Cracks in the structure(s)

Just as buildings develop structural and non-structural cracks, institutions, too, can exhibit disruptions that are either structural or non-structural. These “cracks” reveal points of tension, vulnerability, and potential within organisational systems, challenging both their form and function. This chapter, functioning as an introduction to the conversations that close Part 1 of the book, examines such institutional cracks through contemporary art projects: the Engawa and the Youth Advisory Board at CAM – Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian; the General Ecology initiative at the Serpentine Galleries; and Buro Stedelijk at the Stedelijk Museum. By tracing these disruptions, the chapter highlights how cracks can both expose and generate new possibilities within cultural institutions.