Carrara, 11 June 2024 – Carrara is running for the title of Italian capital of contemporary art 2026. The Municipality of Carrara is now preparing its proposal to be submitted to the Ministry of Culture with the involvement of numerous local entities, both public and private, and the technical support of the Fitzcarraldo Foundation of Turin. The final dossier must be sent to Rome by 30 June then, from all the applications presented, in September the jury will select the five finalists and by the end of October the chosen project will be proposed to the Minister. As underlined by the mayor of Carrara Serena Arrighi “the tender represents a bit of a manifesto of what we want to build in Carrara. I have always clearly said that I consider culture an essential driver of development and relaunch for our city and this is a concrete step towards this direction. Carrara, as reported by the title chosen for this candidacy, has truly been ‘contemporary for 2 thousand years’ because matter has been transformed and experimented here since Roman times. Century after century, forms, tastes and techniques have changed, but Carrara, a UNESCO Creative City for Art and Crafts, has always remained a city of making and at the same time a city of tradition and a city of innovation. Our task and our objective are now to systematize everything that the city can offer and to do so with a far-reaching vision. If we want Carrara to keep pace with its history, there is a need for planning and planning. Winning the title of Italian Capital of Contemporary Art would be a magnificent opportunity to give greater visibility to our territory, but also to develop ideas and give space to the many artistic realities, small and large, that are present in the city. I am convinced that Carrara is already one of the many Italian capitals of contemporary art, regardless of whether it wins the title or not. In recent months, with the support of the Fitzcarraldo Foundation, it has already been possible to trigger a virtuous process of reflection on our city, on its many strengths and on the aspects that instead require interventions. It is not a simple process, but highly stimulating which gives us the opportunity to relate to many local entities, both public and private, and with professionals from different fields and sectors. In any case, we are certain that all this work will not be wasted, but will leave us with a wealth of knowledge and indications on which to continue building the Carrara of tomorrow”.
