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La Panera: opacity and violation of good practices
The artistic sector denounces the precariousness of contracts and the lack of a public call for applications for the management of the Lleida art center.
The La Panera Contemporary Art Center is in a delicate moment. Several professional entities from the world of art and culture —such as the Catalan Association of Art Criticism (ACCA) , the Catalan Artists' Assembly Platform (PAAC) , the Catalan Museum Professionals' Association (AMC) , the Balearic Islands Critics and Curators Association (ACCAIB) , the Valencian Association of Art Critics (AVCA) , the Ateneu Popular de Ponent , the Virtual Platform Espai Performatiu , the Promethea Cultural Association of Artists , Colors de Ponent , Bronca and Mujeres Artes Visuales— have raised their voices to publicly denounce the situation of contractual irregularities that, for years, has plagued the Lleida institution.
The main reason for the complaint is the inaction of the Lleida Parish Council, which has not yet called a public competition for the management of the centre, despite having announced the end of the previous term on August 28. Since then, no selection process has been launched, and the management has provisionally been in the hands of a member of the internal team, who receives the support and solidarity of the signatory entities, which exempt him from any responsibility in this crisis.
The problem, however, is not new. Since its foundation in 2003, several directors of the center have held office through commercial contracts as freelancers, a practice that is considered completely inappropriate for a function of a structural and continuous nature. This model of precarious hiring violates labor rights and puts the independence and stability of the institution at risk, in addition to contradicting both the order CLT/225/2021 of the Public System of Visual Arts Facilities of Catalonia and the Code of Good Practice for the call for directors in museums and art centers.
Exposició 'Carlos Bunga. Juxtaposicions' a La Panera. © Jordi Rulló
On December 10, ACCA representatives met with the Paeria to demand explanations. The municipal response was evasive: they acknowledged that they had not initiated any action, cited administrative difficulties and promised to report any developments in February. When March arrived, however, the only movement was the announcement of the new provisional management.
In this scenario, the group of organizations firmly demands the immediate announcement of a public competition with clear employment guarantees —including a four-year contract— that will allow the center's future to be planned in the medium and long term. They consider it unacceptable that a key institution for Catalan contemporary art should remain under practices that other city councils have already begun to correct. La Panera, due to its history and importance within the country's artistic system, deserves transparent, stable and professionalized management. Continuing to postpone this responsibility puts at risk not only the rights of workers, but also the credibility of public cultural policies.
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