Dear friends,

We are writing to inform you about some updates that have involved us over the past few months, presenting us with a new and important challenge.

On February 28, our leases for the spaces at Fabbrica del Vapore (exhibition space, Docva, and Residencies, totaling about 28,000 euros annually in rent) expired, and in a few days the Municipality of Milan will publish the new call for applications for the assignment of the spaces at Fabbrica del Vapore.

Since 2008, the year of the inauguration of the new headquarters at Fabbrica del Vapore, Careof has supported the research of 1,317 artists through exhibitions, artist residencies, workshops, and meetings, 174 curators from 47 different countries. It has collaborated with 148 institutions, carrying out over 234 educational projects. It offers free consultation of thousands of volumes and art magazines, and its video archive currently holds a collection of over 8,000 artist videos.

The association continues its journey trying to maintain its public vocation and with the awareness that its identity and goals are based on supporting experimentation by young artists.

Starting from December 2015, the month in which the non-renewal of contracts was formalized, a media war over the future of Fabbrica del Vapore began, in which Careof has maintained a neutral but proactive stance. Some consider the Municipality’s decision illegal, while others welcome it as an opportunity to reset everything and start over.

On February 24, the guidelines of the call were presented to the city; the call will open by the end of this week and close on April 15. On February 25, we were informed that on April 20, five days after the call closes, if we do not win, we will have to vacate the spaces. What would happen to our archive recognized by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, and the heritage of nearly 30,000 volumes catalogued at DOCVA? If we have to leave the spaces, where would they go?

Careof will participate in the call and hopes for a positive outcome, but contests the unfortunate timing: the publication of the call after the leases expired and the difficulty of finding a new space in such a short time, should we not win.

This delicate moment must also constitute an opportunity to complete the ongoing transformation process and lead Careof to have a more stable and effective role in the Milanese artistic and cultural scene. However, the race against time and the proximity of the municipal elections may make the path full of uncertainties.

To our satisfaction, we have received offers from other municipal administrations to host our association free of charge, but we firmly believe that Careof and its archive must remain a heritage of the city of Milan.

We will participate in the call with a new and renewed project and remain at your disposal for any further clarification.