, marking the third change in leadership within a year. This follows the resignation of Joe Chialo in May 2025 and the departure of his successor Sarah Wedl-Wilson on the previous Friday, after months of controversy over the approval of funding grants. Evers will hold both finance and culture portfolios until the Berlin state election on September 20, 2025. The decision was made by CDU district chairpersons after initial talks with former justice senator Thomas Heilmann fell through.

America’s Finest Renaissance Tapestry Set for Major Restoration

The European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF) has awarded its €25,000 Museum Restoration Fund to the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA) for the conservation of *The Meeting of Dante and Virgil*, a mid-16th century Italian Renaissance tapestry. This is the first time TEFAF has funded a tapestry restoration since the initiative began in 2012. The wool and silk tapestry, made between 1547 and 1549 by the Florentine workshop of Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici and designed by Francesco Salviati, depicts the opening scene of Dante’s *The Divine Comedy*. It is the only early Medici tapestry held by a public collection outside Italy, standing 17 feet tall and eight feet wide. Due to structural weaknesses and light sensitivity, it has been largely in storage for 70 years. Conservation work by the Midwest Art Conservation Center will include wet cleaning, stabilization, and partial reweaving, along with a new display system. The tapestry is scheduled to return to public view at MIA on July 11.

San Francisco announces its first-ever executive director of arts and culture.

Matthew Goudeau has been appointed as San Francisco's first-ever executive director of arts and culture, tasked with safeguarding the arts as a key part of the city's creative economy and identity. The appointment comes amid uncertain federal arts funding, but local arts funding in San Francisco is projected to increase this year under Mayor Daniel Lurie's leadership.