As the world navigates a seemingly unending sequence of overlapping crises, cultural institutions find themselves at a crossroads. This conversation investigates how museums, art centers, collections, and art associations confront the global condition of permacrisis—a prolonged state of instability affecting political, ecological, financial, and social systems alike. Examining their roles not merely as mirrors of society but as active agents within it, the conversation will address a series of pressing questions: How are art institutions responding to the real and urgent needs of artists and curators today? How can institutions and artists position themselves sustainably and resiliently in the face of growing polarization, censorship, the rise of right-wing ideologies, and mounting economic pressures? What strategies and tools can be employed to counteract or resist these forces? And finally, how might we imagine and implement alternative institutional models—grounded in resistance and care—within today’s shifting geopolitical landscape?

By delving into the entangled relationship between art, power, architecture, and ideology, the conversation will reflect on institutional complicity and responsibility—framing architecture not as a neutral backdrop but as a regulating force in shaping both the visible and invisible structures of power. At a time when the very notion of culture is under threat, this discussion asks: what is the purpose of the art institution today?