Manuel Segade assumed the role of director at a prominent Madrid museum focused on 20th century and contemporary art. Born fifty years ago, he studied at a religious school and pursued journalism and art history before spending a year at the University of Leeds. He has spoken about the influence of Griselda Pollock, a pivotal figure who reshaped the course of European art history and women’s representation in the canon. Segade earned the position after a selection process that included candidates from across Spain. He undertook a series of interviews before reporting to work that Wednesday morning, sharing a vision where museums become spaces for citizens to access, reflect on, and engage with society’s challenges.
The current head of the Reina Sofía is Segade. When asked about his first museum experience, he recalled creating index cards for a collection at a museum that no longer exists, the Union Fenosa Museum in A Coruña, followed by a curatorial project at the Luis Seoane Foundation in 2002 or 2003.
Was the idea of heading Reina Sofía ever in his plans? Not at all. He recalls being told as a young person that a career in the arts could not sustain a living, and he chose to prove otherwise. Since 2005, he has been involved in the art world through Metronome, a private foundation led by a Barcelona collector, and he has never stopped living with art, despite the industry’s inherent instability.
From prior roles, including his leadership at the Dos de Mayo Art Center in Móstoles, Segade sees opportunities to shape a major institution like Reina Sofía. He describes an ongoing innovation process essential for engaging with contemporary art and turning museums into laboratories. He emphasizes the need for experimental spaces where artists are allowed to fail, while ensuring museums are ecological, inclusive, gender-equal, and relevant to current artistic concerns. The aim is to guarantee broad access to culture and to make education and events widely reachable beyond the building itself.
Is this shift fully secured yet? Access to art and culture is recognized as a constitutional right, though translating that into universal reach remains a challenge in contemporary museums. The example of a southern Madrid museum serving a diverse immigrant community shows that it is possible to make culture a meaningful public endeavor. The key is to create spaces where people can encounter art through a wide array of tools and programs.
How should the gap in access be closed? By listening to what communities need and negotiating those needs with contemporary art. Building consensus through dialogue is straightforward and essential. The public museum should be a democratic space that invites audience participation and co-creation.
Are audiences demanding something different from museums today? Contemporary art institutions are often better positioned to respond to societal shifts. Radical creativity in contemporary art invites new ways of thinking and enables institutions to contribute in powerful ways, not only through the works on display but also by adopting artists’ methodologies. The practice reflects a broader approach to administration of reality that embraces bold ideas and evolving strategies.
Are such museums healthy right now? They are in a strong phase, anchored in the civic agenda and widely visited. Reina Sofía, in particular, attracts large numbers, underscoring its prominence in Spain’s cultural landscape and its role on the international stage.
What is Segade hoping to achieve with Reina Sofía? He aims to consolidate the museum’s symbolic weight while expanding the visibility of Spanish art abroad. Although collaborative projects with the museum or the Ministry of Culture have yet to be announced, the ambition is clear: to weave the museum’s cultural capital into the broader Spanish art scene and to showcase it globally as a force for discovery and dialogue.
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Manuel Segade, born in A Coruña in 1977, earned a PhD in Art History and has held roles including chief curator at the Galician Center for Contemporary Art and director of the Dos de Mayo Museum in Móstoles. He steps into Reina Sofía as the successor to Manuel Borja-Villel, who held the post since 2008. His influence in the field has been recognized by prominent rankings and industry lists, highlighting his role among Spain’s most influential figures in contemporary art.
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