The Romanian Association for Contemporary Art (ARAC) is a non-profit organization founded in 2012 by Anca Poterașu, dedicated to supporting and promoting Romanian contemporary artists at both local and international levels. Our mission centers on creating projects with meaningful opportunities for artists through exhibitions, residencies, and collaborations with cultural institutions around the world.
Over the years, ARAC has organized residency programs, exhibitions, and published art books, continually reflecting on and responding to developments in contemporary art and culture. In 2015, Anca Poterașu launched a residency program in Bucharest, and in 2024, expanded with a new program in her home village, Săcel, Maramureș. This program emphasizes the relationship between contemporary art and local heritage, highlighting the importance of sustainable practices and community participation. It seeks to explore the intersections of art, rural life, and ecology, reminding us where “the past and present still meet.”
Our projects are designed to engage local and international communities in enriching cultural exchanges and artistic collaborations, fostering a deep appreciation for both artistic expression and ecological sustainability. Through our initiatives, we aspire to elevate the visibility of contemporary art and stimulate conversations about its vital role in society.
Team
Anca Poterașu
Founder and President
Anca Poterașu is the founder and president of ARAC. With over a decade of experience in curating and cultural management, she plays a key role in shaping the association’s vision and long-term strategy. Since founding ARAC in 2012, she has led numerous national and international projects that support contemporary artists through residencies, exhibitions, publications, and educational initiatives.
She is also the director of Anca Poterașu Gallery in Bucharest, an active platform for emerging and established artists from Romania and beyond.
Daria Corlățan
Curator
Daria is an emerging curator who holds a master’s degree in curatorial studies from the University of Art and Design Cluj-Napoca, completed with a research focus on the recontextualization of archival documents within artistic practice. Her interests lie in the realms of post-photographic images, the intersection of cultural memory and art, as well as museum strategies and cultural policies.
Oana Petroviciu
Assistant Manager
Oana is passionate about history and political movements in the contemporary world, especially in the European context. In 2024, she graduated from the Faculty of History, University of Bucharest, where she got her bachelor’s degree in International Relations and European Studies, and her master’s degree in History, specializing in Politics and Society in the 20th century. Her final thesis focused on social activism in Europe during the 68s movements.
In the past years, she worked as an Assistant Manager in different cultural places in Bucharest and has experience in helping during the administrative process of the projects, as well as brainstorming new creative ideas.
Interns
Maia-Tiana Schmidts
Tiana is a Bucharest-based visual artist and emerging researcher with a background in International Arts and Culture (IBACS). She joined the team as an intern, contributing to research, writing, and digital communication.
Her academic interests and artistic pracitces focus on memory, aesthetics, and cultural narratives in contemporary art. She continues to be involved in artistic and cultural projects and is pursuing further research in the intersection between art, history, and society.
Partners/ Sponsors:
- Goethe-Institut Bukarest
- French Institute
- Alliance of Academies
- Ministerul Culturii Romania
- European Comission (through EU Creative programme)
- EAA Grants
- UMP Cultura
- AFCN
- Borodi Design Studios
- Aqua Carpatica
- Primăria Săcel, Maramureș
- LG Romania