Crotone, a city rich in history and culture, is about to embrace a new and bold project that will radically change its urban face. Thanks to the KRIU (Krotone Urban Identities) initiative, the city is preparing to become a real open-air museum, telling its history and identity through street art.
The exciting announcement was made during a press conference held by the mayor Vincenzo Voce, the deputy mayor Sandro Cretella, the president of the IV Council Commission Domenico Lo Guarro and representatives of the “Rublanum” association, promoter of the Gulia Urbana project.
“This project is a real turning point for our city,” declared Mayor Voce. “It will not only transform our urban spaces into living works of art, but will also help promote social inclusion and cultural education of our citizens.”
The KRIU project, born from the collaboration with the Rublanum association, involves the participation of nationally and internationally renowned artists, who will give life to a process of urban and social regeneration in a specific area of the city, between Via Di Vittorio and Via Mastracchi.
“Street art is an art form that speaks directly to people,” underlined deputy mayor Cretella. “With KRIU, we want to transform our neighborhoods into places of beauty and inspiration, making Crotone a point of reference for art lovers from all over the world.”
The main objective of the project is to give the city a new tourist attraction, an open-air museum that tells the history and identity of Crotone through various forms of artistic expression on the walls.
“Calabria has a rich and fascinating history, and through street art we want to tell it to the world,” said Matteo Falbo of the Rublanum association. “Our artists will not only create extraordinary works, but they will live and know the area, making their murals even more authentic and meaningful.”
The project will be divided into three years, with works that will be created until 2026. The inaugural event will take place from 28 May to 6 June 2024, during which four international street artists – Kraser (Spain), Piet Rodriguez (Belgium), Aches (Ireland), Kitsune (Belgium) – will bring their works to life on four walls of low-cost and popular housing buildings.
“The artists will use innovative techniques and different styles, creating works that will capture the attention of citizens and tourists,” explained Giacomo Marinaro, artistic director of Gulia Urbana. “From realism to figurative, up to anamorphic and abstract elements, the works we will see in Crotone will be a true feast for the eyes.”
With an investment of 100 thousand euros and the participation of talented artists from all over the world, the KRIU project promises to transform Crotone into an unmissable destination for lovers of art and urban culture. The city is preparing for an exciting transformation, ready to show the world its beauty and creative spirit through street art.
