miart has appointed curator, critic and lecturer Cloe Piccoli as its new Artistic Director, succeeding Nicola Ricciardi to lead the Milan art fair through its 2027–2029 editions. The appointment forms part of Fiera Milano’s long-term strategy to develop miart as a year-round cultural platform as well as one of Europe’s leading contemporary art fairs.
Piccoli brings extensive experience across contemporary art, architecture and design, having curated exhibitions and cultural programmes for major public institutions and international brands while also teaching Contemporary Art at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan. Her practice spans criticism, curating and cultural strategy, with a focus on building connections between institutions, businesses and audiences.
Fiera Milano says the appointment reflects its ambition to reposition miart beyond its annual fair dates, expanding its cultural impact throughout the year.
Francesco Conci, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Fiera Milano, said:
“Cloe Piccoli’s appointment represents a strategic choice that reflects Fiera Milano’s repositioning journey. Our ambition is to invest in miart not only as an established fair for contemporary art, but as a platform capable of creating lasting cultural, relational and reputational value throughout the year. We believe that today a fair must be more than a single event: it should foster meaningful connections, generate content, and play an active role in strengthening the cultural ecosystems in which it operates. Within this vision, miart becomes one of the projects through which we strengthen Fiera Milano’s brand equity and international positioning, while at the same time contributing to enhancing Milan’s role as a European capital of creativity, innovation and culture.”
Piccoli said she intends to build on the work of previous directors while strengthening miart’s position as a meeting point for artistic production, cultural exchange and the art market.
“I am grateful to Fiera Milano for its confidence in me and delighted to take on the role of Artistic Director of miart, one of the most compelling international art fairs. Thanks to the work of those who have guided the fair before me, miart is now ready to direct its potential towards new challenges.
“I see miart as a platform that brings together artistic production, cultural capital and economic value. The aim is to create an inclusive platform that brings together culture and the market, catalysing energies to enhance miart’s identity in dialogue with the city of Milan and its international outlook. I will work to build a network capable of activating new cultural projects and new relationships between the public and private sectors. Together with Fiera Milano, we will expand our relationships with galleries, artists, curators, collectors, museums, foundations, companies and stakeholders who, like miart, view culture as a driver for regeneration.”
A regular contributor to publications including la Repubblica, Il Giornale dell’Arte and Robinson, Piccoli has worked with institutions including MAXXI, Museo del Novecento, Triennale Milano, MoMA PS1, Centre Pompidou-Metz and Manchester University. She has also led cultural projects for Christian Dior, where she created the Christian Dior Art Award, and served as Artistic Director for Acqua di Parma’s contemporary art initiatives.
Her appointment signals the next phase in miart’s evolution as the fair continues to strengthen its international profile while deepening its relationship with Milan’s wider cultural ecosystem.
