Stepping into Rome's National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art today means entering a space where culture intertwines with society, with business, and with the very way people work and collaborate. Leading this transformation is Cristina Mazzantini, an architect and cultural manager whose career combines institutional experience with a contemporary vision of the museum as an open platform. After holding positions in complex public contexts – including the Chamber of Deputies and the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Italian Republic – she is now pursuing a clearly defined vision: culture is not an accessory, but a powerful force for human, social, and organizational development.

Under her direction, the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art is evolving into a true hub of connections: between artists and companies, between institutions and local communities, between education and innovation. A place where creativity is activated, experimented with, and shared. It is within this context that the dialogue with MAIRE, a group that has chosen to invest in culture as an integral part of its ecosystem with a focus on relationships, comes into play: an exchange between different worlds that see themselves on common ground, that of creativity as a driver of transformation.

In the current issue of EVOLVE, dedicated to ENJOY OUR WAY, the theme is not just about achieving goals, but about giving value to the journey itself through a different lens: one that is more attentive to the process, the quality of the experience, and the meaning of doing. Together with architect Mazzantini, we sought to understand what happens when art and business truly come together. And why, today more than ever, culture can become one of the most concrete tools for rethinking work.

You lead one of Italy's most important cultural institutions, but you have also worked in complex institutional settings. In your view, can culture tangibly improve the quality of work within an organization? How does exposure to beauty, critical thinking, and creativity influence the way people collaborate and make decisions?

Culture has a much more concrete impact than one might think, and today it is no longer just a perception, but something that is also confirmed by the most recent studies in neuroscience and psychology. Beauty, creativity, and exposure to non-linear forms of thinking activate processes in people that have to do with well-being, but also with the capacity for adaptation, listening, and vision.

We see this every day in our work at the museum. When people come into contact with art, a different kind of space is created: one that is less functional, less driven by urgency, and precisely for that reason, more fertile. It is a space where defenses come down, perspectives broaden, and it becomes more natural to question established patterns. And when we bring this into an organization, it has enormous value.

We have, for example, initiated collaborations with the healthcare system precisely because it has become clear how cultural experiences can contribute to people's overall well-being. But the most interesting aspect is that this effect does not apply only to people in vulnerable situations: it applies to everyone. It also applies to those who work in companies, those who make decisions every day, and those who manage complex teams.

I was deeply moved, for instance, by my personal experience on guided tours with homeless people. In those moments, something very powerful happens: people who normally struggle to express themselves find, through art, a language and a way to connect. This shows us that culture has the power to tap into deep, often latent, resources.

If we apply this to companies, it means creating environments where people are not just more "productive" but more aware, more open, and better able to truly collaborate. And today, in complex and constantly changing contexts, this is perhaps one of the most important skills. In this sense, culture is not an extraneous element: it is a tool that can influence the quality of decisions, the ability to work together, and, ultimately, the quality of work itself.

Thanks to a recent donation from the Cy Twombly Foundation (commemorated in a volume published by Electa with the support of MAIRE), the GNAMC is also transforming into a training and experimentation center specializing in the restoration of contemporary works of art on paper – and its collection includes approximately 7,000 works of this kind. When it comes to companies, can culture be considered a true strategic infrastructure – on par with technology or technical training—or is it still too often perceived as something incidental?

I believe we are currently in a very interesting transitional phase, in which the strategic value of culture is emerging with greater clarity, although in some contexts it is not yet fully recognized. It is no coincidence that we are hearing more and more about "cultural capitalism." What I see, in fact, is a growing awareness and, above all, a very positive cross-pollination between worlds that were much more distant just a few years ago. The museum, for example, is no longer merely a place of conservation or exhibition, but has become an active space in the development of civil society. And civil society, inevitably, also includes the business world.

Today, companies are central to people's lives: it is there that relationships are built, skills are developed, and visions are defined. And that is precisely why corporate culture has emerged as a key factor in recent years, becoming an indispensable element. It is no longer just about organizing work, but about giving meaning to what we do.

In this context, culture in its broadest sense – the artistic, creative, and humanistic – can play a fundamental role as a true intangible infrastructure that helps foster critical thinking, the capacity for innovation, and openness to change. At the same time, cultural institutions have also had to take a step forward: moving beyond a more insular mindset, sometimes perceived as elitist, and learning to engage with new languages, other worlds, and diverse needs.

This intersection is where the most interesting value emerges. When culture and business stop viewing each other from a distance and begin to truly collaborate, a new space is created: one that is more concrete, dynamic, and capable of generating impact. I believe that culture is no longer – or should no longer be – considered "optional". It is a strategic component, albeit an intangible one, that can profoundly influence an organization's ability to evolve and navigate the complexities of the present.

Many of your projects focus on the museum as a space for community and engagement. In companies today, there is a lot of talk about purpose and identity. How important is it to build a strong internal culture capable of fostering a sense of belonging? And what risks does an organization face if it neglects this aspect?

I believe this is a central issue today, not only for cultural institutions but for any organization. Building an internal culture means, first and foremost, building a shared language, a common way of interpreting what we do and why we do it. And this is what truly generates a sense of belonging. In our work, for example, it is essential to be able to speak to different audiences, create connections, and make culture accessible without trivializing it. This is a process that requires specific professional skills and also has a strong pedagogical dimension: reaching out to people, including them, and making them feel engaged. When this happens, a community is created.

Something very similar happens in companies. Purpose cannot be just a formal statement: it must translate into concrete experiences, behaviors, and daily relationships. When people perceive consistency between what an organization says and what it does, trust is created. And trust is the foundation of any system that truly wants to function.

Conversely, when this dimension is missing, the risk is having organizations that are technically efficient but fragile from a human perspective. People work, they produce results, but a deep sense of belonging, direction, and shared identity is missing. And this, in the medium to long term, translates into disengagement: think of the difficulties in retaining talent or the reduced ability to cope with change.

In this sense, we work extensively with universities, schools, and companies: because that is where the future is built, not only in terms of skills but also of values and a shared vision of identity. Culture is a powerful tool because it helps people see themselves as part of something larger than their individual roles. And when this happens, it changes not only the way people work but also the way they experience being part of an organization.

Through initiatives like Connessioni Urbane (Urban Connections), art becomes a tool for revitalizing public space and social relationships. Can we imagine that culture plays a similar role in corporate settings as well? Can it help "revitalize" work environments, internal dynamics, and the organizational climate?

Absolutely yes, and it is a direction we are already actively exploring. Projects like Connessioni Urbane stem precisely from the idea that the museum should not be a place separate from everyday life, but a hub capable of addressing real needs and fostering connections between different worlds.

When we work on these projects, what happens is very interesting: companies bring very specific needs – often related to creativity, innovation, and employee engagement – and the museum becomes a space for connection, where artists, students, academies, and professionals come together. An ecosystem is created in which everyone contributes their own language, and this has a direct impact on workplaces as well. Art introduces a different perspective because it breaks habits and opens up possibilities. It is not simply a matter of "beautifying" a space, but of transforming it into a livelier, more stimulating place, one better able to foster relationships.

We have seen, for example, how participatory art experiences in complex contexts such as the community center Barrio's in Milan can produce very powerful results, both on a human and symbolic level. When people are involved in a creative process, it changes the way they experience that space: it is no longer just a place they walk through, but something they feel they belong to.

Revitalizing a workplace is also a key step for companies: it is not merely a matter of intervening in the organization or processes, but also in the way people relate to one another and to the space they inhabit every day. I therefore believe that culture can play a very important role because it introduces an experiential and emotional dimension, which is often missing in more structured contexts. And today, to build truly sustainable and innovative work environments, this dimension is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.

In this issue, we discuss "ENJOY OUR WAY": not just about achieving goals, but about fully embracing the journey. Can culture teach companies to place greater value on the process, on exploration, and on shared experiences, rather than solely on the final result? How can art help us rediscover the joy of doing, even in our work?

I believe this is a very important point, especially today, in a context where we are often focused exclusively on the result, with an emphasis on performance and speed. Culture, and in particular contemporary art – which is increasingly interactive and socially engaged – reminds us that value lies not only in the destination but also in the journey taken to get there. If we consider the work of many contemporary artists, the process is an integral part of the artwork. Research, doubt, the time required, and the methods used to develop an idea are not secondary elements, but essential to contemporary creativity, just as the relationship with the viewer is. Artists are increasingly working with the public, sometimes with entire communities, bringing ideas to fruition through holistic and shared processes and even developing them collectively. This is demonstrated, for example, by the participatory artistic practice of Marinella Senatore, named Artist of the Year 2026 by Gnamc, also thanks to the support of MAIRE, which focuses on activism and inclusion. And this is a very interesting lesson for the business world as well.

We Italians, in particular, have a very deep relationship with beauty, often even unconsciously. We grow up immersed in a cultural landscape made up of art, architecture, and history, and this influences the way we see and do things. There is an attention to detail, to the quality of the experience, that goes beyond mere functionality. This sensibility, if recognized and valued, can become a distinctive element in the workplace as well. It means not limiting oneself to simply "doing something well" but questioning how it is done, what experience is created, and the meaning built over time.

And this also changes the relationship with work itself. When we manage to value the process, we no longer live solely for the final result, but we rediscover that enjoyable sense of engagement and participation. In this sense, culture and contemporary art in particular, can offer companies a different perspective: one less focused exclusively on performance and more attentive to the quality of the journey. And perhaps this is exactly where we can find a more sustainable balance, even in the long term, between results and people's well-being.