The “Italian Capital of Contemporary Art” was presented today in Rome, at the Ministry of Culture, an initiative promoted and desired by the Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiulianowhich joins the already existing “Italian Capital of Culture” and “Italian Book Capital”.
The new recognition was established to encourage and support the planning and implementation capacity of Italian cities in the field of promotion and valorisation of contemporary art, through the creation and redevelopment of spaces and areas dedicated to use, so that it is always received more widespread, the value of culture for the national identity process, for social cohesion and inclusion, integration, creativity, innovation, growth, economic development and individual and collective well-being.
The public notice, promoted by the Directorate General for Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture, finances cultural projects that include activities such as exhibitions, festivals and reviews, as well as the creation and redevelopment of spaces and areas dedicated to the enjoyment of contemporary art.
These are the specific objectives for the “Italian Capital of Contemporary Art”:
• create and/or redevelop areas and spaces to be used for the production and use of contemporary art;
• enhance the territory and promote local skills in the sector of contemporary creativity, also involving young talents and national/international contemporary artists to develop exchanges of professional experiences and creative comparison;
• encourage the construction of networks between public bodies (museums, art centres, institutions) and private non-profit bodies (associations, foundations, independent spaces, non-profit spaces) dedicated to research and experimentation on contemporary art;
• strengthen social cohesion and inclusion, as well as the development of public participation;
• use new technologies, also with a view to greater involvement of younger generations and improving accessibility;
• promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the visual, performing and creative sectors also through the creation of sector networks and supply chains;
• achieve sustainable results in cultural innovation;
• promote the Italian imagination and national creativity also with the aim of improving the attractiveness of the territory in the international context;
• pursue the objectives set by the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Cities, individual municipalities or aggregations of municipalities that wish to apply for the title will be able to submit an application with an attached project dossier, including the title, cultural project, body responsible for the project, artistic director, curators and scientific committee, sustainability assessment economic-financial and objectives pursued, with the related indicators, no later than 30 June 2024.
The applications will be evaluated by a jury made up of five independent experts of proven fame in the sector of culture and contemporary visual arts, who will examine the projects received and then select from these, by 15 September 2024, a maximum of five finalist cities. The latter will subsequently be invited to public hearings which will take place by 14 October 2024.
The jury, by 30 October 2024, will propose to the Minister of Culture the candidacy deemed most suitable to be awarded the title of “Italian Capital of Contemporary Art 2026”, which will enjoy funding of one million euros for the implementation of the activities designed in the dossier.
Deadlines:
• no later than 30 June 2024 – submission of applications
• by 15 September 2024 – the Jury selects five finalist projects
• by 14 October 2024 – audition of the five finalists
• by 30 October 2024 – the jury submits to the Minister the project of the city that it intends to propose as “Italian Capital of Contemporary Art”
To request information, you can write to [email protected], inserting in the subject the words: “Information for Italian Capital of Contemporary Art 2026”.
At the opening of the proceedings, the speech of the Director General of Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture, Angelo Piero Cappello: “It is a project designed to enhance and promote contemporary art in our national territory, recognizing and celebrating the diversity and richness of the cultural identities that characterize Italy. This initiative aims to transform art, in all its current forms, into a vibrant bridge between the various regions, supporting local artists and encouraging awareness of the identity of individuals in the communities they belong to. Through the Italian Capital of Contemporary Art we intend not only to highlight artistic talent, but also to stimulate a constructive dialogue on Italian cultural identity, encouraging broader inclusion and a deeper understanding of our roots and future aspirations. It is an invitation to active participation, a stimulus to experience the beauty and provocation of contemporary art and to discover how this can influence and enrich our perception of the world and of ourselves”.
Following the speech of the Undersecretary for Culture, Lucia Borgonzoni: “A further development opportunity for the territories starting from one of our country’s strengths, its cultural heritage. A treasure chest of unique beauties in the world, which tells of a long past of traditions and which boasts an unparalleled ability to multiply, fueled by the engine of creativity, innovation and experimentation as the driving force that moves the steps of our artists and inspires the youngest talents. Cultivating this heritage is the task of the Ministry, which to this end has put and will put in place as many measures as possible to enhance the cultural and creative excellence of our communities, in the awareness that they represent one of the fundamental pillars for the growth of Italy and that their value increases its attractiveness on the international scene. Our synergistic action, developed on multiple fronts, will now also be able to count on this prestigious recognition”.
“The Italian Capital of Contemporary Art aims to create the past of our future, aiming to project itself forward and above all allow young people to measure themselves with art and their ideas. In the Italy of tomorrow, there must be something beautiful and appreciable that has been created in these years. To the Italian Capital of Culture and that of books, we add this initiative which will allow us to shine a light on cities capable of making creativity the cornerstone of their development. We are proud of this initiative which aims to involve citizens in a collective public moment of participation, especially among young people”, concluded the Minister Sangiuliano.
The notice, published on the institutional website of the Directorate General for Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture, is available at the following link:
https://creativitacontemporanea.cultura.gov.it/ciac-2026
Download the complete photo gallery here
Rome, 2 May 2024
MiC Press and Communication Office
© 2021 MiC – Published on 2024-05-02 13:55:10 / Last update 2024-05-02 14:19:47
