STEPHANIE GARCÍA ALBÁN: “AUTONOMY IS NOT A PRIVILEGE OF THE DIRECTOR; IT IS A NECESSARY CONDITION FOR THE MUSEUM TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY”

Stephanie García Albán, director of the Museo Antropológico y de Arte Contemporáneo (MAAC) in Guayaquil, Ecuador, is interviewed as part of a series on the challenges facing contemporary museums in Latin America. She argues that institutional autonomy is essential for museums to serve their communities, and discusses the pressures of political, economic, and social crises, the need for critical thinking, and the importance of accessibility and belonging. The interview is part of a broader series reflecting on representation, sustainability, and the public role of museums.

This interview matters because it provides a direct perspective from a museum leader in the Global South, highlighting how public museums in Latin America navigate structural challenges while maintaining their mission. García Albán’s emphasis on autonomy as a community-serving condition, rather than a director’s privilege, offers a nuanced view of institutional politics. The series as a whole contributes to ongoing debates about the evolving role of museums in socially and politically complex environments, making it relevant for professionals and scholars interested in museum studies, cultural policy, and Latin American art.