'I was the first Mexican in the history of the Photo Course and maybe the fifth in the history of the Master's Course!'
This is how Marco Antonio Ayala, 3-time former student of the Accademia Teatro alla Scala, begins.
Marco, in fact, attended the Photography Workshop in 2019, as a result of which he was admitted directly to the Photo, Video and New Media Course without having to sit the selections.
Then, the following year, he attended the Master in Performing Arts Management.
Today, this young 28-year-old from overseas is Head of International Development and New Projects at the Teatro Real in Madrid.
'My story begins like many others you hear in the corridors of the Academy: I started studying music as a child, first piano and then cello, the instrument in which I graduated - but I no longer play.
I also got a diploma in contemporary dance.
In 2014, while I was in the middle of my university course and, in parallel, I was already working for the Orchestra of Jalisco's social medias, a professor made me realise that I was really suited for this job and that it could perhaps become my profession'.
What slant did you give to your stories?
I used to tell things from my point of view, that of a curious musician; if I had to tell about a concert, I would find out about the programme, read anything about the composer and then I would present to the audience all this knowledge as I had discovered it. Having studied music made all the difference, because it gave that extra touch that is then recognised in the writing.
Instagram had only been born a few years ago, the social media manager's figure for cultural realities did not exist yet, so it seemed like a nice challenge, this job opportunity, and I jumped at it. I needed money to be able to do an internship in Russia and I accepted this assignment in Jalisco, which was initially only supposed to be for one month.
And then…?
In the end, the experience lasted a good six years! I really enjoyed interacting with the audience and I grew a lot during this time. The Orchestra ranged from opera to ballet to symphonic music and also organised educational programmes for children, so over time I also took care of listening guides and master classes for children given by the orchestra musicians.
Then, in 2018, I was called as social media coordinator at the National Centre of the Arts in Mexico City, a huge entity that encompasses all the national schools of art, dance, music and theatre. I worked a lot, in close contact with the press and marketing offices. A good experience that lasted seven months.
And then Milan. How did the decision for such an important transfer come about?
I did not decide on the spur of the moment, but back in 2015 - at a festival in Mexico - a former student of the Academy Orchestra (Roberto Carlito) told me about the La Scala school. I started browsing online for the offered courses and saw the master's course, which concretised the course idea of my life. Since I was still studying at university, I gave myself time to finish my degree and see how things evolved; life led me to specialise in photography, so I opted for the related course first, rather than attend the master's immediately. In fact, I enrolled in the preparatory workshop, to be precise, when I still didn't speak a word of Italian.
In hindsight, do you think it was useful?
Yes, it tourned out to be a good choice because I knew nothing about the Academy's reality. From the 'outside' you don't understand how much it does and what possibilities it offers, and above all you don't understand the difference between the Academy and the Teatro.
Through the workshop I discovered this world and the closeness of the tutors and professors to the students, a one-to-one relationship in continuous dialogue that makes the training truly prolific. It is very different from university: in the Academy you are guided step by step by professionals who really care about your education.
You mentioned that you still did not speak Italian when you have arrived; was that a big obstacle?
Imagine that I enrolled at the Italian Cultural Institute and went there precisely every day, at seven in the morning, but I didn't speak and I was afraid of being in trouble. But in truth, it was enough to show my portfolio to snatch the highest grade. And I admit it, I really was an overachiever.
However, the level of the Master's candidates was so high that I did not feel so confident during that selection.
You chose the Master in the middle of a worldwide pandemic…
Yes, while all cultural institutions were in crisis; for a moment I wondered whether it was worth attempting this path, but the more I thought about it, the more I felt it really was the right time.
Besides, I like to learn: I always want to be where there are opportunities to educate myself.
Of course, I admit that winning a scholarship - one of those provided by the Spina Foundation - was crucial. Without this important contribution I would never have been able to attend the Master's course.
Talent and determination always count, but opportunities and networking are equally important.
What was your goal when you chose the Master's programme?
I wanted to reach that level of professionalism that I knew I didn't have, despite the experience I gained during the six years in Jalisco. I felt that this path represented a final step, but I understood later that this ladder never ends: there is always something to learn and there is always a way to do better.
This master's degree is not a point of arrival, but a junction from which millions of opportunities for further study depart. The Teatro alla Scala alone or the world of festivals – two production realities investigated during the teaching programme – are two immense and different realities.
The Master in Performing Arts Management is good for this reason: it is not just focused on one role or just on one genre, but it is a place where you find out what you can do.
Before the course, to give an example about myself, there was no Marco Ayala the fundraiser; after the Master's course, there was…
And another great thing is that you do not need to have studies or experiences in the cultural sector behind you to successfully attend this programme. Lawyers, philosophers or achitects can also be valuable resources and put their studies at art's service.
Everything you have done before in life contributes to making this journey a unique experience.
Through the Master, you can also change your direction.
Look at me, for example: I knew about social media and photography, so it seemed natural that I would choose La Scala and the field of communication as my internship. And I told myself I didn't want to do it precisely because I knew how to do it; instead, I decided to make the exam in which I had the lowest mark, fundraising, a new stepping stone and I started to delve deeper into the subject, studying and updating myself constantly. When I was told that there was an internship position at the Teatro Real with Marisa Vasquez-Shelly, an extremely valid fundraiser, I proposed myself.
You were brave and you were rewarded…
To be honest, she told me later that she initially thought I had nothing to do with her business; fortunately, the director of the Master's programme, Monica Errico, strongly believed in me and in the end, after some further evaluation, I was accepted.
As a fundraising intern at the Teatro Real I had to learn so much, it was a period of continuous training even in things that to many may seem ordinary or that one does not think about, such as the protocol for addressing the Royal House or the director of the most important company in a country. These are not ancillary matters at all, in the end, if you think that fundraising is based on relationships.
What do you do now?
Today I am in charge of International development and new projects, an area where there are so many possibilities. My job is to look for new opportunities in different countries around the world and especially in emerging markets to realise all the ideas of the Superintendent.
How does a typical day of yours look like?
There is no such thing as a typical day: every day I live a new adventure. The Superintendent now in office is a revolutionary who wants to do everything, the possible and the impossible, a volcano of ideas, and our task is precisely to investigate the possibilities for realisation – an intriguing challenge.
But do you feel you have 'arrived' or are you still missing something?
By nature I think I will never feel I have arrived, I would never want to stop. I really like collecting different experiences, always evolving and getting to know all points of view; I would certainly like to work in Germany, France and England, for example, and see how theatre management changes in different countries in Europe.
I want to try everything and then maybe I will want to go back to Mexico, who knows.
Do public funds or fundraising count more in the cultural sector?
They are equally important and maybe, on second thoughts, play a bit of a role swapping game. Public funds, in fact, are stll managed by a few people who do not, however, enter into a real relationship with the institution that is being financed. When it comes to private funds, on the other hand, the sponsoring company becomes a community that really to some extent participates in the life of the supported institution. A relationship of trust and confidence is created that is unparalleled in public funding.
Compared to what you have been able to observe and study in recent years, do you think that the Italian cultural scene is sufficiently sensitive to fundraising or that it still has a lot to learn?
In Spain, ticket revenues, public funds and private funds represent each 30% of revenue. During the pandemic, when of course ticket revenues fell, we still had 60% of the funding.
The Teatro alla Scala gets 20% of its revenue from private funding, and it is the Italian theatre with the most, while the national average is around 9%.
On the other hand, Italy has the Fondo Unico per lo Spettacolo, a model that does not exist in other countries.
To complete the picture, then, it must be said that there are several cultural realities in the world that receive neither public nor private funds.
So let's say that in the end Italy, as I see it, is currently halfway there with a good margin for improvement.
You have to keep in mind that a private fund can really be a small amount, which multiplied by the community becomes an important support that allows very nice things to happen. At the Teatro Real, for example, we also open the 'Friends of the Theatre' programme to minors, who can join for just 20 euros and enjoy content designed especially for them. If they are of age, then they can also deduct this donation.
