Art for Tomorrow 2023
In an era where our society, and democracy, are buffeted by war, disinformation, gaping inequalities and the climate catastrophe, the world needs creative ideas.
Can the arts be a way out?
Culture feeds us in a way that facts can’t. It moves, challenges and inspires us, and can force us to rethink our assumptions. Art for Tomorrow looked at this interplay between the arts and society, examining culture’s social and economic impact. The 2023 edition used the stunning backdrop of Florence and Solomeo to explore the link between beauty and creativity, questions about cultural heritage, and art’s unique capacity to elicit change.
Moderated by senior New York Times journalists, the world-class AfT program brought together practitioners, experts and activists to explore the social impact of the arts. In addition, attendees had an experiential program of Florence’s eclectic artistic landscape, venturing into the city’s museums, galleries, performance spaces and artist studios to see the arts in action.
Topics included:
- Role of the Museum: Mirror or Megaphone?
- Gender and the Arts: Crises, Quotas and Correctives
- Heritage for Tomorrow
- Public Art, Digital Art and the Climate Crisis
- When Arts Education Becomes a Luxury
- Protest Art and the Art of Protest
- NFTs Are Here to Stay. Why?
Art for Tomorrow Spotlight
Dana Dajani is an award-winning Palestinian-American actress, poet and humanitarian.
Ms. Dajani’s work as a performer and educator has taken her around the world, from performing at the Sydney Opera House and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, to teaching acting workshops at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Center and creating a drama therapy program for children with autism in the U.A.E. She was honored as the Emirates Woman Artist of the Year and received the Young Arab Award for Entertainment in 2016. She was also named by Stylist Arabia among the 50 most influential and inspirational women in the U.A.E.
Art for Tomorrow at Qatar Creates 2022
Art for Tomorrow 2023 Speakers
H. E. Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad Al Thani
Chairperson, Qatar Museums Board of TrusteesDario Nardella
Mayor of Florence and President, EurocitiesSuzy Menkes
JournalistBrunello Cucinelli
Creative Director and C.E.O., Brunello CucinelliAmos Gitai
FilmmakerPepi Marchetti Franchi
Senior Director, GagosianErnesto Neto
ArtistLåpsley
Singer-SongwriterArt for Tomorrow 2023 Moderators
The event is moderated by senior New York Times journalists.
Matthew Anderson
European Culture Editor, The New York TimesFarah Nayeri
Culture Writer, The New York TimesYorgos Archimandritis
Author, Cultural Radio and TV HostRoslyn Sulcas
Culture Writer, The New York TimesArt for Tomorrow 2023 photo gallery
2023 Agenda Highlights

Brunello Cucinelli's Solomeo Weekend
Join us for the drive from the Tuscan lands into Umbria to the medieval village of Solomeo for a cultural weekend curated by the Brunello Cucinelli team.
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Palazzo Strozzi Exhibition and Welcome
Welcome cocktail at the Palazzo Strozzi including a VIP tour of their exhibition ''Reaching for the Stars'' featuring works of some 40 contemporary artists from Maurizio Cattelan to Lynette Yiadom-Boakye.

Chiesa di San Salvatore di Ognissanti
Visit Chiesa di San Salvatore di Ognissanti with its extraordinary works made by some of the greatest masters such as Giotto, Taddeo Gaddi, Botticelli and Ghirlandaio. You’ll also find the tombs of Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli and his muse, Simonetta Vespucci. Not to miss: The Last Supper by Domenico Ghirlandaio.

AfT Panel Discussion: Heritage for Tomorrow
Florence’s historic city center has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982. But like many sites around the world, it faces challenges that are only accelerating in the current era, especially from climate change and mass tourism. What should Florence and
other cities do to protect and promote their cultural heritage while still preserving their economic lifeblood? What are some ways that cities are creating new definitions of what heritage means?

Antico Setificio Fiorentino
Antico Setificio Fiorentino, one of the few remaining workshops for silk production left in the world and the last one in Florence, creates bespoke fabrics on antique looms, like the timeless warping machine built in the 18th century on a design by Leonardo da Vinci! Take a tour the workshop and discover luxury craftmanship.
Highlights From Past Events
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