WAF Global Summit 2026
The Role of Art Foundations in an Evolving World
Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona, Spain
26 – 27 January 2026
As the only global gathering dedicated specifically to art foundations, the Summit offered founders and directors a rare opportunity to connect, exchange insights, and address the complex challenges and opportunities facing their organisations. All discussions took place in a tailored, closed-door setting, fostering an environment for open and candid dialogue.
Sara Puig Alsina, President of the Board of Trustees, Fundació Joan Miró
Marko Daniel, Director, Fundació Joan Miró
Peter Deckers & Helena Stork, Co-Founders, World Art Foundations
Panel discussion “Shifting Grounds: Art Foundations in an uncertain world”
In an era defined by geopolitical shifts, global crises, and cultural reconfiguration, how are our worldviews evolving and how is this transformation reshaping the mission, relevance, and operations of art foundations? This session explored the critical ways in which today’s turbulent international landscape is influencing the strategies, values, and responsibilities of cultural institutions. From funding to programming, and from leadership to audience engagement, we ask: how can art foundations remain adaptive, ethical, and impactful in a rapidly changing world?
Moderator: Marko Daniel, Director, Fundació Joan Miró (ES)
Speakers:
- Clive Kellner, Director, Joburg Contemporary Art Foundation (ZA)
- Verónica Flom, Director, Fundación Ama Amoedo (AR – UY)
- Laura Bardier, Director, James Howell Foundation (US)
Savannah Kessel, Head of Development & Partnerships, World Art Foundations
Pauline Loumaye, Exhibitions Manager, Fondation Folon; Sara Piccinini, Director and Anna Lucrezia Della Casa, Visitors Manager, Collezione Maramotti
Rosalia Romano, Head of Operations & Memberships, World Art Foundations
Presentation “The Hope Forum”
Luise Faurschou, Founder and Director, ART 2030 (DK)
Presentation “From Legacy to Impact: New Models of Art Philanthropy”
Anders Petterson, Founder and Managing Director, ArtTactic (UK)
Panel discussion “Sustainability: how to set measurable and realistic goals?”
This panel addressed practical approaches on how art foundations can meaningfully integrate eco-conscious practices into both their operations and exhibition-making processes: from using more sustainable building and display materials, reducing organisational carbon footprints, to embedding environmental themes and responsibilities into curatorial and public programming.
Panelists also tackled one of the sector’s most pressing dilemmas: how to balance a genuine commitment to environmental sustainability with the art world’s continued reliance on international travel, touring exhibitions, and artwork shipping. The conversation invited participants to reflect on how institutions can set measurable, realistic goals while navigating the complex environmental realities that shape global cultural exchange.
Moderator: James Ferrer, Vice-President and Head of Fine Art, Lockton LLC (UK)
Speakers:
- Jenna Shaw, Registrar & Collections Manager, Sustainability in Fine Art Transit, Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation (US)
- Luise Faurschou, Founder and Director, ART 2030 (DK)
- Andy Groarke, Founder and Director, Carmody Groarke (UK)
Round Table Discussions:
1. “Governance and Institutional Sustainability”
Moderator: Ana Ara, Director of Artistic Area, Fundació Joan Miró (ES)
Speakers:
- Laura Bardier, Director, James Howell Foundation (US)
- Matthew Stephenson, Archipenko Foundation representative (US) & ICRA Board Member (UK)
2. “Working with Residencies”
Speakers:
- Marta Rincón, Head of the Visual Arts, Architecture and Design, Accion Cultural Española (AC/E) (ES)
- Belinda Holden, Director, Yinka Shonibare Foundation (UK & NG)
3. “Traveling exhibitions”
Moderator: Helena Stork, Co-Founder, World Art Foundations (NL)
Speakers:
- Roberta Tenconi, Curator and Art Exhibition Organizer, Pirelli HangarBicocca (IT)
- Ester Ramos, Head of International Projects, Fundació Joan Miró (ES)
Presentation “VV Foundation: Promoting Baltic contemporary artist and fostering international exchange”
Egor Buimister, Project Manager, VV Foundation (LV)
Panel discussion “Diversity, inclusion, and Resistance: foundation at the crossroads of Culture”
As the global art world navigates shifting social and political dynamics, foundations are placing increasing emphasis on representation by supporting underrepresented artists and communities. This panel explored how cultural institutions are working to amplify voices across diverse cultural, ethnic, and gender backgrounds, with the aim of reflecting a broader spectrum of lived experience.
From examining the role of urban art ecosystems in processes such as gentrification to addressing the delicate balance between ideological integrity and financial independence, the discussion considered how foundations are responding to national pressures, government restrictions, and rising censorship. How can art foundations continue to serve as catalysts for change while remaining resilient in the face of these complex and evolving challenges?
Moderator: Laura Bardier, Director, James Howell Foundation (US)
Speakers:
- Elise Herget, Director, Watermill Centre (US)
- Sarah Piccinini, Director, Collezione Maramotti (IT)
- Edna Bettencourt, Program Manager, NESR Foundation (AO)
Presentation and visit of the Joan Miró Foundation’s exhibition:
Miro and the United States
Dolors Rodríguez Roig, Curator, Fundació Joan Miró (ES)
Presentation “Reassessing Joan Miró’s legacy from the perspective of the new generation: From the estate to the Museum”
Lucia Punyet Ramirez, Art History and History graduate, University of Lausanne (CH), Museums, Galleries and contemporary Culture Master student at University of Westminster (UK), member of the Miró Family
Panel discussion “Artists Estate foundations and galleries”
Foundations are increasingly collaborating directly with artists to develop impactful, interdisciplinary projects that extend beyond traditional exhibition formats. These partnerships open up new possibilities for research, production, and public engagement, but what do foundations and artists each bring to the table, and how can these collaborations be nurtured to ensure mutual inspiration and long-term impact?
This panel also considered the important role of commercial galleries, many of which hold deep expertise in the management and stewardship of artists’ estates. Their experience in areas such as estate planning, legacy preservation, archival care, and market positioning can offer valuable insights for art foundations. By exploring potential exchanges between foundations and galleries, the discussion highlighted how shared knowledge and complementary approaches can support the sustainable preservation and visibility of artistic legacies.
Moderator: Godfrey Worsdale, Director, Henry Moore Foundation (UK)
Speakers:
- Benjamin Bowling, Director and Foundation’s Chair, The Frank Bowling Foundation (UK)
- Mireia Massagué, Director, Museo Chillida Leku (ES)
- Anne-Valerie Sceau, Director, Fondation Chu Teh-Chun (CH)
Panel discussion “The artist-educator: institutional behaviors around participation-based practices”
In recent years, the figure of the artist-educator has become increasingly prominent within contemporary artistic practice. We understand the artist-educator as a practitioner whose primary working material lies in the creation and facilitation of participatory situations — from learning processes and community-based initiatives to forms of engagement rooted in pedagogical and social contexts. This panel discussion explored the distinct nature of this hybrid practice and examines how it challenges, reshapes, and expands established institutional behaviors.
Moderator: Anna Manubens, Head of Public Programs, Fundació Joan Miró (ES)
Speakers:
- Rosario Garcia Martinez, Coordinator Public and Academic Programs, PROA Art Foundation (AR)
- Ana Botella, Deputy Director, Centro de Arte Moderna (CAM) Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (PT)
- Renata Cervetto, Developer Curatorial and Educational Practices, Museum Sector (AR)
- Blanca Arias, Public and Social Programming, Fundació Joan Miró (ES)
Off-Site Sessions:
Museu Tàpies
Panel Presentation “AI fears and philias: How could AI be a companion to art institutions?”
Moderator: Anna Manubens, Head Public Programming and Education, Fundació Joan Miró (ES)
Speakers:
- Prof. Hector A. Orengo, ICREA Research Professor, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (ES)
- Javier Pantoja, Technical Senior Research Engineer, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (ES)
- Edgar Drobek, Head of CoE – SAP, Hasso Plattner Foundation (DE)
- Anne Davidian, Curator and Researcher exploring alternate social imaginaries, with a focus on non-oppressive communal forms. Guest Curator, Sursock Museum (LB)
- Daniel Pitarch, Filmmaker and Researcher, Taller Estampa (ES)
Fundació Suñol
Panel presentations “Art, Health and Community” & “Results of the Minerva report’”
Speakers:
- Rodrigo Navia-Osorio Vijande, President, Fundació Suñol and Fundació Glòria Soler (ES)
- Jaume Brunet, General Manager, Fundació Suñol (ES)
- David Martrat, Communication and Project Manager, Fundació Suñol (ES)
- Vanessa Carlon, Director, Palazzo Maffei (IT)
Laura Bardier, Director, James Howell Foundation and Patrizia Saro, Trustee, The Frank Bowling Foundation
Rob Airey, Director, Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust, Godfrey Worsdale, director,Henry Moore Foundation, James Ferrer, senior vice president, head of fine art, specie and fine art practice, Lockton LLP and Luise Faurschou, Founder and Director, ART 2030
Artist Antoni Miralda welcoming the WAF Global Summit at FoodCultura
Post-Event Trip to Valencia:
Centro de Arte Hortensia Herrero
In partnership with: With the support of:
