The Ministry of Culture announces that 20 Italian cities have sent expressions of interest to compete for the title of Italian Capital of Culture, 2027 edition. The municipalities that responded to the call by the deadline of July 3 are: Acerra (province of Naples, Campania); Aiello Calabro (province of Cosenza, Calabria); Alberobello (province of Bari, Puglia); Aliano (province of Matera, Basilicata); Brindisi (Puglia); Caiazzo (province of Caserta, Campania); Fiesole (province of Florence, Tuscany); Gallipoli (province of Lecce, Puglia); La Spezia (Liguria); Loreto Aprutino (province of Pescara, Abruzzo); Massa (province of Massa-Carrara, Tuscany); Mazzarino (province of Caltanissetta, Sicily); Morano Calabro (province of Cosenza, Calabria); Pompeii (province of Naples, Campania); Pordenone (Friuli Venezia Giulia); Reggio Calabria (Calabria); Santa Maria Capua Vetere (province of Caserta, Campania); Sant’Andrea di Conza (province of Avellino, Campania); Savona (Liguria); Tavern (province of Catanzaro, Calabria).
To continue the race towards the title, the cities will have to perfect their candidacy by presenting, by next September 26th, a dossier which must contain: a title; the cultural project lasting one year, including the timetable and the individual activities planned; the body responsible for developing and promoting the project, its implementation and monitoring the results, with the identification of a specific responsible figure; the assessment of the economic-financial sustainability of the proposed cultural project; the objectives pursued. The applications will be evaluated by a Jury, which will select the ten finalist cities from among them, by 12 December 2024. Following public hearings, which will take place by 12 March 2025, the evaluation procedure will conclude by 28 March 2025 with the proclamation of the Italian Capital of Culture 2027. The winning city, thanks also to the state contribution of one million euros, will be able to carry out the activities planned in the dossier and relaunch its territory through culture. The last city to be awarded the title was L’Aquila for 2026. The current Italian Capital of Culture is Pesaro, followed next year by Agrigento.