From the Tuscia Route 01 to 35 new public artworks: this is what Civita, Capital of Contemporary Art 2028, will look like
The jury has selected the project ‘Art that comes, art that goes’. A legacy designed to endure well beyond this year
Key points
Thirty-five permanent works in public ownership, four regenerated urban spaces, fifteen kilometres of new cycle and footpaths, and a ‘workshop bus’ that will tour schools to introduce ten thousand young people to contemporary art. This is the legacy that Civita di Bagnoregio and Bolsena are preparing to build between now and 2028, following their designation as the Italian Capital of Contemporary Art by the Minister for Culture, Alessandro Giuli. An investment designed to last well beyond the year of the title: a network involving institutions, businesses and citizens, which aims to make art a driving force for development in these two small inland towns, offering new opportunities for visitors, work and life for those who stay, away from the big cities.
Changing the relationship between a region and its culture
The joint application, led by the Municipality of Bagnoregio in partnership with that of Bolsena, was presented on 8 October in Rome to the jury chaired by Lorenza Baroncelli and comprising Glauco Cavaciuti, Sofia Gnoli, Renata Cristina Mazzantini and Vincenzo Santoro. It was a challenge won by two villages which, on paper, started from a position far behind that of the major urban centres, but which have managed to turn their intimate scale into a strength.
“We are not simply proposing a programme of contemporary art in a beautiful area,” explained Simonetta Giordani of Associazione Civita on behalf of the group that presented the project. “We are proposing to use contemporary art to change the relationship that an entire region – starting with the youngest members of the community – has with culture.” This is the key to understanding the entire proposal. The idea is not that of a major event that takes place in an area for twelve months and then moves on, but rather a culture capable of having a tangible impact on people’s lives, on relationships and even on a community’s perception of itself. An approach that the organisers see as being in keeping with the spirit of the Olivetti Plan, and which also focuses on the emotional wellbeing of the younger generations.
A grassroots project
The first distinctive feature of the bid is its origin. It has been emphasised that the bid dossier was not put together by someone from outside the region who came to decide what should happen in Tuscia. It stems from the local area, bringing together a very large number of local organisations that are already active. The bid does not erase what already exists, but connects it and gives it new vigour. Alongside these local initiatives is a network of partners with leading national and international expertise: the FAI – Fondo Ambiente Italia, the Arte Continua Association, the Reggio Children Foundation, the University of Tuscia, an international network of Mediterranean universities, the University of Molise, the Sacred Wood of Bomarzo and the Civita Association.
The dossier was compiled by TIWI and draws on the expertise of a scientific committee comprising Massimiliano Capo, Paolo Crepet, Mario Cristiani, Simonetta Giordani, Guido Guerzoni, Fabio Lucarelli and Sofia Elena Rovati.
