The historic Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation in Venice has been closed, Artribune reports. Following budget cuts by the council, the news coincided with the announcement of three more closures of the city’s public entities: Centro Maree (the weather forecast centre), Ente Gondola (Venice’s official gondola institution) and the Lagoon Park are to close by 1 September 2016.
Although the Bevilacqua La Masa Foundation will no longer operate independently, budget councillor Michele Zuin has confirmed the decision that the foundation will be subsumed into the council’s culture department in order to save money and resources. With its closure, concerns have been raised around what will happen to the legacy of Duchess Felicita Bevilacqua La Masa’s foundation which she set up in 1898 and whether the council will continue to support the dozens of artists who have benefited from its residency programme every year.
21 July 2016
