MADRID.- In a meeting held this morning—Monday 31st May—the Executive Committee of IFEMA unanimously decided to appoint Mr. Carlos Urroz as the new director of ARCOmadrid, the International Contemporary Art Fair of Madrid.

In making its decision, the committee took into consideration Urroz’s in-depth knowledge of the workings of the contemporary art world, as well as his own experience at ARCO as its Deputy Director from 1994 to 1998. Urroz is also widely recognised professionally in the international gallery world thanks to his time as director of the Helga de Alvear gallery plus his work as a freelance art and cultural consultant.

Urroz, who until now was an advisor to the Community of Madrid, has extensive experience in the field of cultural management. His name came up when Lourdes Fernández was designated director a few years ago, and he now been unanimously chosen from a list proposed by a firm of headhunters. The news was greeted with joy by the galleries, who see him as the answer to the downward spiral in which the art fair was going. The first mission, not the easiest, Urroz has to undertake is the restoration of the dialogue between the galleries and the heads of Ifema.