The appointment of the Italian Capital of Culture 2022 it is getting closer and closer. The MiBACT (Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism) has in fact published on its official website the list of 10 finalist cities, who will compete for the coveted title. The current Italian Capital of Culture is Parma, who will remain in office also for 2021 due to restrictions due to Covid-19. The first and second waves of the pandemic have in fact led to the postponement of many events and activities organized in the Emilian capital. The cities pre-selected by the jury for the2022 edition were 28, among which three: regional capitals, ten of the provinces and some of the most interesting local villages. Only 10 of these, however, have passed the last step, entering the final phase.
Italian Capital of Culture 2022: the 10 finalists and their dossiers
The first finalist (in alphabetical order) is Ancona, who presented the dossier "Ancona. Culture by the way". The second is Bari, competing with “Bari 2022 Italian capital of culture”. The third is Cervetri (Rome), with the dossier "Cerveteri 2022. At the origins of the future". It follows L'Aquila, with the dossier "AQ2022, Culture leaves its mark". The fifth finalist is Pieve di Soligo (Treviso), with the dossier "Pieve di Soligo and the Highlands of the Marca Trevigiana". They follow Procida (Naples), with the dossier "Procida - Culture does not isolate", Taranto, with "Taranto and Greece of Salento. Italian capital of culture 2022. Culture changes the climate"And Trapani, with the dossier "Italian capital of Euro-Mediterranean cultures. Trapani crossroads of peoples and cultures, landings and polychromies. Art and culture, wind of regeneration". The latest finalists are Verbania (Verbano-Cusio-Ossola), with "Culture reflects. Verbania, Lake Maggiore"And Volterra (Pisa), with "Volterra. Human regeneration".
The 10 finalists will present their projects during an audition that will take place at Roman College il 14 e 15 January 2021. Finally, the jury will have the task of designating the Italian Capital of Culture 2022 within three days. The winner will receive a prize of 1 million euros to invest for the realization of the projects in her dossier. The 2022 edition will therefore designate theeleventh Italian capital of culture, after the ex æquo victory of Lecce, Cagliari, Ravenna, Siena e Perugia in 2015, Mantova in 2016, Pistoia in 2017, Palermo in 2018, Matera European Capital of Culture 2019 and, finally, Parma, current capital for the year 2020-2021. The awarding of the prestigious title will be a way for the winner to relaunch tourism and cultural activities in her own territory.
Italy is a symbol of culture in the world and, despite the coronavirus has weakened the tourism-cultural sector, it is hoped that once the pandemic is over, culture can return to being an element of rebirth for our country (also economic). Whoever will be the next Italian Capital of Culture will surely know how to live up to the title, like the winning cities of previous years. Good luck to the finalists and may the best project win.