The Economy of Cultural Heritage and Landscape. A Systemic and Integrated Vision

The Economy of CulturalHeritage and Landscape.A Systemic and Integrated Vision

Preface

PREFACE

How did the idea of Florens 2010 take shape? And what is the purpose of this strategic study?

The crisis has accelerated the need for a radical reappraisal of all the business and consumption models, in order to identify, alongside the traditional economic models, new strategies for industrial development. So in the fertile ground of Florence, an industrial policy initiative - new to the international economic scene - “flowered”: Florens 2010.

Its aim is to stimulate proposals and ideas to further the development of the economy of cultural heritage and landscape, a sector with tremendous potential that can contribute to GDP growth and, as a result, to renewed vigor in the international economy but, more specifically, in that of Italy, which is currently experiencing increasing difficulty in regaining its position within global competitive scenarios.

The role of the green economy in changing production systems to lower consumption of our environmental resources is now widely accepted. Florens aims to foster a green economic growth but alongside this, it wishes to launch an innovative golden economy model for the valorization of industry, the reinterpretation of the entire economy and of the historical know-how that revolves around the cultural heritage and landscape sector. A ‘treasure trove’ with extraordinary potential for development: suffice it to consult the data emerging from this study, measured with the aid of an original quali-quantitative scale called the Florens Index, and the economic multipliers of the sector.

So this strategic study enables us – figures to hand – to comprehend the significance of the cultural heritage economy. And the figures are substantial. The figures below are emblematic of what the study has produced: a 100 Euro increase in GDP in the culture sector generates a 249 Euro increase in GDP in the economic system, 62 Euros of which in the manufacturing industry alone.

This is the value generated by the green and golden economy model proposed by Florens 2010.

A model suited to Italy, but also exportable to all those places worldwide that have a rich cultural and natural heritage, as it has the capacity to reconcile culture, environment and economy.

From Florence, with Florens 2010, the business world launches an ambitious idea: the cultural heritage economy can be a new driver for growth and a successful new production paradigm that focuses on the preservation, promotion, production and consumption of the cultural and environmental heritage through new synergies between research, know-how, culture and artistic expression.

Italy is celebrated throughout the world for its art, culture, creativity, manufacturing quality and tourism. These are the building blocks of the unique supply chain for “Made in Italy” products, which we have had the savoir-faire to cultivate at an international level as a lifestyle, and which not only concerns design and the superb quality of fashion, food and furniture, but also sheer artistic expression in all of its forms. This has breathed life into our “Made in Italy” products, transforming them into “alive” cultural heritage.

Florence represents a peak of international excellence where, alongside its great historical heritage, it also boasts a ‘living culture’ composed of great institutions and leading enterprises in the sectors of restoration, optoelectronic technologies, lighting and publishing, and, of course, fashion and the famous ‘Made in Italy’ luxury products, for which cross-fertilization between art, design, manufacturing know-how and consummate craftsmanship is the order of the day.

Florens 2010 has developed this strategic approach through a large number of initiatives: a forum held every two years which will bring together key players from the culture and the economy sectors to discuss and develop innovative proposals; the creation of networks between international operators in the cultural and economic sectors, since the development of an economy based on cultural resources requires a combination of approaches, models and different types of expertise; but first and foremost, this strategic study, which also includes an international survey on the attitudes of the public and the economic system regarding the utilization of the cultural heritage.

This paper offers proposals and a host of practical suggestions for developing innovative industrial policies, strategic branding actions for the various territories and an agenda of activities designed to stimulate growth and attract capital and talent.

Florens 2010 leads the way to the golden economy and to new prospects of sustainable and long-term industrial development.

Giovanni Gentile

President of Florens 2010

The Economy of Cultural Heritage and Landscape. A Systemic and Integrated Vision

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INDEX

1. The “Florens 2010” Project 7 1.1. The Genesis of “Florens 2010” Project 7 1.2. The Aims of “Florens 2010” 13 1.3. The Methodological Tools and Project Outputs of “Florens 2010” 13

2. Defining the Cultural and Creative Sector and the Relative Interpretative Model 21 2.1. Introduction 21 2.2. Defining the Cultural and Creative Sector: a Summary Framework 21 2.3. The Cultural and Creative Sector as a Driver for Growth and Attractiveness of the Territory 26 2.4. The Cultural and Creative Sector and its Importance for the Economic System 28 2.5. The Conceptual Model Used for the National and International Comparative Analysis: the Matrix of the Cultural and Creative Sector 38

3. The Florens Index: National Comparative Analysis 47 3.1. Introduction 47 3.2. National Comparative Analysis: the “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area 48 3.3. National Comparative Analysis: the “Media” Area 62 3.4. National Comparative Analysis: the “Networking” Area 69 3.5. National Comparative Analysis: the “Creative Industries” Area 75 3.6. National Comparative Analysis: the Florens Index for the Italian Regions 84

4. The Florens Index: International Comparative Analysis 89 4.1. Introduction 89 4.2. International Comparative Analysis: the “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area 89 4.3. International Comparative Analysis: the “Media” Area 98 4.4. International Comparative Analysis: the “Networking” Area 103 4.5. International Comparative Analysis: the “Creative Industries” Area 108 4.6. International Comparative Analysis: the Florens Index for the Selected Countries 116

5. Estimate of the Direct, Indirect and Induced Impact of the Cultural and Creative Sector in Italy 119 5.1. Methodological Approaches Used to Estimate Economic Impacts 119 5.2. Structure and Goals of the Analysis of Sectorial Interdependence 120 5.3. Assessment of the Economic Impact Deriving From Strengthening the Cultural and Creative Sector 125 5.4. Multipliers and Florens Index 129 5.5. Summary of the Main Results Emerging From the Study 130

6. The Most Significant Data Relative to the National and International Survey on the

Cultural and Creative Sector 137 6.1. Goals, Areas of Investigation And countries Considered in the Survey on Culture 137 6.2. Results of the Survey on Culture 138 6.3. Summary Remarks 177

7. Legislation on the Definition of Cultural Heritage and Landscape in Italy 187 7.1. Initial Steps Towards the Recognition of Cultural Heritage 187 7.2. Towards the Recognition of “Cultural Landscape” 188 7.3. Key Historical Changes in the Definition of “Cultural Heritage” 188 7.4. The Cultural Heritage and Landscape Code 190

8. Recommendations and Policy Indications for the Relaunching 193 8.1. Introduction 193 8.2. Key-Areas for Action for the Cultural “Renaissance” of Italy and Tuscany 193 8.3. Conclusions 208

Bibliography 211

Annex – Examples of the Excellences of Florence’s Cultural and Creative System 215

Index


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1. The “Florens 2010” Project

1. THE “FLORENS 2010” PROJECT

The “Florens 2010” project is an industrial policy initiative designed to promote the link between Economy and Culture especially at a time in which the crisis has prompted an in-depth reappraisal of the main business and consumption models, as well as a repositioning of all the production systems.

Florence has launched an ambitious idea to the world: the economy of the cultural and environmental heritage can provide a successful new production formula and a new engine of industrial development: to this end, the shared desire of the economic entities and Institutions taking part in the “Florens 2010” Promoting Committee is to develop proposals for the economic growth of all those territories richly endowed in cultural heritage and landscape, in the perspective of reconciling culture, landscape, technology and economy.

1.1. THE GENESIS OF “FLORENS 2010” PROJECT

1.1.1. The Promoting Committee of “Florens 2010”

The International Week on Cultural Heritage and Landscape is promoted by a Committee formed by:

- Intesa Sanpaolo Bank;

- Banca Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze;

- Confindustria Firenze;

- National Confederation for the Craft Sector and Small and Medium Enterprise.

“Florens 2010” also has the support of:

- Chamber of Commerce of Florence;- Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze;- Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea;- Regione Toscana (Tuscan regional authorities);- Provincia di Firenze (Provincial authorities of Florence);- Comune di Firenze (Local authorities of Florence);- Associazione Partners Palazzo Strozzi.

In November 2010, this Committee became a permanent Foundation, testimony to the great faith that the sponsoring companies have in the possibility of the cultural and environmental system playing an important role in the relaunching of the economy of Florence and its territory.

The Board of Directors of “Florens 2010”1 is chaired by Giovanni Gentile (President, Confindustria Firenze), while the Artistic Director of “Florens 2010” is Davide Rampello (President, La Triennale di Milano Foundation). The Project Management of “Florens 2010” has been entrusted to Niccolò Manetti (Member of the Steering Committee, Confindustria Firenze).

1 The Board of Directors of “Florens 2010” is composed of: Aureliano Benedetti (President, Banca Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze and Vice President, “Florens 2010” Committee), Mauro Fancelli (President, CNA of Florence), Leonardo Ferragamo (President, APPS – Associazione Partners Palazzo Strozzi), Marco Frey (Full Professor, Sant’Anna di Pisa University), Alessandro Laterza (President, Casa Editrice Laterza), Vittorio Meloni (Director of External Relations, Intesa Sanpaolo), Luigi Nenci (Director, CNA Firenze) and Mauro Pagliai (Treasurer).


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1.1.2. Why the Cultural Heritage and Landscape Sector

The international economic crisis - whose long-term repercussions are still being felt, particularly in the culture sector, due to its dependence on public funding – usually tends to polarize development models, either alternatively, towards innovative sectors (consider, for example, the role of the green economy in the changing of production systems towards a lower consumption of environmental resources) or anti-cyclically (e.g. the “traditional” sectors, such as the food and the pharmaceutical industries).

In contrast with the above, the sector of cultural heritage and landscape is a sector in which both dimensions can coexist, being both anti-cyclical and with a high innovation potential, since it also contains the so-called “creative” sectors.

The cultural sector plays a fundamental role, both in Italy and in Europe as a whole, not just at an economic level but also on a social level:

- it contributes to the development of related sectors, such as tourism;- it is a sector the local dimension of which is extremely important, not only in terms of consumption, but also in terms of production (it is more difficult to delocalize than in other sectors);

- it represents, at a local level, an important tool for social integration and territorial cohesion.The European Union itself, in May 2007, launched an Agenda for Culture, based on the promotion of three areas: cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, culture as a catalyst for creativity and culture as an essential element in European international relations. Recently (March 2010), the European Commission also proposed the “Europe 2020” strategy in order to put an end to the crisis and prepare the Community’s economy to face the challenges of the next ten years, providing for specific measures to sustain intelligent, sustainable and inclusive growth: in this context, culture can play a central role in the promotion of innovation (e.g. with the new technologies for promoting and preserving the cultural heritage), of digitalization (media literacy phenomenon and the development of new contexts for creating and accessing culture) and of new skills/professional activities (consider, for example, media & web synergisms or the opportunities connected with training on intercultural themes and on the management of the cultural heritage).

Last but not least, a crucial - and often underestimated - aspect concerns the economic spill over effects for the territory in investments in culture, in economic and occupational terms, with particular emphasis on the impact on the manufacturing sector.

All these aspects will be examined in depth in the course of this report, with the aim of providing a systemic vision of the cultural and creative sector.

1.1.3. Why Florence and Tuscany

Italy is the first country in the world for the number of sites registered in the World Heritage List of UNESCO (United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization)2, which reflects the wealth and diversity of its cultural and natural heritage on a global scale.

Italy has registered a total of World Heritage sites, equivalent to 5% of the 911 cultural and natural sites protected by UNESCO. Tuscany ranks second out of the Italian Regions (with 6 sites, equivalent to 13% of the national total), close on the heels of Lombardy3.

2 The Convention of 1972 on the protection of the world’s cultural and natural heritage encourages member Countries to identify and protect their own heritage irrespective of whether it is registered in the World Heritage List. Since 1979 the World Heritage List has included cultural or landscape heritages that have been considered as belonging to the populations of the whole world, regardless of the territory in which they are located. The difference between a World Heritage and a national heritage site resides in the concept of “exceptional universal value”. The sites judged to be World Heritage sites are selected for their specific characteristics which make them the best possible example of the cultural and natural heritage of the entire world.

3 Lombardy – with 7 sites protected by UNESCO (15% of the national total) – has two sites registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List shared with Switzerland (the Albula-Bernina section of the railway network and the Monte San Giorgio mountain) and one shared with Piedmont (the “Sacri Monti” of Piedmont and Lombardy).

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Figure 1 – The Positioning of Italy and Tuscany per Number of Sites Inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from UNESCO World Heritage List, 2010

Florence, known as the birthplace of the Renaissance and of the Italian language, is one of the few cities in Italy and in the world where the urban and civil development has kept abreast of the most important historical and cultural phases of the country to which it belongs.

For example, in addition to the undeniable centrality of the city during the Middle Ages and, even more important, during the Renaissance (from architecture to sculpture and painting, from literature to science and economy), it is important to remember that – however briefly4 – Florence was, nonetheless, the capital of Italy from 1865 to 1870. During these years not only were numerous areas and entire districts renovated and extended, or built from scratch, but urban development was accompanied by renewed sense of cultural and social fervor.

Today, with the exception of Rome, Florence is the only Italian city that can boast large cultural institutions at maximum levels of excellence, both as regards museums and music.

As regards museums, the Uffizi Gallery5 can be defined, to all intents and purposes, a “museum inside the city”, and it distinguishes itself for this particularity, compared to many other great museums of the world.

And it is thanks to the Uffizi and to a network of superb museums that Florence can be acclaimed as a valid example for all the leading Italian cities of art: a “museum city”6.

4 At the end of the second war of independence, Tuscany joined forces with the Kingdom of Savoy in the unified Italy and Florence was de-clared the capital of Italy in place of Turin, before the role was finally transferred to Rome following its annexing to the Kingdom of Italy.

5 In the course of the centuries, the art collections of the Medici and Lorena families contributed to rendering the Uffizi Gallery one of the world’s most famous museums thanks to its collections of antique statues, drawings and paintings which include works by Giotto, Simone Martini, Piero della Francesca, Beato Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Mantegna, Correggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo and Caravaggio. Its collection of German, Dutch and Flemish paintings is also notable, including works by Dürer, Rembrandt and Rubens.

6 These are the words of Antonio Paolucci (Director of the Vatican Museums, former Minister of Cultural Heritage and Superintendent of the Florentine Museums Centre) in his introduction to the Management Plan for the Historic Center of Florence: “Florence therefore not a ‘museum city’ but the ‘city of museums’. Because if it is true that the museums form the skeleton of the city, stimulating it and giving it meaning, it is also true that in no other place in Italy is there so much evidence of the museum bursting out of its confines, spilling out onto the squares and the streets and becoming part of the city with a antique naturalness.” Please consult: Historic Center Office – UNESCO World Heritage – Counciller’s Office for Culture of the City of Florence, “Management Plan for the Historic Center of Florence 2006-2008”, March 2006.


Among the First Sites Protected by UNESCO

The concentration of an extremely rich and varied heritage that is not only historical and artistic but also scientific and naturalistic in a localized and well-defined area induced UNESCO of the United Nations to select the Historic Center of Florence as one of the first sites (1982) to be placed on the World Heritage List.


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The very center of Florence, dotted with churches, antique buildings, museums and art collections, historic gardens, characteristic nooks and crannies, handicraft shops and stores with a grand tradition allow the visitor to experience this merging of the past with the present and render the city a diffused museum, a “living” work of art, not just an open-air art gallery.

The Florentine museum heritage (both State and Municipal) boasts countless historical buildings and important collections such as those of the Palazzo Pitti and its museums, the Accademia Gallery, the National Museum of Archeology, the Museo Galileo - Institute and Museum of the History of Science (one of the leading international institutions, actively involved in scientific museography, in the development of initiatives for the dissemination of scientific culture and in documentation and research activities), the National Museum of Bargello, the Stibbert Museum (renowned for its precious collections of porcelain and European and non-European weaponry) or the “La Specola” Zoology Museum (the oldest scientific museum in Europe7).

Out of the first 30 Italian museums, monuments and state archeological areas per number of visitors, as many as 6 are located in Florence, for a total of 4.2 million visitors per year8.

Figure 2 – First 30 Museums, Monuments and State Archeological Areas in Italy per Number of Visitors (Pay to Enter Institutes), 2009 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the Statistics Office of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, survey 2009

In the musical field, the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is one of the most prestigious lyrical-symphonic foundations in Italy and among the most important theaters of Europe. Among its various activities is the Festival del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (Florentine Musical May Festival), the oldest Italian musical festival, founded in 1933, and held each year in the months of May and June. This festival is an international reference point thanks to its wide repertoire and contemporary productions.

It is no coincidence, therefore, that the two most important sites of public works open in Florence are, respectively, double the size of the Uffizi exhibition area and the site of the new Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino9.7 The “La Specola” Museum, founded by the Grand Duke Peter Leopold of Lorena and opened to the public in 1775, contains the largest collection in the world of anatomical wax models, made between 1770 and 1850, and over 3,500,000 animals (5,000 of which are exhibited to the public). The museum is currently a Section of the Museum of Natural History of Florence.

8 Specifically, these are: The Uffizi Gallery and the Vasari Corridor, the Accademia Gallery of Florence, the Museum Circuit covering the “Museo degli Argenti (the Medici’s treasure), the Porcelain Museum, the Bobolo Gardens, the Costume Gallery and the Bardini Gardens”, Museum network and the Museum Circuit covering the “Galleria Palatina and the Appartamenti Monumentali di Palazzo Pitti and the Gallery of Modern Art”, the Medici Chapels and the National Museum of Bargello. Source: Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activi-ties, Statistics Office of the General Department for Organization, General Affairs, Innovation, Budget and Personnel, Service I – General Affairs, Information Systems, Innovative Technologies, survey 2009.

9 The inauguration of the main hall is scheduled for December 2011, to crown the year that will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy.

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Still in the cultural sector, Florence is the home of extremely prestigious Institutions, Academies and cultural entities. Suffice it to mention:

- the National Central Library of Florence, one of the most important European libraries, the largest in Italy10, and the only one that can boast – together with the Library of Rome – to having the title “Central”, a function conferred on it when Florence was the capital of Italy;

- the Italian Military Geographic Institute, State Cartography Office - transferred in 1865 from Turin to Florence – which is responsible for providing geo-topo-cartograhic support to the Units and Headquarters of the Italian Army;

- The Accademia della Crusca which – founded in the second half of the XVI century – is the oldest language academy in Europe and today it is the most important center of scientific research dedicated to the study and promotion of the Italian language;

- The Accademia dei Georgofili, a historical Florentine institution founded in 1753 to contribute to the progress of science and its applications in agriculture in the broad sense, to the protection of the environment, to the agricultural land and to the development of the rural world.

Last but not least, Florence is distinguished by its strong international dimension, worthy of a great European capital11: This is borne out by the presence of over 50 foreign consulates (both career and honorary) and more than thirty American universities present on Florentine territory, as well other foreign cultural entities with branch offices in Florence, such as the Kunsthistorisches Institut managed by the Max-Planck-Institute12.

Additionally, the close bond between economy and culture is not to be neglected: in Italy the Added Value of the cultural sector amounts to around 116 billion Euros, equivalent to 9.3% of the national Added Value, providing jobs for almost 2.8 million people, equivalent to 11.9% of total employment13.

In particular, the strictly cultural activities (such as the management of museums and theaters, the production of shows and the publishing sector), account for 19.4% of the Italian cultural and creative sector, equal to 22.1 billion Euros (1.8% of the National Added Value) and 21.8% in terms of jobs, i.e. just over half a million people (2.2% of national employment).

Among the Italian regions, Tuscany distinguishes itself for its extremely rich and important system of cultural properties. According to recent surveys conducted on the economic sector integrated with the cultural heritage14, Tuscany registered an Added Value of 11.3 billion Euros in 2006 and over 268,000 jobs.

10 The heritage of the Library is made of 6,000,000 printed volumes, 120,000 titles of periodicals, 15,000 of which are still in circulation, 4,000 incunables 25,000 manuscripts, 29,000 editions from the XVI century and over 1,000,000 autographs. The book shelves currently cover 120 linear kilometers, with an annual increase of approx. 2 Km.

11 Florence is, moreover, twinned with numerous European and non-European cities, such as Kassel (venue of the most famous contempo-rary art exhibition in the world, entitled “Documenta”, first held in 1955 and repeated every five years) and with Dresden, dubbed “Flor-ence on the Elba”.

12 The city has the highest concentration in Italy of cultural institutes and foreign universities permanently established in Florence.13 Source: W. Santagata, “Libro Bianco sulla Creatività. Per un modello italiano di sviluppo”, Università Bocconi Editore, Milano, 2009. The study analyzes cultural and creative macro-sector according to three main categories: historic/artistic heritage, production of content, information and communication (“content industries”) and activities linked to the so-called “material culture”.

14 Source: Unioncamere – Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities - Istituto Guglielmo Tagliacarne, “Il Sistema Economico Integrato dei Beni Culturali”, 2009. These data refer to the following categories: “Industrial and SME production”, “Cultural heritage and activities” (management of museums and the cultural heritage, management of cinemas, theaters and concert halls, library and archive activities, the activities of organizations with cultural and recreational purposes, artistic and literary creations and interpretations, courses leading to university degrees and university and post-university diplomas etc.), “Food, wine and typical productions”, “Architecture and upgrading construction works” and “Cultural Industry” (activities linked to the Publishing, Audiovisual and Multimedia sectors).


A City with a Strong International Appeal

Florence has always attracted scholars and tourists from all corners of the globe. In particular, on the cusp of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the city became home to a lively and numerous foreign community. It included such figures as, for example, the Genevan merchant G.P. Vieusseux, the philosopher Sismondi, the Victorian poetess Elisabeth Barrett Browning, the historian and journalist Robert Davidsohn and the art critic Bernhard Berenson. The city’s capacity to attract visitors from all over the world has continued up till the present day.


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Moreover, in comparison with other cities, the Tuscan regional capital possesses an inestimable legacy of craftsmanship as the center is still alive with shops and small businesses15, the core of an extremely dynamic creative system that spans from the restoration of works of art to embroidery to the cutting and engraving of crystals to numismatics.

On the industrial front, there is no lack of success in the industry and services connected with the culture and creative sector – such as the maison of the fashion system well-established at an international level and companies dedicated to publishing, decor, lighting and, more in general, to design.

Florence, Tuscany and Italy are therefore, almost by natural right, the ideal setting for a “workshop” that elaborates thoughts and actions geared at an innovative promotion of cultural heritage and landscape.

In particular, Florence has all the prerequisites to “guide” a school of thought dedicated to the innovation of cultural heritage and landscape as an engine of economic development, thanks to the peculiarity - and, from some standpoints, the uniqueness – of what it has to offer as regards art, culture and natural beauty and landscape, of its economic/production system, which is strongly oriented towards the creative sectors, and of the history of the Tuscan regional capital and its environs.

Tradition and Technology in Florence: A Winning Combination

One of the Florentine excellences is the Opificio delle Pietre Dure di Firenze, the Central Institute of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities specialized in the restoration, preservation of the cultural heritage, and offering consultancy services on the same. In the area of Florence there are many interesting businesses specializing in innovative technologies, both digital and applied to the preservation of the cultural heritage: in addition to a dense network of local SMEs, there are also companies such as El.En. (manufacturing of laser systems for applications in the medical and industrial sector – from the cutting, marking and welding of metals, wood, plastic and glass to the decoration of leather and fabrics through to the conservative restoration of works of art) and Centrica (web, imaging and multimedia products and services).

1.1.4. Why “Florens 2010”

The choice to give the name “Florens 2010” to the International Week on Cultural Heritage and Landscape was dictated by the desire to link Florence to the concept of the “blooming” of the arts and the landscape.

As already underlined, Florence today is undoubtedly one of most appropriate places in the world in which to formulate scientific, but also informative and helpful, considerations on the harmony that must cultivated once more between cultural and environmental heritage and the city. The aim of “Florens 2010” is, therefore, to lay the groundwork for a unified vision of the concept of culture, through the proposal of projects and ideas that combine artistic skills, craftsmanship and entrepreneurial knowledge.

It is no coincidence that the leitmotiv of the Florentine Week is the link between promotion and re-interpretation, considered as the new economy of cultural and environmental heritage: based on that concept, the event will develop through parallel scientific reflections, originating from, and targeted at, the public of decision makers in the field of the cultural and environmental heritage, with informational activities as offshoots of the program of events for the citizens, students and tourists who populate the city of Florence. The aim of “Florens 2010” is to prompt the community at large to reflect on the reasons why a change is due, not only as regards culture and “culture heritage” but also in the systems for producing well-being, in social organizations, in political institutions and in the field of employment and training.

For Florence and the neighboring municipalities involved (Bagno a Ripoli, Fiesole, Campi Bisenzio and Scandicci), the Week (November 12 – 20, 2010) - with 150 events including conferences, exhibitions and shows - is also a prestigious backdrop against which to develop and promote the local heritage and to reconfirm its importance in the world of art and culture as a reference model on a global scale.

15 Just consider – to quote a few examples of particularly famous businesses – the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella (founded in 1612), the Moleria Locchi (famous throughout the world for the quality of its restoration works on precious glass and crystal objects), the Laboratorio di Ricamo di Loretta Caponi or the Bottega di Restauro of Andrea Fedeli.

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The first event of the Week, designed for experts, sector operators and political decision makers, is the “International Forum on Cultural Heritage and Landscape” (November 18 – 20, 2010), an opportunity to debate upon the main themes and decide and agree upon future lines of action.

The “Florens 2010” logo

The “Florens 2010” logo, designed by the Studio Cerri & Associati, uses the square as the generating element, positioned at a 45 degree angle with respect to the baseline and drawn inside another square turned by 15 degrees counterclockwise with respect to the first. This overlapping of shapes produces a graphic design with a strong, immediately recognizable geometrical connotation. Additionally, the “Florens 2010” logo does not only focus particular attention on the theory of shapes in visual perception and graphic construction but is also distinguished by the colors of the city of Florence; red and white.

2. THE AIMS OF “FLORENS 2010”

Consistent with its mission, the “Florens 2010” project aims to:

- propose an interpretative model of the cultural and creative system which focuses on its values, players and main prospects for development;

- promote the city of Florence, and Tuscany in general, in line with a model that is consistent with its natural appeal and its traditions and, at the same time, and that uses to maximum advantage the opportunities offered by the digital and multimedia world;

- analyze the state of the art of the main excellences for the economic promotion of the cultural, landscape and environmental heritage;

- highlight the main international best practices;- involve experts and top managers in these themes in order offer an opportunity for exchange and comparison;

- develop actions and proposals for the institutional stakeholders.

Moreover, the ambition of Florence’s “International Week on Cultural Heritage and Landscape” is to generate important spillover effects in terms of territorial attractiveness and active involvement of citizens and local economic operators.

In general, the “International Week of Cultural Heritage and Landscape” seeks to increase international visibility for Florence, presenting it as a new frontier for experimentation in the sector of cultural heritage and landscape.

3. THE METHODOLOGICAL TOOLS AND PROJECT OUTPUTS OF

“FLORENS 2010”

The methodology adopted for the “Florens 2010” project involves the implementation, in parallel, of several tools for involving the main project stakeholders – the setting up of an Advisory Board and three Working Groups formed specifically for the purpose – for the conducting of the present Strategic Study and the definition of the program of the “International Week on Cultural Heritage and Landscape” and of the “International Forum on Cultural Heritage and Landscape” of Florence.


The “Florens 2010” Mission

Create a Florence-based, permanent international lab where main players and decision makers can debate on cultural heritage and landscape as key drivers of economic development and social wealth. Promote a new model for the valorization of cultural heritage and landscape, and a holistic vision for culture, environment, technology and economy.


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Figure 3 – Methodological Tools and Project Outputs of “Florens 2010” – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

1.3.1. The Advisory Board and the Scientific Council

The organization of the Strategic Study and the planning of the International Forum of Cultural Heritage and Landscape of Florence were supported by the activities of an Advisory Board formed by a Scientific Council, by the highest authorities of “Florens 2010”, by a mixture of experts, academics, entrepreneurs and representatives of The European House-Ambrosetti Working Group.

Figure 4 – The Functions of the Advisory Board and the Scientific Council of “Florens 2010” – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

In addition to giving its scientific approval to the work performed, the Advisory Board has made an active contribution by developing guidelines, suggestions and ideas for designing and carrying out the strategic study and the conceptual and methodological structure within the same.

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The members of the Scientific Board of “Florens 2010” are:

- Cristina Acidini (Superintendent, Polo Museale of Florence);- Robert L. Dilenschneider (Chairman,The Dilenschneider Group);- Andrea Fedeli (Florentine Master of Restoration, Fedeli Restauri);- Paolo Galluzzi (Director, Museo Galileo - Institute and Museum of the History of Science of Florence);

- Terry Garcia (Executive Vice President, National Geographic Society);- Massimiliano Magrini (Founder and CEO, Annapurna Ventures; former Country Manager, Google Italia);

- Fabrizio Moretti (President, Galleria Moretti);- Giovanni Puglisi (Rector, IULM; Chairman, Italian National Commission for UNESCO);- Davide Rampello (President, La Triennale di Milano Foundation; Artistic Director, Florens 2010);- Severino Salvemini (Full Professor of Organization Theory and Degree Director of the Undergraduate Degree in Economics of Arts, Culture and Communication, Bocconi University);

- Alberto Tesi (Rector, University of Florence).The mission of the Scientific Board, which acts as a consultant for the Strategic Study and the Forum, is to direct the work at the macro level and to contribute, with the other opinion leaders, to the promotion of the “Florens 2010” project worldwide.

The other members of the Advisory Board of “Florens 2010” are:

- Patrizia Asproni (President, Confcultura);- Francesco Caracciolo (Director, Confindustria Firenze);- Valerio De Molli (Managing Partner, The European House-Ambrosetti);- Paolo Fresco (Art collector);- Giovanni Gentile (President, Confindustria Firenze; President, Florens 2010);- Niccolò Manetti (Member of the Steering Committee, Confindustria Firenze; Project Manager, Florens 2010);

- Antonio Mocenni (Head of Institutional Relations, Local Tourism and Culture, Confindustria Firenze);

- Luigi Nenci (Director, CNA Firenze);- Stefano Passigli (President, Scala Group; Founder, Passigli Editori);

The European House-Ambrosetti Working Group is composed of: Silvia Colombo, Daniela Bianco, Emiliano Briante, Pio Parma, Edoardo Pauletta d’Anna, Massimiliano Sartori and Chiara Trabacchi.

1.3.2. The Working Groups

The project envisages the involvement of the main reference stakeholders – national and local – through the Working Group process. The members of the Working Groups have actively contributed to the Strategic Study and to the Forum through creative exchange and comparison.


The Involvement of the Reference StakeholdersThe project has involved a total of 11 Institutions in the Institutions Working Group, 38 Bodies in the Cultural Institutes and Universities Working Group and the representatives in Italy of 15 countries in the International Working Group for Cultural Heritage and Landscape.


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Institutions Working Group

The mission of the Institutions Working Group was to provide suggestions and ideas for designing and conducting the “International Week on Cultural Heritage and Landscape”, as well as indications for the development of the sector.

The Members of the Institutions Working Group

The Institutions taking part in the Working Group are: Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities | Italian Senate | Tuscan Region | Province of Florence | City of Florence | Prefecture of Florence | Archdiocese of Florence | U.S. Consulate in Florence | French Consulate in Florence | German Consulate in Florence | British Consulate in Florence.

Working Group of Cultural Institutes and Universities

The mission of the Working Group of Cultural Institutes and Universities was to involve all the leading Universities and cultural associations existing on Florentine territory in order to gather suggestions and ideas for the carrying out of the Strategic Study and the International Forum.

The Members of the Working Group of Cultural Institutes and Universities

The representatives of the Working Group are: General Policy Office for Training, Cultural Heritage and Activities of the Tuscan Region | Superintendence for the Archeological Heritage of the Tuscan Region | Superintendence for the Architectural, Landscape, Historical, Artistic and Ethno-Anthropological Heritage of the provinces of Florence, Pistoia and Prato | Regional Office for the Cultural Heritage and Landscape of Tuscany | Office of Economic Development and Programming of the Province of Florence | Office of Innovation, Implementation of the Program of the City of Florence | Opificio delle Pietre Dure of Florence | Central National Library | CNR-Institute for the Conservation and Promotion of Cultural Heritage | Accademia della Crusca | Accademia dei Georgofili | Academy of Fine Arts of Florence| Polo Museale (Museum Network) of Florence (Uffizi Gallery, Accademia Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art) | National Museum of Bargello | Marino Marini Museum| City Museums of Florence | Museo Galileo - Institute and Museum of the History of Science | Stibbert Museum | Palazzo Strozzi Foundation | Pitti Immagine Foundation | Circolo Rosselli Foundation | Association of Historical Tuscan Mansions | Il Maggio Musicale Fiorentino | Firenze Sapere | “Luigi Cherubini” Music Academy of Florence | Polimoda Institute| “Luigi Pecci” Contemporary Art Center of Prato | University of Florence | The British Institute of Florence | European University of Florence | New York University of Florence | Syracuse University of Florence | Harding University of Florence | International University of Art of Florence | “G.P. Vieusseux” Scientific and Literary Society | Italian Institute of Human Sciences | Villa “I Tatti” - The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies.

International Working Group for Cultural Heritage and Landscape

The mission of the International Working Group for Cultural Heritage and Landscape was to update all the representatives in Italy (concerning the developments on cultural heritage and landscape) of the leading countries on the goals and activities of the Florence International Week. Diplomatic representatives taking part in the Working Group also promoted the initiative in their countries of origin. The meetings of the International Working Group are held in the offices of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities.

The Members of the International Working Group for the Cultural Heritage and Landscape

The Institutions taking part in the Working Group were: Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities | British Council in Italy | French Embassy in Italy | German Embassy in Italy | Greek Embassy in Italy | Indian Embassy in Italy | Mexican Embassy in Italy | Spanish Embassy in Italy | U.S. Embassy in Italy | Brazilian Embassy in Italy | Algerian Embassy in Italy | Egyptian Embassy in Italy | Moroccan Embassy in Italy | South African Embassy in Italy | Turkish Embassy in Italy.

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The citizens and members of the community interested in the cultural and creative sector were encouraged to become involved through the web site of the initiative (www.florens2010.com), in the sections dedicated to Social Networking.

Moreover, with a view to examining certain specific aspects of the cultural heritage and landscape system, a number of interviews with opinion leaders and sector experts were prepared. Special thanks are due to:

- Cristina Acidini (Superintendent, Polo Museale of Florence);

- Marco Bagnoli (Artist; CEO, Sammontana)

Mounir Bouchenaki (General Director, ICCROM – International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property)

- Lorenzo Bini Smaghi (President, Palazzo Strozzi Foundation of Florence)

- Marco Cammelli (Professor of Administrative Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Bologna)

- Lorenzo Capineri (Professor of the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, University of Florence)

- Sara Cedar Miller (Associate Vice President for Park Information, Central Park Conservancy of New York)

- Maria Ann Conelli (Executive Director, American Folk Art Museum di New York)

- Paolo Del Bianco (President, Romualdo Del Bianco Foundation of Florence)

- Laurent Fabius (President, Rouen District Council; former Prime Minister, France; Member of Parliament)

- Jean-Paul Fitoussi (Professor of the Scientific Committee, Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris; President, Observatoire Français des Conjonctures Economiques);

- Patrizio Fondi (Diplomatic Advisor, Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities)

- Vittoria Franco (Senator, Culture Committee)

- Vasco Galgani (President, Chamber of Commerce of Florence)

- Louis Godart (Director of the Office for the Conservation of the Artistic Heritage, Office of the President of the Republic)

- Isabella Lapi Ballerini (Superintendent, Opificio delle Pietre Dure of Florence)

- Robert L. Lynch (President and CEO, Americans for the Arts)

- Glenn Lowry (Director, Museum of Modern Art – MoMA of New York)

- Marco Magnifico (Executive Vice President, FAI – Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano)

- Leonardo Masotti (Full Professor of Electronics, University of Florence; President of the Scientific Board, El.En.)

- Dario Nardella (Deputy Mayor and Councilor for Economic Development, City of Florence)

- Antonio Paolucci (Director, Vatican Museums; former Minister for Cultural Heritage and Superintendent of the Polo Museale of Florence)

- Jeffrey H. Patchen (President and CEO, Children’s Museum of Indianapolis)

- Anne Radice (former Director, The Institute of Museum and Library Services; Principal, The Dilenschneider Group)

- Gian Bruno Ravenni (Coordinator of the Area for Culture and Sport of the General Policy Office for Training, Cultural Heritage and Activities, Regione Toscana)

- Peter Reed (Senior Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs, Museum of Modern Art – MoMA di New York)



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- Mario Resca (General Director for Cultural Heritage Valorisation, Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities)

- Cristina Scaletti (Councilor for Culture, Tourism and Business, Regione Toscana)

- Robert Shackelford (Director, Harding University of Florence)

- Patrizio Tancredi (Director of the Sector for the Promotion and Support of Research, Regione Toscana)

- Simone Tani (Director of the Area for Innovation and Implementation of the Program, City of Florence)

1.3.3. The Strategic Study of “Florens 2010”

The Strategic Study analyzes the cultural and creative sector through an integrated systems approach and examines its contribution to the growth of the economy and employment in Italy, providing regional and international comparisons and a survey of public attitudes and behavior. The study also contains a number of recommendations focused on fully exploiting and developing the cultural and creative sector in Italy.

A brief description of the various chapters of the Strategic Study follows:

The National and International Benchmark Analysis: the Florens Index

One of the most innovative aspects of the study is the so-called Florens Index, an analytical tool which makes it possible to undertake national comparisons — between Tuscany and other Italian Regions —and international comparisons — between Italy and other selected European and non-European countries16 — in terms of the potential and dynamism shown by the cultural and creative sector. As will be seen in greater detail in Chapters 3 and 4 of this report, the Florens Index is based on the model of the cultural and creative sector matrix, which for each area offers an integrated, systemic analysis of the economic, artistic/cultural, environmental and social components of the sector, differentiating in terms of four different Areas (Cultural and Environmental Capital, Media, Networking and Creative System Industries).

The Florens Index represents a reading of the positioning of each territory with respect to the potential of its cultural and creative sector. The conceptual model of analysis was developed from the gathering and analysis of the most relevant bibliographical references on the topic. Thanks to the analysis of a series of statistical indicators (55 indicators for national comparisons and 40 indicators for international comparisons), the assigning of scores and the weighting of the results, it was possible (both for each of the four quadrants of the matrix and for the model as a whole) to highlight the strong and weak aspects of each territory.

Estimate of the Value of the Cultural and Creative Sector in Italy

Within the context of the Strategic Study, an estimate of the economic value of the cultural and creative sector was calculated (Chapter 5) by applying the theory of sectoral interdependencies. In particular, through a series of re-elaborations obtained starting from ISTAT’s so-called input-output matrix, it was possible to obtain an estimate of the value generated by the cultural and creative sector in Italy: the results emerging provided food for thought regarding the yield of investment choices in this sector in terms of direct economic development and the generation of allied activities, and of new jobs.

16 The Florens Index was also calculated on an international level for the following countries: Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Greece, Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom.

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Survey on Culture in Italy and Abroad

The Study also contains a survey on culture (Chapter 6) administered to a representative sample of citizens (4,000 individuals in Italy and 1,000 in each of the following countries: France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, sub-divided by gender, age, education and macro-area of residence), focusing on knowledge of the cultural package available and interest in the same; on the behavior, needs and choices of individuals in terms of culture-related themes; on the use of new technologies in cultural initiatives; and on the attitude towards patronage and donations to cultural activity.

Legislation on Cultural Heritage and Landscape

An overview of the legislation on the cultural heritage sector in Italy has been carried out (Chapter 7), particularly concentrating on the evolution of the concept of cultural and environmental heritage and on the main legislative provisions existing on the subject.

Policy Recommendations and Indications

The analyses carried out and the results emerging from the quali-quantitative analyses conducted throughout the course of the project (Florens Index, surveys administered to citizens and comparisons made by the Advisory Board and the Working Groups) led to the formulating of a series of recommendations and policy indications focused on fully exploiting and developing the cultural and creative sector in Italy (Chapter 8).

1.3.4. The International Week on Cultural Heritage and Landscape and the

International Forum of “Florens 2010”

As mentioned earlier, Florence’s “International Week on Cultural Heritage and Landscape” (November 12-20, 2010) has been designed to promote cultural and environmental heritage as a driver for economic and social development by offering an innovative golden economy model for the industrial use of the wealth of cultural and environmental resources.

“Valorization is Reinterpretation” is the guiding theme behind the event and it is intended to induce reflection on the reasons for change and its necessity, not only in a cultural context, but also in production systems and at an institutional level, in order to improve the quality of life and increase intellectual and entrepreneurial competitiveness. Starting from this concept, 150 events will be offered, including workshops, exhibitions, lectures, discussions, meetings, scientific/cultural approaches and considerations aimed at both those active in this field, as well as students, the general public and tourists. “Florens 2010” will be dedicating space to guests and experiences of international importance, as well as to the cultural, artistic and economic excellences of the territory. The entire city of Florence will be involved: from religious sites to civic institutions, from private buildings to the town squares, from museums to universities, from “spedali” (hospitals) to libraries, from theaters to bookstores, stretching as far as the outlying towns of Scandicci, Fiesole, Campi Bisenzio and Bagno a Ripoli17.

At the end of the Week there will be the “International Forum on Cultural Heritage and Landscape” (November 18-20, 2010), the goals of which are:

- to create a benchmark for sector operators in Italy and in the world on the situation and future prospects of the cultural heritage and landscape as an economic driver;

- to promote, in an innovative manner , the city of Florence and its commitment towards the protection and promotion of the cultural heritage;

- to present an innovative proposal for reflection and discussion on the economy of cultural and environmental heritage, fruit of the work of the Advisory Board and the Working Groups.

17 The program of the event is available on the “Florens 2010” web site: www.florens2010.com.



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The three days of the Forum will bring together experts, representatives of the most important museums in the world, international organizations and institutions to discuss and exchange ideas on the main themes relating to the future of cultural and environmental heritage in Italy, with the focus on the economic evolution of the cities of art, on the management of their heritage and on new technologies for furthering innovation.

The Promoting Committee intends for the initiative to become a regular appointment in the panorama of international events dedicated to cultural heritage and landscape: every two years, the representatives of the governments and main cultural institutions in the world will meet in Florence to review the progress of the items on the agenda and develop new projects, making Florence one of the capitals of the cultural and creative economy, not only for its great historical heritage, but also for the presence in this area of a “living culture” consisting of great institutions and leading enterprises in the sectors of restoration, optoelectronic technologies, lighting and publishing, and, of course, the famous ‘Made in Italy’ fashion and the luxury products, for which it is frequent to find contaminations between art, design and the know-how of industrial production and craftsmanship of the highest levels.

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2. Defining the Cultural and Creative Sector and the Relative Interpretative Model

2 DEFINING THE CULTURAL AND CREATIVE SECTOR AND THE

RELATIVE INTERPRETATIVE MODEL

2.1. INTRODUCTION

This chapter not only aims to offer a brief outline of the national and international economic framework of this sector, but also the concept of the “cultural and creative sector” (the main subject of this study and the “Florens 2010” initiative).

The quantitative analysis of the sector conducted at national and international level (presented in the following chapters) is in fact based on a concept developed starting with a survey of the most important relevant scientific contributions and the reference literature.

The purpose of these considerations is to define, with reasonable precision – or at least using a structured methodology – the context of a wide range of economic activities which, in terms of the quality of their outputs and/or cultural and creative features of the production process, can be referred to what in the following pages will be defined as the “cultural and creative sector”.

The conceptualization of this sector was drawn up by the ‘The European House-Ambrosetti’ Working Group in close collaboration with a top-level Advisory Board1, the members of which not only assured the scientific validation of the work carried out but also actively contributed to it through the preparation of guidelines, thoughts and ideas for the design and implementation not only of the Strategic Study (as a whole), but also of the conceptual and methodological foundations on which the presented quantitative analysis are based.

Moreover, the cultural and creative sector was defined also for the specific purpose of being able to carry out territorial comparisons of the potential and dynamism expressed by the sector in question.

2.2. DEFINING THE CULTURAL AND CREATIVE SECTOR: A SUMMARY FRAMEWORK

As will be seen in detail in this chapter (which will illustrate the figures emerging from the study of the sectorial economic analysis), the cultural and creative sector assumes increasing importance in industrialized economies, increasingly affirming its role as a fundamental driver in relaunching territorial social and economic systems (regions, nations, etc.).

The economic importance of the sector and the potential it could be able to express as a driving force for economic and social development have been taken into consideration and studied from the post-war period onwards.

There are many different types of structured approaches to modeling cultural and creative industries. These include the “Libro Bianco sulla Creatività” by Walter Santagata2 which, offering a recent and highly scientific contribution, offers a synthesis of the main approaches used to study cultural and creative industries internationally. Here below is a summary of the most interesting contributions.

The Cultural Industries Model

A first important contribution known as the Cultural Industries Model was proposed by T. W. Adorno and M. Horkheimer in 1947. This model is based on the definition of cultural industry (the main innovation lies in placing the word “industry” alongside the word “cultural”) based on features of reproducibility (industry features) and the function of communication of the generated products. In line with this definition, the measurement of the phenomenon is based mainly on technical-economic criteria and the sector is investigated using legal criteria of the protection of intellectual property and copyright associated with cultural contents. The sectors considered in this model are mainly publishing, film production, television and radio production, press, etc..

1 For details of the composition of the Advisory Board and its Scientific Committee please refer to Chapter 1 of this Report.2 Walter Santagata, “Libro Bianco sulla Creatività. Per un modello italiano di sviluppo”, Università Bocconi Editore, Milan, 2009. The

report was produced with the contribution of: W. Santagata, T. Cuccia, P. Leon, S. Salvemini, I. Tinagli, M. Trimarchi, A. Vettese, S. Rolando, P. Baldi, E. Sciacchitano, A. Cicerchia, G. Da Empoli, G. P. Manzella and E. Scridel.


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According to this classification, therefore, cultural industries are represented by a relatively small cluster of analyses, which however make it possible to obtain a precise set of statistical data and a more detailed economic analysis of the sector at macro-level.

Despite being developed several decades ago, this approach was recently adopted by the Département Des Études, de la Prospective e des Statistiques of the French Ministry of Culture and Communication and by Eurostat (the Statistics Department of the European Commission) precisely because it offers an unequivocal quantitative approach for measuring homogeneous data and for producing statistics on cultural industries.

The Creative Industry Model

The concept of “creativity” as an extension of the definition of the cultural sector in its strict sense was introduced into Europe in the 1990s, when the British Minister for Culture, Media and Sport decided to establish a specialist working group (Creative Task Force) to put what was defined as the “creative industry” under the microscope.

This activity led to a series of publications, including: “The Creative Mapping Industries Document” (1988, 1998 and 2001), “Staying Ahead: The economic performance of UK’s creative industries” (2007) and “Creative Industry Performance” (2007).

This process, promoted by the British institutions, is an attempt to identify those sectors of economic activity in which aspects such as individual creativity, skill and talent are the main factors of the production process.

According to this Anglo-Saxon approach, creative industries are classified according to a very wide conceptualization, including both traditional cultural industries and other economic sectors including architecture, advertising, digital activities, software development, the art and entertainment world, fashion, design, the art and antiques market, etc..

Among the main scientific contributions in this field, we may also note another interpretative model which examines the concept of creative industries: this approach was developed in Hong Kong, commissioned by the Department for Cultural Policy (Centre for Cultural Policy Research). In this case, the focus is placed on two further elements which study and expand on the concept of creativity and “cultural and creative industry”. First of all, the study emphasizes the role of creativity in production processes which generate social or cultural meanings (including, for example, advertising, fashion and design). Secondly, the study highlights a very important aspect which characterizes the cultural and creative sector: a strong tendency to produce positive “externalities”, understood as positive economic and social effects on other sectors of the economy and on society.

The Model Proposed by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

The method of analysis of the cultural and creative sector adopted by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on the other hand concentrates on the analysis of intellectual property rights (and in particular copyright), linked to the creation of goods and services.

According to this approach, the sector of the “copyright industries” is divided into four concentric levels according to the level of importance held by the intellectual property rights on the total value of the goods (product/service).

In the centre lie those sectors which generate products whose value is almost totally based on copyright, including publishing, cinema, music, software development, entertainment, TV and radio. A second level includes the sectors which produce goods which are only partially, or of which only certain aspects are covered by copyright, including jewelry, design objects and toys. The third level includes the result of the marketing activities in industries protected by copyright (such as advertising), and the fourth category of industries includes the so-called “allied industries” whose products represent the means for the consumption of products protected by copyright, such as CD and DVD players, televisions and computers, musical instruments, etc..

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The main strength of this approach lies in the direct combination of the definition of the industries and the statistical classification used to measure the most significant economic variables at national level.

The Model Proposed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) also recently proposed an innovative model to study the cultural and creative sector, launched in 2008 through the publication of the “Creative Economy 2008” report3.The UNCTAD approach identifies four main areas of cultural economics and creativity: cultural heritage, visual and performing arts, media, and creative industries.

Lying at the origin of all cultural and artistic expressions of every country is its cultural heritage, which includes museums, archives, libraries, monuments and sites of cultural interest, etc.. The second category identified by the UNCTAD study is that of the visual and performing arts, including all goods and services generated by any kind of “artistic expression”, including theatrical performances, concerts, etc. and works of art. The media category includes goods and services produced by the traditional cultural industries, including books, film and music. Finally, the “creative industries” (which are literally defined in the study as “functional creations”) identify those services and goods with a strong symbolic content which exceeds their functional value (including, for example, fashion and design products, architecture services and advertising, production of software and video games). An important aspect of the UNCTAD classification is the fact of being designed considering the retrievability of statistical data used to measure first and foremost the international trade of cultural and creative products (coherently with the UNCTAD mission).

The Model Proposed by the European Commission

The last approach presented is that proposed by the main governing bodies of the European Union, which propose a viewpoint which, as will be clarified in more detail herein, can be recognized as a synthesis of the models presented above.

As early as 2004, the European Council acknowledged the need to investigate this sector more deeply in the Lisbon Agenda, by conducting a study on the “ways in which creativity, the creative industries and public/private partnerships in the cultural sector contribute to the economic, social and cultural potential of Europe and, hence, to the achievement of the Lisbon objectives”.

In the past few years, also the European Commission has shown increasing attention to the issue of promoting the cultural and creative industry as a driving force for economic and social development in its countries and regions. Among the works published by the European Commission on this topic, worthy of mention is the Green Paper “Unlocking the potential of cultural and creative industries” of 2010. In the current context of global acceleration, innovation and creativity have, much more so than in the past, become key factors for the competitiveness of economic systems (on all levels), representing the “production factors” for the generation of “intangible value” (including cultural value), deemed – today – as fundamental for tangible value.

3 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), “Creative Economy Report 2008: The challenge of assessing the cre-ative economy towards informed policy-making”, 2008.



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The Role of the Cultural and Creative Sector in the “Europe 2020” Strategy

The cultural and creative sector is recognized as a “catalyst” of economic development and the creation of jobs across the European Union. Moreover, the economic impact of the many creative industries confirms their strategic importance for all countries, in and outside of Europe. Also in the job market, creativity is becoming increasingly important. The demand for “creative” professional skills both inside and outside of the creative industries, and both in old and new EU member states, is on the increase. Creative industries are also generators of innovation, and play a key role in disseminating innovation (just think of publishing houses, the “pioneers” of e-business), with positive effects generated both in the sector itself and transversally across the whole economic system.

Operators in creative sectors are generally small businesses. Therefore these companies often have to face problems linked to accessing funds and financing, as well as other structural problems which may generate the risk of under-investment situations. However, the “public good” characteristic of the outputs of some creative sectors justifies (indeed demands) the use of approaches aiming to support some of the sub-sectors which more than others stimulate innovation and contribute to the intellectual and cultural heritage of a country. An answer in this sense is offered by the recent Green Paper “Unlocking the potential of cultural and creative industries”, which strongly underlines the need to implement policies aiming to improve competitiveness and innovation in these sectors, supporting the key role of the EU to guarantee effective tools for the international protection of intellectual property, and to strengthen the single market concerning services and products generated in the creative industries.

In order to assess the (direct and indirect) social and economic impacts of the cultural sector in Europe, in 2006 the Directorate-General for Education and Culture of the European Commission commissioned an analysis geared to describing the economy of culture (a paper known as the Jan Figel Report”)4.

As said before, the work of the European Commission offered a definition of the cultural and creative sector based on interpretations adopted in 30 different countries and developed by the leading international organizations5.

The framework proposed by the European Commission has a “concentric” layout, based on the need to distinguish between the “cultural sector” – i.e. a series of traditional artistic activities and cultural industries the products of which are exclusively “cultural” – and the creative sector, which brings together the remaining industries and activities that use culture as an added value for the production of not strictly cultural products.

As a result, according to this layout, the “cultural and creative sector” develops along the lines of four macro areas, containing the following components:

- Arts: Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Heritage;

- Cultural industries: Film and video, TV and radio, Video games, Music, Publishing;

- Creative industries: Design, Architecture, Advertising;

- Related industries: ICT, MP3, Mobile telephony.

4 KEA European Affairs, “The Economy of Culture in Europe. Study prepared for the European Commission (Directorate-General for Education and Culture)”, October 2006. The study is also known as the “Jan Figel Report”, named after the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism.

5 The study considered, among others, the definitions of “cultural sector” and “creative sector” supplied by the OECD, UNESCO (United Na-tions Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) and Eurostat’s LEG Task Force.

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Figure 1 – The Components of the Cultural and Creative Sector According to the Survey Conducted by the European Commission – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from KEA European Affairs, “The Economy of Culture in Europe”, 2006

Finally, the most external circle contains the “related industries”, those sectors which produce and sell support services for the exploitation of goods and services delivered by the cultural and creative industries.

The approach adopted by the “Figel Report” seems very far-reaching, as the analysis includes business and “cross-border” activities in relation to the cultural-creative sector in the strict sense of the term, but it conveys the economic impact of culture and creativity, which represents an element of innovation which uses culture as an input to influence many economic sectors.

Generally speaking, according to this approach which in some aspects may be considered “eclectic”, it is possible to see how the cultural and creative sector is connoted by activities which normally present three features:

- Their production involves a certain form of creativity;

- They concern the creation and communication of symbolic meaning;

- Their result implies, potentially, a form of intellectual property.

Figure 2 – The Main Characteristics of the Activities of the Cultural and Creative Sector – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration from David Throsby “Economics and Culture”, 2001



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Figure 3 – Summary Table of Classification of the Cultural and Creative Industries According to Some of the Main Reference Models in Literature – Source: W. Santagata, “White Paper on Creativity”, 2009

2.3. THE CULTURAL AND CREATIVE SECTOR AS A DRIVER FOR GROWTH

AND ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE TERRITORY

As will be seen below, the cultural and creative sector wields considerable weight compared to the other industrial sectors – in terms of jobs, turnover generated and Gross National Product – and so its strategic relevance for the growth of a single territorial system seems beyond a doubt.

In this sense, attractiveness becomes the new frontier for global competition among enterprises subjected to similar territorial conditions but forced to compete in order to attract investors6.

6 For more in-depth information, consult the following studies conducted by The European House-Ambrosetti in collaboration with Sie-mens: “Key performance indicators and policies for improving Italy’s country system and its attractiveness” (2003), “Measuring Italy’s pro-business culture for improving its attractiveness and competitiveness” (2005) and “Siemens Observatory for the improvement of Italy’s attractiveness (2007).

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For a country like Italy which, while possessing an enviable cultural and artistic heritage, suffers the consequences of low attraction as regards Foreign Direct Investment and low investments in Research & Development compared to its main competitors, attractiveness is a priority issue of ever increasing importance which the government (not only at a national level but also at regional and provincial levels) must tackle in a systematic manner, adopting a long-term strategic perspective, also and especially as regards the cultural and creative sector.

In fact, attractiveness increases the level of foreign investments and, by enriching a territory with new (financial and human) resources, skills and innovative know-how, it contributes to increasing its competitiveness. This, in turn, stimulates improvement and heightens and promotes the culture of comparison with competing countries and regions, thus bringing about a further improvement in terms of attractiveness. Thus a “virtuous circle” is created which renews and fuels itself on a cyclical basis (following figure).

Figure 4 – The Virtuous Circle of Attractiveness – Source: Siemens – The European House-Ambrosetti Research, “Key performance indicators and policies for improving Italy’s country system and its attractiveness”, 2003

According to this mechanism, the cultural and creative sector acts as a central driver for the development of the territory, as it is a sector that is more subject than the others to the influence of the four macro-trends that transversally connote the current technological and social scenario:

- Continuous scientific and technological developments;

- Acceleration;

- Globalization;

- Progressive changing of the demographic mix.

These phenomena have caused and continue to cause discontinuity as regards strategic and organizational choices, and technological and financial solutions. Moreover, the increase in the contents of R&D, know-how and the educational level of the workforce involved in industrial production makes the cultural and creative sector fertile ground for the development of innovative solutions and the spreading of new states-of-the-art. Attention to the theme is confirmed by the fact that experts and researchers have been speaking, for some years now, about “creative capital” which has, in a certain sense, integrated and enriched the concepts of “human capital” and “social capital”.



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2.4. THE CULTURAL AND CREATIVE SECTOR AND ITS IMPORTANCE FOR THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM

2.4.1. The Main Facts and Figures of the Cultural and Creative Sector

As anticipated in the first part of the chapter, the cultural and creative sector includes both activities linked to the dimension of the so-called “Cultural Capital” (museums, theatres, opera, etc.), and some activities which may be defined as having “industrial content” (including publishing, television, cinema and music but also Research and Development, Design, advertising, trade fair activities, etc., but which through a process which includes a creative content, to varying extents, generate an output with cultural value.

However, in Italy and throughout the world, when we talk of culture in general terms, an instinctive reaction of mistrust is triggered towards the attempts to underline the economic aspects and possible entrepreneurial organization of the connected activities.

Although it is now widely accepted that cultural activities can be organized in forms of business, the preference of civil society and policy makers for operative methods and tools which in some way remain part of or closely linked to the public sphere clearly emerges.

In any case, the set of economic activities linked to the aforementioned aspects can be referred to as the “creative economy7”, meaning “the set of knowledge-based activities which constitute an intensive set of talents which are able to use innovative techniques and technologies to produce added value and increase the intellectual capital8”. Although, as said above, the concept of the “creative economy” may arouse some perplexity, scientific studies on the sector demonstrate how this economic system contributes every year to the generation of wealth for countries and the economic growth of territorial systems.

Even in the current economic context which, over the past few years, has recorded the fastest and most widespread crisis of the post-war period, the cultural and creative sector has been seen to be highly dynamic and anti-cyclic.

Just a few data are sufficient to understand the importance and vitality of the sector worldwide9:

- In the US the movie industry recorded an increase of 8.8% in turnover during the crisis;

- In Europe (30 countries) the creative economy employs approx. 6 million people and generates a turnover of almost 700 billion Euros and from 1995 to 2005 the growth rate of the export of creative products settled at an average of 45%;

- The OECD has underlined how in the past ten years the cultural and creative sector has grown by percentages higher than any other manufacturing sector and in terms of added value, production and income represents between 2% and 6% of the GDP of the considered countries;

- The creative economy represents 3.5% of all international trade settling at values of around 450 billion dollars.

Although this data appears very significant, the economic values which effectively refer to the sector could be further increased or decreased if the field of activities included in the cultural and creative sector categories were changed.

Today, in fact, there are no precise, punctually updated statistics on the cultural and creative sector in the world, Europe or Italy. Although plenty of studies have been published by authoritative bodies and public and private institutions on this sector, the economic data they are based on is often different, built according to different classifications of cultural and creative activities and therefore generating the first problem of comparability of results. A second structural criticality which is inevitably found in analyzing the sector from the point of view of its economic importance concerns the low frequency with which the data (found mainly in multi-year publications) is updated.

7 “Creative Economy”, definition offered by the United Nations with reference to the economic activities linked to the cultural and creative sector.

8 United Nations, 2009.9 Source: UNCTAD, “Creative Economy. The Challenge of Assessing the Creative Economy: Towards Informed Policy-making”, Report 2008.

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For this reason, very often we are forced to analyze these issues on the basis of old data, measured considerably earlier than the period of study.

Among the most recent studies on this sector, the already mentioned report published by the European Commission entitled “The Economy of Culture in Europe” (2006) represents one of the most updated and reliable sources on the subject. This study was drawn up with the specific aim of assessing the dimension and contribution of the cultural sector to the economic system.

According to this source, in 2003 (the last available year) the cultural and creative sector10 recorded a turnover of approx. 640 billion Euros (6.4% of EU-25 GDP) and an Added Value of almost 260 billion Euros, approx. 2.6% of the European Union GDP.

Moving to a national analysis, the same source indicates values for Italy which do not deviate substantially from the EU-25 average if we consider the sector turnover, equal to approx. 85 billion Euros (6.3% of the national GDP), and employment, with sector employees representing approx. 2.1% of the total employed (compared to a European average of 2.4%). A greater deviation is however noted when considering the Added Value, which lies at approx. 30.7 billion Euros (2.3% of the GDP).

Table 1 – Some Key Dimensions of the Cultural and Creative Sector of the EU-25 Countries – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from European Commission, “The Economy of Culture in Europe”, 2006 and Eurostat, 2007

10 The creative sector, as demonstrated in detail below, following the approach adopted by the European Commission, includes activities linked to Visual arts, Performing arts, Cultural Heritage, Cinema, Publishing, Music, TV & Radio, Software development, Fashion, Design, Architecture, Advertising, etc..



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In order to improve the reliability and updating frequency of the Added Value, turnover and employment data (which are still based principally on estimates), over the past few years Eurostat has been implementing a project to improve the processes of measuring and aggregating cultural industry data and to assure their constant updating.

Despite the quality limits of the data, which also represents an important methodological assumption, it is in any case possible to make some assessments and comparisons of both the main parameters on aggregate sector level, and of the economic efficiency of the cultural sector in Europe and in our own country.

While based on the above methodological premises, the ratio between Added Value (equal to the difference between income generated by outputs and costs borne for the purchase of inputs) and turnover (i.e. sales) can offer a proxy measurement of the economic efficiency of the cultural sector.

If we consider this calculation, for example, France has a higher level of efficiency than any other European country, with a ratio between Added Value and turnover of 68.3%. Moreover, again comparing France and the other European countries, it is interesting to see how this country is able to generate a much higher Added Value (of 54 billion Euros compares to the 31 generated in the Italian sector) starting from a turnover which is lower than that of Italy (79.4 compared to 84.4 billion Euros) or other European countries such as the United Kingdom, clearly being able to count on greater efficiency in its production process.

In other words, this demonstrates how the Italian cultural and creative sector (as per the definition given in the sources which publish the data presented and discussed here), while showing a high incidence (in terms of turnover) in the creative economy compared to most other European countries (including France) presents a large unexpressed potential which is linked to huge possibilities for improvement (indeed the evidence shows a less efficient use of resources, demonstrated by an Added Value-Turnover ratio of 36.4%, almost half that of France and less even than Germany at 42.9%).

A further confirmation of this evidence can be found in the data concerning the sector’s annual profitability (operating margin), which, according to the same source, during the period from 1999-2003 was an average of 8.5% compared to turnover for Italy and 11.1% for France.

Also analyzing the international trade of cultural and creative goods, the important role of the so-called “creative economy” is confirmed, as it generates exports of “creative goods”.

As already mentioned, UNCTAD recently published a study on the international trade of so-called “creative goods”: this term refers to “those categories of products and services which use creativity in the production process and intellectual capital as a primary input”. More specifically, it covers a very wide range of product categories, including: antiques and works of art/handicrafts, books, newspapers, music and film (reproduced in various digital and other formats), design objects (fashion, furnishing, etc.), creative services (advertising, architecture, R&D, etc.)11.

According to this classification, UNCTAD estimates for 2005 (the last available year) a total global value for creative goods exports of 335.494 billion Euros, of which approx. 200 exchanged among the developed economies, with a total growth of approx. 80% (equal to approx. 150 billion Euros) compared to 1996.

The main product category exported internationally is that of design goods (representing the aggregate of the products of the Graphic Design, Fashion Design, Interior Design Jewelry Design, sunglasses and toys sectors): the design category alone in fact represents 65% of total exports generated every year internationally.

11 For details of all the categories of products identified by UNCTAD as “creative goods” refer to the previously mentioned document, “Creative Economy Report 2008: The challenge of assessing the creative economy towards informed policy-making” , which can be downloaded free of charge from the UNCTAD website (www.unctad.org).

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Figure 5 – Breakdown of Global Export Values for “Creative Goods” (as Defined by UNCTAD) by Product Category – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration based on UNCTAD data - United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 2008

Again considering the creative goods exports, Italy is the leading country globally. The total value of creative goods exports for Italy reaches almost 30 billion dollars in terms of market value, representing 8.3% of all creative goods exports internationally.

Table 2 – League Table of the Top 10 Developed Countries Exporting Creative Goods – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration based on UNCTAD data - United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 2008



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Another recent study on the cultural and creative sector, mentioned above, the “Libro Bianco sulla Creatività. Per un modello italiano di sviluppo” produced by Walter Santagata, offers many specific details concerning Italy.

As presented above, the White Paper identifies three main categories (in turn divisible into a list of sub-sectors) which together identify the subject of analysis considered in this study. The three main categories are: historic/artistic heritage, production of content, information and communication (“content industries”) and activities linked to the so-called “material culture”. The main components of each one are the following:

Historic/artistic heritage, composed of:

- Cultural heritage;

- Modern Art;

- Architecture;

- Music and Performing arts.

“Content Industries”, which include the activities in the following categories:

- Cinema;

- Software;

- Publishing;

- Advertising;

- TV & Radio.

Material culture:

- Fashion;

- Design and handicrafts;

- Food & wine.

The estimates of the main economic dimensions of the “macro-sector” (as defined by Santagata), Added Value and employees, are based on the elaborations carried out by the Guglielmo Tagliacarne Institute12 and refer to 2004 (also in this case the data is not updated frequently nor promptly processed by the institutions which deal with these surveys).

As the analyses conducted on the national sector were drawn up using different methods and according to different (although not substantial) definitions from the approach adopted at European level (specifically by the European Commission), the reference data for Italy differs from that presented above, however it is in any case interesting to conduct an analysis at national level. The definition of the cultural and creative sector adopted for the national level in fact includes both economic activities strictly linked to culture (management of museums and theatres, production of performing arts, publishing), and those with “cultural value”, which are in some way linked to cultural activities in their strictest sense and/or activated by these (including the production of handicrafts, production for cultural exploitation, cultural tourism, linked mobility services, etc.).

12 A key national institute which conducts economic and statistical analyses and studies in different economic sectors nationally and regionally.

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Table 3 – Estimate of Added Value and Employment in the Cultural and Creative Sector in Italy in 2004 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of MiBAC data – Guglielmo Tagliacarne Institute, 2007

The total estimate of the Added Value of the “macro-sector” (considering the categories indicated in the previous table), amounts to approx. 116 billion Euros, equal to 9.3% of the total national Added Value. The sector employs 2.8 million people, representing almost 12% of the national total.

Compared to the total Added Value recorded for the macro-sector, the weight of the more strictly cultural activities (historic/artistic heritage) represents around 17% of the total (and a total value of approx. 20 billion Euros), while the share of employees in the cultural heritage activities is 14% of the total (representing approx. 400,000 units).

The Table 3 also highlights some particular characteristics of the creative and cultural industries in Italy. First and foremost, Fashion is the most important sector in the cultural and creative industries in economic terms: this is also confirmed by the fact that the sectors in the material culture field (Fashion, Industrial Design and Handicrafts, Food and Wine) count for more than 50% of the value of the whole macro-sector. Secondly, the Computer and Software sector has considerable weight among the content, information and communication industries. Its importance demonstrates how, despite some delay, the Italian economy is oriented towards information technologies and ICT13.

These are important figures, which should lead to profound reflection on the importance of this sector in the national economy: let’s think for example of the automotive sector (a sector of Italian excellence which is very often the subject of political debate and the recipient of large public incentives), which represents 5.5% of the Added Value of the Italian manufacturing sector (which in turn is a portion of total manufacturing).

13 Source: “Libro Bianco sulla Creatività”, W Santagata, 2009



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A further interesting point of analysis of this sector is the study of the sector’s contribution to national GDP by analyzing the different phases of the “production” and distribution chain of cultural and creative goods.

The source of reference for this analysis – the “Libro Bianco sulla Creatività” – identifies four main components in the value chain of cultural and creative goods and in this basis offers a fragmented view of the contribution to the economy generated by the macro-sector. The chain’s components are:

- Design and production;

- Activities linked to design and production;

- Distribution;

- Activities linked to distribution.

Figure 6 – Culture “Macro-Sector” Contribution to the Economy: Breackdown of Value Chain Phases – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of W. Santagata data, MiBAC – Guglielmo Tagliacarne Institute, 2009

If we examine the data shown in the figure, we can see how the design and production phase generates the greatest contribution to national GDP. The activities linked to the design and production of cultural products (the activity sectors which interact by selling products or services used in the creative and production process of cultural products and services) represent the second largest share of contribution to GDP generated by the sector (2.69%).

Distribution, the third phase considered in the chain, plays a fundamental role in the sectors linked to the “material culture” field, and in particular the Fashion and Industrial Design sectors, where the product distribution process represents a phase with high Added Value.

The distribution phase and linked activities are of little importance in the Historic/Artistic Heritage dimension, in which the exploitation of cultural goods and services is more direct (as in the case of goods and activities linked to the Cultural Heritage, Music and Performing Arts) or services are delivered to order (as in the case of Architecture).

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2.4.2. Public and Private Expenditure for Cultural Activities in Italy

Aside from the economic importance of the sector within the overall economic system, it is essential to understand what are the most appropriate methods for assuring the continuous growth and development of the creative economy, in the case of Italy through the promotion of the immense number of cultural assets the country possesses. In order to ensure the growth and development of the sector, it must be assured appropriate funding, which may be either public or private. The subject of this paragraph is therefore the sources of funding for this sector.

Similar to what happens for the main macro-economic data of this sector, also in this case the data available concerning public and private expenditure for cultural activities only partly allows further analysis, as it is measured only in the form of macro aggregates and is not updated sufficiently frequently.

Public Expenditure for Cultural Activities in Italy

From the last available public accounting data14, relative to 2005, it emerges that Italy spent a total of 11 billion Euros on creative and cultural activities, 7 billion of which came from local authorities.

From the analysis of the historical evolution of the public expenditure data as a percentage of the national GDP (produced by ISTAT), a substantially stable picture emerges between 1990 and 2005, bearing witness to a scarce public focus in terms of investment in the sector. Public Expenditure for cultural activities is in fact stable at around 1.6% - 1.7% of the National Gross Domestic Product, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 7 – Central and Local Government Expenditure for Cultural Activities on GDP, 1990-2005 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration of ISTAT data, 2008

As can be seen in the graph, “centralized” state expenditure on cultural activities represents a share of approx. 35-40% of total expenditure, the remaining share borne by local and regional administrations.

In functional terms, the data produced by ISTAT include the amount of public expenditure destined for investments (therefore not including running costs, labor costs, operating costs, etc.), quantified at approx. 2.5 - 3 billion Euros per year during the referred period, of which 2 billion are borne by the territorial bodies (which in proportion to the budget available for the sector, invest a significantly larger amount than the central administrations).

14 The data was produced by the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT), which considers in the aggregate of the expenditure for “culture” the following sectors: film and video production and distribution, cinema management; radio and TV activities; library and archive activi-ties; management of museums and the cultural heritage; management of botanic gardens, natural parks and natural heritage; artistic and literary creation and interpretation; management of theatres, concert halls and other performing arts halls and linked activities; circuses and other entertainment activities; press agency activities.



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From the interpretation of this data it appears that the Italian State, “owner” of the most important museums and archeological sites in terms of cultural value and visitor attractiveness, at centralized level allocates less than 0.5 billion Euros per year (equal to 0.03% of GDP) to investments in the cultural activities sector. This figure is very worrying in terms of the possibilities for future development and attractiveness of the sector.

The data shown (which refer exclusively to public sites, including mainly those owned by the State), indicates a far from negligible economic impact, but also highlights the limits of public expenditure compared to the need to recover a quantity of assets requiring restoration, promotion and in many cases simply a place where they can be displayed. However, this requires further investments, and therefore the ability to source in many cases large resources, which can only be assured through the increase of income linked to their promotion and exploitation.

It is also clear that the sale of entry tickets alone can offer a limited contribution and assure a return over very long time horizons compared to investments. For this reason a drastic increase in income is hoped for, based on the development of forms of collaboration between public and private bodies in the cultural sector.

As far as entertainment is concerned (and in particular the performing arts including theatre and concert activities as well as cinema), the considerations on the role of public expenditure and the involvement of private bodies change sharply, also as these are very different activities from the promotion of cultural assets and for this reason are more attractive to “private” involvement.

In 2005, in fact, the “Fondo Unico per lo Spettacolo” (Entertainment Fund) - FUS (the main public financial support delivered by the state) allocated approx. 380 million Euros. According to the MiBAC, during the two-year period 2006-2007, the allocated resources increased from 377 to 441 million Euros (+17%), while the distribution of resources among the various activities was the following: 65% to music (opera, concerts and dance), 17% to prose and 18% to cinema. However, according to a recent estimate published by “Il Sole 24 Ore”, not only in the past five years have these funds been reduced yearly, but if we compare the current “real” value of the fund with the amounts allocated in 1985 (when the fund was established), the evidence demonstrates how the usable value of the fund today (with equal purchasing power) is half the value available in 1985.

Private Expenditure for Cultural Activities in Italy

The reference market of the cultural sector is of a considerable size, and the annual user expenditure for cultural services and services linked to the exploitation of culture represents an important chapter in the national economy.

In 2006, according to ISTAT, Italian families spent approx. 22 billion Euros on recreational and cultural services, representing 2.5% of total family expenditure (estimated by ISTAT to be approx. 890 billion Euros), and indeed 20% of the total family budget for tourism and leisure time (estimated by ISTAT to be approx. 115 billion Euros).

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Figure 8 – Breakdown of Italian Family Expenditure on Tourism and Leisure Time – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration of ISTAT data, 2008

Cultural Tourism

Apart from direct expenditure for the exploitation of goods in the cultural system, the cultural vocation of a territory may be a very effective catalyst for tourism flows. Cultural tourism is in fact a reality which is becoming increasingly autonomous as a main reason for people mobility.

Generally speaking visits to cultural assets may also represent an “additional” element compared to the typical motivations for holidays, those of entertainment and relaxation. However, for Italy, the cultural motivation of tourism flows has historically had and continues to maintain a significant importance.

A significant fact in this regard is the tourist presences in cities of historic/artistic interest which, between 2000 and 2007, saw an increase of approx. 22% compared to the increase in total presences of 7.3%. The figure below shows the regional share of presences in cities of historic/artistic interest compared to the total tourism presences in the region (relative to the 10 regions with greatest incidence).



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Figure 9 – Incidence of Presences in Cities of Historic/Artistic Interest Compared to the Total Tourism Presences in the Top 10 Italian Regions for Presences in Cities of Historic/Artistic Interest, 2007 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of ISTAT data - TCI, “Annuario del Turismo e della Cultura 2009” .

Supporting this result, the data of the UIC (Italian Foreign Exchange Office)15 shows that the presence of foreigners in Italy for cultural tourism between 2004 and 2006 increased by 25% compared to an increase of 12% in the total number of foreign presences.

It is also estimated16 that in 2007 tourism expenditure was approx. 90 billion Euros, two thirds of which from Italians and one third from foreigners. Approximately 96 million tourist presences were recorded in cities of historic/artistic interest in 2005 compared to total presences of 364 million, therefore around a quarter: if this proportion applied also to the total expenditure, we may estimate expenditure for cultural tourism to be more than 20 billion Euros a year.

2.5. THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL USED FOR THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: THE MATRIX OF THE CULTURAL AND CREATIVE SECTOR

Based on the main scientific contributions on the subject and the understanding of the sector’s importance in the national economic system, this paragraph presents the conceptual approach to modeling cultural and creative industries within “Florens 2010”.

In fact, as will be illustrated in this paragraph and in the methodological description of the summary index of the cultural and creative industry drawn up for national and international comparison (called the Florens Index17), this Report focuses on certain specific areas of activity of the cultural and creative sector: on the one hand, we have drawn on the study of the European Commission and other bibliographic works mentioned earlier, and on the other we have introduced a number of areas not strictly contemplated by these works but deemed nonetheless to be relevant, inasmuch as they underlie the business fabric and could affect and/or define new productive and organizational corporate models18.

15 Data taken from the Federculture “Quarto rapporto annuale”, 2007.16 Ministry of Economic Development - DPS, “Rapporto Annuale”, 2007 and Ministry of Tourism, “Rapporto sul Turismo Italiano”,

2009.17 Refer to Chapters 3 and 4 of this Report.18 For example, the “connected industries” were not considered as they tend to be more globalized, while the wine & gastronomy sector was

considered, as it has stronger connotations from a territorial standpoint.

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Starting from the considerations presented and discussed in the previous paragraph, the definition of the cultural and creative sector adopted for the comparative analysis is based on two main aspects:

- Reproducibility of output;

- Type of output.

Reproducibility of output refers to the suitability of the cultural goods and services for immediate consumption or for mass reproduction and distribution.Some cultural goods and services can be either collectable, or perfectly and exactly replicable in space and time, such as for example a book, a piece of music on a digital medium (CD, MP3, etc.), a film or a scientific publication. Others, on the other hand, are not perfectly replicable in space and time such as for example a theatre performance, an opera, a university lecture or a historic/architectural monument.

Type of output on the other hand refers to the predominance of the cultural dimension of the goods and services produced through a process that uses cultural inputs (traditions, values, awareness, heritages, knowledge etc.). For certain goods and services, the “cultural” dimension is predominant: a painting, a book, a film, a daily newspaper, etc. The activities leading to the production of this type of goods and services shall therefore be classified in the present analysis as being capable of producing a cultural output. In cases, on the other hand, in which the activities analyzed use cultural elements (traditions, values, awareness, heritages, knowledge etc.) in order to produce output that is not cultural in the strict sense of the term, we speak of creative output.

Activities such as advertising, fashion, design or applied research generate a product that is predominantly characterized by the dimension of creativity. This category includes life-long learning activities, trade fairs and digital communications tools such as broadband and websites which, acting as networking tools, promote the exchange of ideas, perspectives, values, etc..

By cross-referencing these two aspects, we obtain the matrix of the cultural and creative sector, which matches the sectorial definition used for the comparative analysis and based on which a summary indicator for comparison between different territories (regions or countries) was built.

The two aspects identified (type of output and reproducibility of output), cross-referenced in the matrix of the cultural and creative sector, create four areas, which can be traced (using a kind of “clusterization” process) to many types of economic activities referring to the macro-sector of the cultural and creative industry.

The four areas originating from the cross-referencing of the two referred variables are:

- Cultural and Environmental Capital;

- Media;

- Networking;

- Creative Industries.

The summary indicator used to measure the position of the territories in the four areas was called the “Florens Index”.

The representation of the cultural and creative sector and the selection of the areas of which it is composed has been developed chiefly for the purpose of making regional and national comparisons: so the availability of comparable statistical information has been taken into the utmost consideration, in both the creation and development of the matrix and the subsequent analysis.



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Figure 10 – The Cultural and Creative Sector Matrix – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2009

2.5.1. The “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area

The Cultural and Environmental Capital Area is traceable to most of the cultural and environmental assets of a territory (country, region, etc.) understood as the historic/artistic heritage, art cities, natural parks, landscapes, etc.: these cultural assets are non-reproducible, and strictly of a cultural nature.

Figure 11 – Two Examples of Cultural and Environmental Capital: the Historical Centre of Florence with the Michelangelo’s Statue of David and a View of the Val D’Orcia (both included in the UNESCO World Heritage List)

In addition to cultural and environmental heritage assets, this area also includes the activities linked to the Performing arts (theatre performances, concerts, etc.) and Visual Arts (exhibitions, shows, etc.). In this case the activities generate non-reproducible cultural outputs (indeed, it is not possible to generate an “exact reproduction” of a painting, and a live theatre performance or concert cannot be repeated identically).

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In addition to Visual Arts, Performing Arts and Cultural and Environmental Heritage, the “generalist” education system (university education) and the specific artistic-cultural education system have also been included in this category. Human capital is, in fact, believed to be a primary input for the development of cultural capital. To this end, not only the specific learning pathways for the Visual and Performing Arts are relevant, but also the tertiary education system (university) which provides a fundamental support structure for reinforcing the human capital of a territory, also in relation to its propensity to generate cultural capital or to become a beneficiary of the same.

The figure below shows the main aspects intercepted in the Cultural and Environmental Capital Area, giving examples of some economic categories or heritage resources traceable to each of the aspects included in the area.

Figure 12 – The “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

2.5.2. The “Media” Area

The Media Area includes sectors which generate a reproducible cultural output. These activities therefore have a cultural content (to varying extents) and are destined for large-scale reproduction through physical or digital media, including books, films music CDs, daily newspapers, etc. but also television and radio broadcasts.

Figure 13 – Some Examples of Activities Included in the “Media” Area: TV and Radio Broadcasting, Cinema Distribution, Publishing and Press and Digital media



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The Media Area can also be divided into four main categories: television and radio broadcasting, cinema and digital distribution, publishing and press and digital media activities.

Figure 14 – The “Media” Area – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

2.5.3. The “Networking” Area

The “Networking” Area refers to sectors and activities which generate a mainly creative, non-reproducible output. As defined above, creative outputs are produced in those industries in which cultural inputs (traditions, values, sensitivity, assets, knowledge, etc.) are transformed into outputs which are not strictly cultural. For example – as will be seen in more detail below in the presentation of the Creative Industries area – activities such as advertising, fashion, design, applied research, generate a product which is generally characterized by its creative dimension (despite being based on cultural inputs). This area therefore includes activities such as trade fairs and life-long learning which, acting as networking tools, promote the exchange of ideas, experiences, and contribute to the development of human capital through non-institutionalized paths.

Figure 15 – Some Examples of the Main Elements Comprising the “Networking” Area: Trade Fair Activities and Life-Long Learning

The Networking Area is divided into three main categories (following figure).

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Figure 16 – The “Networking” Area – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

This is generally a series of activities connected mainly with the world of business which, in the current era of short life cycles of knowledge and skills and of global interconnection, are fundamental for the future development of the cultural and creative sector. Life-long learning activities, in fact, enable the renewal of know-how in the face of the obsolescence of skills. Networking activities in their strictest sense, international trade fairs and exhibitions, allow not only the comparison with the “state of the art” of a given field or sector, but also trigger important knock-on effects of cross-fertilization, due to the creativity of the hosting territory (for example, the collateral “fuori salone” events which take place in Milan during the International Furniture Fair).

The preparatory factors considered in this area are digital infrastructures for networking (in the Business to Business sense of the term). Information technologies in fact represent an inalienable tool for the development of the business of connection and therefore of businesses, through the creation and consolidation of a network of contacts with stakeholders, customers, suppliers, etc. both locally, nationally and internationally.

2.5.4 The “Creative Industries” Area

The sectors which generate wide-scale reproducible outputs with mainly “creative” connotations fall in the “Creative Industies” area.

The creative system includes a variety of sectors in which cultural inputs (of different kinds, including knowledge, traditions, know how, etc.) are transformed through creative activities into reproducible products. This is, for example, the case of Research & Development activities for innovative product and process engineering. R&D, particularly concerning research in private fields (in this case), starts from basic knowledge in order to identify practical and innovative product/process solutions destined to complete on the market. A cultural input is therefore transformed through a process in which creativity is the main conversion factor. Many sectors, including fashion, advertising, design, architecture, handicrafts, food and wine, etc. are traceable to this category, and as a whole make up that which in this Report is defined as the “Creative Industries”.



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Figure 17 – Some Representative Images of the Main Elements of the “Creative Industries” Area: Advertising, Fashion, Design, Research and Development, Handicrafts

In more detail, the categories which make up the “Creative Industries” Area are: Research & Development, Design and Architecture, Fashion, Food and Wine and Handicrafts.

Figure 18 – The “Creative Industries” Area – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

As can be seen in the above figure, R&D activities considered in the “Creative Industry” area do not include the university sector which, as mentioned at the start of this chapter, falls within the system of generation and transmission of cultural knowledge, measured therefore within the “Cultural Capital” area.

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Special attention must also be granted to the Design, Food and Wine and Agri-Food sectors.

“Design is a Process, an Activity, and not Merely the Results of Such Activity”

As shown in the different definitions presented in various points of this chapter, design is an activity, a process which follows a given methodology and a series of steps - including research, conceptualization, modeling, experimentation and re-design. Design leads to the synthesis and union of even a large number of disciplines. As such, it can be considered as a “bridge” between creativity and innovation, technology and users, scientific-technical and commercial disciplines.

“Design Implies the Consideration and Management of a Wide Range of Issues”

Design requires a holistic approach that considers a number of factors which go way beyond aesthetics, including: functionality, ergonomics, usability, accessibility, product safety, sustainability, costs, etc..

“Design Concerns Products, Services, “Systems”, Contexts and Communication”

Many designers work in manufacturing firms and deal with products and packaging, however design is a discipline which can also be applied to (public and private) services as well as systems (as in the case of town planning) and even experiences. A services designer, for example, can study the emotional experience of a patient taken to the emergency room, or a potential customer entering a bank for the first time. Urban designers, on the other hand, study the experiential value of visiting a city centre for an elderly or disabled person, in terms of accessibility. The design of a new business model on the other hand is one of the activities linked to the organizational innovation of businesses. Graphic design is fundamental for the visual communication of organizations, in particular to create and strengthen identity and brands, relative to both the organization (corporate identity) and its products and services. The design of communication interfaces represents the visual language, the appearance of computer operating systems, websites, software applications and mobile communication devices.

Source: European Commission, “Design as a driver of user-centred innovation”, 2009

Food and Wine and Agri-Food, the “Frontiers” of the Creative Industries

Food and Wine has a rightful place among the creative activities: it is an area which, by nature, is associated with product or process innovation and the development of original professions. Just think, for example, of the so-called “molecular gastronomy” invented in the 1990s by the Catalan chef Ferran Adrià and the increasingly close association of food and design: today creative cooking does not seem to stop at mere cooking methods and combinations of ingredients, but extends also to cooking and serving tools, which become a key aspect of the dishes served to emphasize the experiential aspect of consumption. The University of Harvard recently began a specialization course entitled “From Haute Cuisine to Soft Science”, in which students learn the secrets of chemistry and physics applied to culinary recipes, with the help of some of the world’s most famous chefs*.

More generally, the sensitivity towards activities aiming to promote agri-food production and protect culinary traditions appears to be significantly greater than in the past. The success of the Slow Food movement bears witness to this. Founded in Italy by Carlo Petrini in the late Eighties, today it has become an international association with 100,000 members in 130 countries. Slow Food’s mission is to attribute the right importance to the pleasure of food, learning to enjoy the diversities of recipes and flavors, recognize the variety of areas of production and artifices, and respect the rhythm of the seasons and feasting. In this way it is possible to promote the education of taste as a defense mechanism against poor quality and frauds, and as an example against the standardization of meals, supporting the safeguarding of local cuisine, traditional products, plant and animal species risking extinction and a new, less intensive and cleaner farming model.

Italy in particular is able to transform food and wine into a large national and international market which produces wealth for the whole country, thanks to the high number of protected products distinguished for the quality of their ingredients, specific graphic location and special production techniques (DOP, IGP, IGT, etc.).

*Source: The New York Times, “At Harvard, the Kitchen as Lab”,19 October 2010.

In the following chapters we will see how the previous definitions and conceptual framework presented above concerning the matrix of the cultural and creative sector are described in a series of quantitative and qualitative analyses, in some cases marked by highly innovative features.



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3. The Florens Index: National Comparative Analysis

3. THE FLORENS INDEX: NATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

3.1. INTRODUCTION

On the basis of the definition of the cultural and creative sector illustrated in Chapter 2 of this Report, this chapter will present the results of the comparative quantitative analysis of the Italian Regions in terms of the potential and dynamism shown by the cultural and creative sector.

The comparison of the 20 Regions was made by selecting a group of indicators (KPI – Key Performance Indicators) for each Area of the matrix shown below (already presented in Chapter 2). The KPIs selected provide a system of summary indicators designed to measure the main elements that determine and explain the positioning of the geographical areas within the cultural and creative sector matrix1.


The measurement of the values recorded by the geographical areas in the various KPIs was rendered homogenous through the assigning of scores. Scores were assigned as follows: a score of 5 was given to the geographical area that presents the highest level in relation to the size measured by the indicator and 1 was given to the area with the lowest value amongst those being considered. The remaining areas received scores of between 1 and 5, in proportion with the absolute value of the indicator (in comparison to the highest and lowest value shown in the KPI in question) according to a scale obtained using the following method:

SCALE = (maximum value – minimum value) / (maximum score – minimum score)

After determining the scale, the scores for each region were calculated as follows:

SCORE = [(Region value – minimum value) / scale] + 1

Using this method produced uniform scores of between 1 and 5 for each KPI. These scores can be compared and combined as a summary indicator both for each Area of the matrix, as well as on a general level - in this last instance – the indicator referred to as the Florens Index.

Where necessary, the KPIs were relativized using an appropriate denominator, in order to increase its significance in the context of the geographical comparison. For example, consumption-related data are normally more significant if compared to their respective catchment areas. In the same way, the data expressed in sectoral turnovers are more immediately comparable if referred to the GDP and so on.

1 The KPIs are quantitative statistical indicators obtained from databases provided by national and international government sources.


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The summary indicator calculated for each Area of the matrix represents the comparative contribution of the analysis parameter compared with the cultural and creative sector of each Region.

On the other hand, the Florens Index represents a summary indicator of the comparative level of development of the area’s cultural and creative sector. In both cases, therefore, they are relative measurements.

3.2. NATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: THE “CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAPITAL”

AREA

The “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area includes the cultural outputs characterized by non-reproducibility and it has been divided into five major categories:

- Cultural Heritage;

- Environmental Heritage and Landscape;

- System for Teaching Cultural Knowledge;

- Visual Arts;

- Performing Arts.

In addition to Visual Arts, Performing Arts and Cultural and Environmental Heritage, the basic education system and the specific artistic-cultural education system have also been included. Human capital is in fact considered a primary input for the development of human capital. To this end, not only are the specific learning pathways for the Visual and Performing Arts relevant, but also the system of higher education which provides a fundamental support structure for reinforcing the human capital of an area, including in relation to its propensity to generate cultural capital or to become a beneficiary of it.

The analysis covered the performance levels of 20 Italian regions in 20 KPIs for the most recent year for which statistics were available. The indicators taken into consideration2 and the weightings used are shown in Table 1 that briefly summarizes, for each indicator identified, the reasons that led to the indicator being chosen and the relativization drivers used for measuring.

Each KPI has been selected with the specific aim of measuring the positioning of the territorial system in question in relation to one or more areas stipulated by the methodological system used. In some cases, where precise information is not available about the phenomenon to be gauged, owing to the lack of available figures and/or owing to the nature of the phenomenon itself, ad hoc approximations (proxies) have been used to ensure that the phenomenon is measured in any case. For example, the figure relating to the total number of books contained in regional libraries represents an approximation of the region’s total heritage in books.

2 The selection of the portfolio of indicators and relative weightings depended both on the evaluation of the Advisory Board as well as the availability of complete, compatible and comparable data between the various Italian regions.

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Table 1 - KPIs selected for national comparison in the “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010



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Below, by way of example, are the results of the analysis of some the most significant KPIs measured and that contribute to the calculation of the final score for each region within the perimeter of the national comparison.

Cultural Heritage

With respect to the “Cultural Heritage” category, the first indicator selected for the analysis is the “Number of cultural and natural sites included in UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites”3.

Figure 2 - “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area: Number of Cultural and Natural Sites on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List, 2010 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from UNESCO, 2010

On a national level, Tuscany is in second position for the number of UNESCO sites (13% of the national total), very close to Lombardy (7 sites). For this reason Lombardy receives a maximum score of 5.

The Italian Regions which, on the contrary, do not have any UNESCO sites receive the lowest score of 1. The scores assigned to the other Regions are proportional to the UNESCO sites found within their borders (Lazio, for example, scored 3.3 points thanks to its UNESCO sites).

3 There are a total of 45 UNESCO sites in Italy. Two, however, are shared by more than one region (the “Sacri Monti”, by Lombardia and Piemonte, and The Dolomites, by Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trentino Alto Adige and Veneto).

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The Cultural and Natural Sites Protected by UNESCO (Listed by Year of Inclusion)

UNESCO’s World Heritage List contains a total of 45 sites in Italy, almost all of which, with the exception of 3 natural heritage sites – the Aeolian Islands, Monte San Giorgio and The Dolomites - are cultural:

1979 – Rock Drawings in Valcamonica

1980 – Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura; The Church and Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci

1982 – Historic Centre of Florence

1987 – Venice and its Lagoon

Piazza del Duomo, Pisa

1990 – Historic Centre of San Gimignano

1993 – The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera

1994 – The City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto

1995 – Historic Centre of Siena

Historic Centre of Naples

Crespi d’Adda

Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and the Po Delta

1996 – Castel del Monte

The Trulli of Alberobello

Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna

Historic Centre of Pienza

1997 - 18th-Century Royal Palace at Caserta with the Park, the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, and the San Leucio Complex

Residences of the Royal House of Savoy

Botanical Garden, Padua

Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)

Modena: Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande

Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata

Costiera Amalfitana

Archaeological Area of Agrigento

Villa Romana del Casale of Piazza Armerina

Su Nuraxi di Barumini

1998 – Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula

Historic Centre of Urbino

Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia

1999 – Villa Adriana (Tivoli)

2000 – Aeolian Islands

Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites

City of Verona

2001 – Villa d’Este (Tivoli)

2002 – Late Baroque towns of the Val di Noto

2003 – Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy

2004 – Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia

Val d’Orcia

2005 – Syracuse and the rocky Necropolis of Pantalica

2006 – Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli

2008 – Mantua and Sabbioneta

Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes

2009 – The Dolomites

2010 – Monte San Giorgio

Source: Unesco, World Heritage List, 2010



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Figure 3 - “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area: Presences in Cities of Historical/Artistic Interest in the Region 2007 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT)- Italian Touring Club “Tourism and Culture Yearbook 2009”

Another indicator upon which considerable weight has been placed in the “Cultural Heritage” category is the “Number of presences in cities of historical/artistic interest in the region”.

Looking at the figures, the hegemonic role of Rome for the Lazio region becomes clearly apparent whilst, perhaps even more surprising is the figure for Umbria which can be explained by the presence of numerous cities of art (such as, for example, Assisi, Gubbio and Spello) and the absence of the sea.

In this case also, the region of Toscana is one of those with the greatest value in relation to this KPI. In 2007 - the most recent data available for this indicator - over 35% of tourist visits in Toscana was concentrated in cities of historical and artistic interest.

Finally, an additional indicator taken into consideration when measuring cultural heritage in terms of museums and archaeology, was the “Number of visitors to museums, monuments and archaeological areas charging admission”. The indicator was correlated to the regional population so that the phenomenon would not be influenced by the demographic size of each region analyzed.

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Figure 4 - “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area: Visitors to Museums. Monuments and Archeological Areas Charging Admission, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the “The Office of Statistics of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities 2008”, 2010. Note: the absolute values appear in the figure as a red line (right hand axis) whilst the histogram represents the relative figure (left hand axis), on the basis of which the score has been calculated

Figure 5 – Evidence of the Average Number of Visitors per Month per Category in the Top 25 Museums in the World – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the “Office of Statistics of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage 2008” and museum web sites, 2010



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The previous figure reveals how the Molise region is the Italian region with the highest number of visitors to monuments and archaeological areas with an annual average of 3.4 visitors per inhabitant, followed some way behind by Basilicata (2.7 visitors). The third highest region is Lazio, which in terms of absolutes is the top region with approximately 9 million visitors, followed by Toscana with 5 million and Veneto with almost 4 million.

Numbers of Visitors to the Top 25 Museums in the World

As the statistics relating to the number of visitors every month per square meter of museum space show (in relation to exhibition space rather than absolute values), the Vatican Museums reveal an international ranking level of performance excellence that sees it positioned second in the world with the Uffizi Gallery taking fourth place. This confirms the unsurpassed quality and prestige of the works of art to be found in such museums that generate increasing attractiveness towards “foreign visitors and not” unequalled anywhere else in the world.

Environmental Heritage and Landscape

The second parameter identified for the Cultural and Environmental Capital relates to Environmental Heritage. This parameter refers to the environmental and scenic heritage of the different Regions.

By way of example, the figure below shows the values of the indicator relating to the “Number of regional natural parks”.

Figure 6 - “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area: Number of Natural Parks, 2010 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from ‘Parks.it’ - Federparchi (The Italian Federation of Parks and Nature Reserves), 2010

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This KPI shows that Lombardia and Piemonte are the Regions that have the greatest number of parks, with no fewer than 24 in each region. They are followed some way behind by Emilia Romagna and Lazio with 14 and 13 parks respectively4.

Italy’ Resources in Forestry

The forestry resource covers over one third of Italy (10.5 million hectares, equal to 34.5% of the surface area of the country). Woods in particular occupy 29.1% of the country’s surface area and the most densely covered areas are Liguria and Trentino which, thanks to a covering that exceeds 60%, constitute the only administrative areas in which woods occupy more than half of a territory. The regions of Trentino Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Toscana, Umbria, Abruzzo, Calabria and Sardegna all have a tree density coefficient that is far greater than that nationally.

Source: State Forestry Service, 2010

Another proxy for the level of attractiveness of a territory is the “tourism trade balance”, which measures the difference between the total spent in the Region by foreign nationals and by other Italian nationals and the amount spent abroad and in other Italian Regions by the region’s inhabitants. The indicator, therefore, shows the touristic attractiveness expressed by the region measured in economic terms.

In the analysis of the 20 Italian regions, the Valle d’Aosta Region has the highest tourism balance in proportion to the GDP generated. The third highest Region where the tourism balance has the greatest impact on the regional GDP is Toscana which scored (in accordance with the method described previously) 2.4 points. In the figure the line indicates the absolute values which show how the Region stands out for the greatest value recorded from the tourism balance, followed by Veneto and Emilia Romagna. The Regions of Molise, Lombardia, Basilicata, Umbria and Piemonte on the other hand show a negative regional tourism balance.

Figure 7 – “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area: Tourism Trade Balance for the 20 Italian Regions, 2007 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the “Report on Italian Tourism”, 2008-2009

4 When looking at the findings from the analysis of this indicator, it is necessary to keep in mind the fact that the indicator has not been constructed on the basis of the overall surface area (because of the difficulty in obtaining homogenous information between regions).



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System for Teaching Cultural Knowledge

The “general” and specific artistic/cultural education systems, being generators of human capital (primary source for the growth of cultural and creative capital), have been included as a crucial component of the cultural capital Area. The specific training courses for Visual and Performing Arts in particular stood out in the higher education system.

The figure below shows the results for the indicator in question in relation to the number of graduates in each region. As the goal of the KPI is that of measuring the concentration of graduates in a region (and not the performance of its university system), the indicator has been compared with the population of a region and not to that of the universities.

Figure 8 - “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area: Number of Graduates per Region per 100 Inhabitants, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), 2008

The maximum score has been assigned to Lazio, region that – with 15.1 university graduates per 100 inhabitants, presents the highest value for this KPI. Liguria (12.8), Emilia Romagna and Lombardy (11.5) and Toscana (11.4) follows. As far as the absolute number of university graduates is concerned, Lombardy is the first Italian region with more than 1.1 million graduates.

The “Number of students enrolled in Advanced Training Art and Music Schools”5 indicator was considered as a proxy of the concentration of graduates in artistic subjects (a generating element in strong positive spin-offs on the creative and cultural system). This indicator was not relativized with respect to the regional size as it was important to measure the overall size of the phenomenon which has direct repercussions on the spin-offs for the system. To explain, the holders of diplomas in artistic and musical advance training have been considered a resource for the Region in absolute terms because, being training that focuses on artistic/creative talent, each of them is in a position to contribute individually to the particular heritage of the Region in which the training establishment is located.

5 The Schools of Advanced Art Training and Music (approved by the Ministry of Education) examined were: Academies of Fine Arts, National Academies of Dramatic Arts, National Academies of Dance, Conservatories of Music, officially recognized Institutes of Music, Higher Insti-tutes of the Industrial Arts and legally recognized Academies.

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Figure 9 - “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area: Students Enrolled in Advanced Training Art and Music Schools, 2009 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research, 2009

The region with the highest number of students enrolled in advanced training art and music schools is Lombardy (almost 9,500 students) followed by Apulia and Emilia Romagna. Tuscany is just over half way up the median with 3,636 students in 2009.

Success Stories in the Tuscan Training in Arts and Music

Below are just a few of the most significant excellences within the area of training in arts and music in Toscana (many of which have been recognized as Higher Education Courses in Arts and Music [AFAM] courses by the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research):

- The Opificio delle Pietre Dure of Florence: the Opificio is currently one of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities’ major institutes. It carries out three types of specialized work: preservation, in the truest sense of the word (with its eleven specialist restoration departments and around 60 restorers); research (both pure as well as applied to actual restoration work); teaching (through its School of Higher Education) and an intense ‘internship’ program with other institutes in Italy and abroad.

- The Accademia delle Belle Arti (Academy of Fine Arts) of Florence finds its origins in the “Vasariana Academy of Drawing”, universally recognized as one of the first institutes in Europe that had as one of its roles - in addition to being a focal point for eminent artists to which the government referred and the safeguarding of Tuscan artistic heritage - that of teaching arts and sciences and thus marking the start of the modern concept of an Academy. Over the centuries this institute has been enriched by some of the most important artists such as Michelangelo, Vasari, the Bronzino, Giambologna, Benvenuto Cellini and Giovanni Fattori. Florence’s Academy of Fine Arts is today more geared towards University type study.

- The Conservatorio di Musica “Luigi Cherubini” (“Luigi Cherubini” Music Conservatory) of Florence: founded in 1849, it boasts a list of internationally famous musicians who have studied and taught there. The current educational program offered by the Conservatory consists of traditional courses under the Old Order, and experimental two and three-year courses and qualifying courses (approved under Ministerial Decree 137/07). Other examples of excellence in the field of music training in Tuscany are to be found in the following places of higher education: the Istituto Superiore di Studi Musicali “Rinaldo Franci” in Siena (founded in 1834), the Istituto “Luigi Boccherini” in Lucca (founded in 1842), the Istituto “Pietro Mascagni” in Livorno (founded in 1953) and the Scuola di Musica in Fiesole (founded in 1974).

- The Higher Institute for Artistic Studies (ISIA) in Florence : created in 1975 with a Ministry of Education Decree to include the rich experience of Courses in Industrial Design, this state establishment runs university level courses and focuses on design in the broadest sense of the word. It offers 1st and 2nd Level courses on a variety of subjects: product, communication, fashion and mobility design.

- Istituto Polimoda: Polimoda is a training school for the fashion sector, recognized as one of the best European Fashion Schools. Based in Florence, Polimoda was founded in 1986 as an initiative planned and financed by the Cities of Florence and Prato, their business associations and in cooperation with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) of New York. The institute offers a wide range of courses, with undergraduate studies, as well as graduate and master courses, and covers all aspects of the fashion sector, from design, to marketing, management, and advertising.



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Visual arts

Amongst the indicators selected for measuring the phenomenon of Visual Arts also is the indicator “Admissions to exhibitions and shows per 100 inhabitants”.

Figure 10 - “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area: Admissions to Exhibitions and Shows per 100 Inhabitants, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the Society of Italian Writers and Publishers (SIAE), “Statistical Yearbook of the Performing Arts”, 2008

In addition to cultural exhibitions the “exhibitions and shows” aggregate includes commercial exhibitions. This category also includes exhibitions of items intended for sale (antiques, carpets, etc) as well as trade fairs but does not include admissions to museums.

Emilia Romagna is the region with the greatest number admissions to exhibitions and shows an average of 67.9 visitors per 100 inhabitants. The regions of Lombardia and Veneto have fewer than 50 visitors per 100 inhabitants. Toscana is the eighth highest Italian region with 31.9 visitors per 100 inhabitants.

The figure also contains an absolute value which is represented by the red line and in this instance the leading region is Lombardia followed by Emilia Romagna and Lazio.

Performing Arts

A similar indicator was used in the KPIs relating to the area of Performing Arts: “Admissions to theater performances per 100 inhabitants”, shown in the figure below.

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Figure 11 - “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area: Admissions to Theater Performances per 100 Inhabitants, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the Society of Italian Writers and Publishers (SIAE), “Statistical Yearbook of the Performing Arts”, 2008

In this case too, in order to allocate a score to each region, the number of admissions to theaters has been compared with the regional population.

As the histogram in Figure 11 shows, the region with the highest comparative figure, in relation to this indicator, is Friuli Venezia Giulia with 176 admissions per 100 inhabitants, a figure that is three times that of the region in second place. Tuscany had an average of 42.7 admissions per 100 inhabitants. The line in the figure represents the absolute values that show Lombardia is in first place followed by Lazio and Veneto.

The Theatrical and Concert System of Friuli Venezia Giulia

Friuli Venezia Giulia’s geographical location (facing in the direction of Austria and the Balkans) has meant that it has been touched theatrically and musically throughout history, offering the territory extremely high levels of cultural vivacity in these disciplines. It is for this reason too that there are so many places of musical and theatrical interest that are so frequently visited.

The city of Trieste is the region’s cultural hub that has brilliantly discovered how to combine different cultures: for example, the Verdi Theater, that symbolizes Friuli Venezia Giulia’s musical culture, has been the venue for grand events and played host to some of the greatest composers and conductors. Operas and classical music concerts of the highest quality have also been performed in the cathedral of San Giusto, the City Chapel and the Teatro Stabile of Trieste. Theaters include the Teatro Politeama Rossetti, the Teatro dei Fabbri and the Teatro Miela Reina.

Even though Gorizia is a smaller city (in size) than Trieste, it is still in a position to offer an incredible musical variety in terms of facilities and programs. The “Giuseppe Verdi” theater for example is the venue for different genres of performances, from musicals to prose and classical music to opera. Gorizia also plays host to the lively activities staged in the Kulturni Dom, the venue for musical experiences from a variety of cultural origins. The province of Gorizia has also witnessed the success of the international musical festival “Nei suoni dei luoghi” (“In the sounds of places”) that also sees the involvement of different areas of Slovenia. The event is often supported by other musical shows, visits to places of nature and opportunities to sample the local wines and traditional dishes of Friuli.

In Pordenone most musical events are staged in the Concordia auditorium, even if there are numerous other local associations at work such as The “Vincenzo Colombo” Association for Sacred Music and the Institute of the Music of Piedmont (that brings together the municipalities of Aviano, Budoia, Polcenigo and Caneva).

Then there is Udine, where the best known theatrical venue is the Teatro Nuovo “Giovanni di Udine”, a well organized and versatile theatrical venue that stages many different genres of music. Finally, also worthy of mention are the activities of the “Jacopo Tomadini” State Conservatory of Music.



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Summary Indicator of the Cultural and Environmental Capital Area

The scores assigned to each region for every one of the 20 KPIs analyzed, as well as the weighting of the results obtained using the weights given in Table 1, has made it possible to create a provisional overall index for the “Cultural and Environmental Capital” category for the 20 regions in question. The evidence gathered is shown in the figure below.

By using the adopted methodology, the comparative contribution of each category of the overall Florens Index can be:

- Very High: intermediate index greater than 3.0;

- High: intermediate index between 2.5 and 3.0;

- Medium: intermediate index between 2.0 and 2.5;

- Low: intermediate index below 2.0.

Figure 12 - “Cultural and Environmental capital” Area: National Benchmark Analysis, Summary Indicator – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Lazio is the region that shows the most significant contribution of the “Cultural and Environmental Capital” to the Florex Index (3.01 - a “very high” contribution). As followers, Toscana, that is very close to Lazio with a score of 2.83, Emilia Romagna, Lombardy and Umbria. These four regions show a “high” contribution of the “Cultural and Environmental Capital”.

Lagging further behind are the Regions of Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Marche. The Region of southern Italy achieving the highest score when it comes to “Cultural and Environmental Capital” is Campania. Conversely, Calabria, Valle d’Aosta and Sardegna are those that make the most modest comparative contribution of the “Cultural and Environmental Capital” to the regional Florens Index.

Toscana achieves very high scores in the area of Cultural Heritage: in addition to the UNESCO sites already mentioned, it also has the highest number of books in libraries and the highest number of locations included in the list of the “most beautiful towns in Italy”.

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The Perfect Union Between Small Towns and the Artistic-Cultural Heritage

The list of the “Most Beautiful Towns in Italy” includes 16 Tuscan towns. It was drawn up by the Club bearing the same name that was established in 2001 and whose creation was prompted by the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) to protect smaller Italian towns from being overlooked by tourism and business. These 16 towns are Anghiari, Barga, Buonconvento, Castelfranco di Sopra, Cetona, Coreglia Antelminelli, Giglio Castello, Loro Ciuffenna, Montefioralle, Montescudaio, Pitigliano, Poppi, San Casciano dei Bagni, Scarperia, Sovana and Suvereto. The other Italian regions with significant numbers of artistic towns are Umbria, Liguria, Abruzzo and Marche.

Source: ANCI – Associazione “Borghi più belli d’Italia”, 2010

Regarding Tuscan environmental heritage, of note is the concentration of farm holiday facilities, while farm density and number of parks are below the national average.

An Extremely Well-Developed “Network” of Farm Holiday Facilities

The system of farm holiday companies represents a vital resource for preserving the local cultural and gastronomic traditions of the farming establishments of Italy and is capable of generating economic benefits for an area. Toscana has the highest number of farm holiday facilities in Italy and with a total of 456 establishments it has almost three times that of Umbria that is in second place with 153.

Source: Agriturismo.it, 2010

In terms of the system for teaching cultural knowledge, Toscana boasts four universities among the 500 reviewed in the prestigious Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities and a high number of graduates. The number of students enrolled in universities in general and those enrolled in Advanced Art Training and Music Schools, in particular, are in line with the national average.

Lombardia and Toscana Lead the Way in Scientific Research in the Italian University System

Four Tuscan academies have been included in the annual table - published by the Council of Taiwan - which gauges the performances in the field of scientific research of the world’s 500 leading universities on the basis of the total number of scientific publications. These are the Universities of Florence, Siena, Pisa and the Scuola Superiore Normale in Pisa. Only one other Italian region, namely Lombardia, has achieved a better result with 5 Universities included in the list.

Source: Higher Education Evaluation & Accreditation Council of Taiwan, 2010

Finally, indicators regarding visitors to exhibitions and shows (Visual Arts) and theater and concert performances (Performing Arts), as well as the corresponding economic and turnaround indicators, put the region of Toscana in a reasonably good position, even if the statistics for regions such as Lombardia, Lazio and Emilia Romagna are more satisfactory.

To all effect, therefore, Tuscany’s Cultural and Environmental Capital represents a significant “wealth of opportunity” in the cultural and creative sector, a part of which is already put to good use and another part of which is still to be improved upon.

The figure below provides a summary of Toscana’s scores following the comparison process with the other Italian Regions in relation to the 20 KPIs selected.



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Figure 13 – Comparative Contribution of the Cultural and Environmental Capital to the Florens Index Calculated for Toscana Region – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

3.3. NATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: THE “MEDIA” AREA

The “Media” Area identifies the economic sectors that generate cultural output and are characterized by reproducibility. The “Media” Area has been divided into four major categories:

- Television and radio broadcasting;

- Film and music distribution;

- Publishing and press sector;

- Digital media.

A set of indicators has been identified for each of these categories for measuring sizes that are considered significant for the measurement of the size of the “Media” area within the cultural and creative sector. These indicators have been used in the comparison of the 20 Italian Regions.

The analysis, in particular, studied the performance levels of 20 Italian Regions in 12 KPIs for the most recent year for which statistics were available. The indicators taken into consideration6 and the weightings utilized are shown in Table 2.

Each KPI has been selected with the specific aim of measuring the positioning of the particular territorial system in relation to one or more areas stipulated by the methodological system used. In some cases where precise information is not available about the phenomenon to be gauged, owing to the lack of available figures and/or to the nature of the phenomenon itself, ad hoc approximations (proxies) have been used to ensure that the phenomenon is measured in any case.

The table below briefly summarizes - for each indicator identified - the reasons that led to the indicator being chosen and the relativization drivers used for the measurement.


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Table 2 - KPIs selected for national comparison in the “Media” Area – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Below, by way of example, are the findings of the analysis of some the most significant KPIs measured and that contribute to the calculation of the final score for each region within the perimeter of the national comparison.

Television and Radio Broadcasting

Figure 14 – “Media” Area: Number of National and Local Television Networks Based in the Region, 2007 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the Radio and Television Federation (FRT), 2009



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In the “Media” Area, dedicated to “Television and radio Broadcasting”, the first indicator examined was the number of local and national television networks. This indicator was selected for measuring the regions’ attitudes towards attracting and hosting broadcasting companies.

The region with the highest number of TV networks in Italy (when both private and public broadcasters are added together) is Lombardia. With its 11 television networks, the region of Toscana is the fifth highest Italian Region for the number of TV broadcasters within its territory. Together with Emilia Romagna, Veneto and Lazio, it completes the group of regions that in this indicator achieved a relative score that is greater than 3. With the exception of Lombardia, the polarization of the phenomenon appears less than expected in other regions.

A further indicator used in the analysis, at a logical level similar to that just discussed, is the “Number of local and national radio networks based in the Region”. This was considered in order to obtain a measurement of radio broadcasting in the region. In this case Toscana was found to have 40 radio networks within its territory, compared to 96 in Lombardia (the Region with the highest number).

Figure 15 – “Media” Area: Number of National and Local Radio Networks Based in the Region, 2007 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the Radio and Television Federation (FRT), 2009

The TV and Radio System of Lombardia Region

Out of all of the Italian regions, Lombardia is the Region where the highest concentration of TV (21) and radio (96) networks, both national and local, are based. This is in first place attributable to the fact that the Mediaset Group (Canale 5, Italia 1, Rete 4), the Telecom Italia Media Group (La 7 e MTV Italy) have their headquarters there, as do many other local and primary TV and national and local radio networks (almost all the most important in terms of listening numbers, turnover and employment).

(*) These are those private networks with advertising turnovers in excess of Euro 1 million.Source: Audiradio and Radio and Television Federation (FRT) data, 2009

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Film and Music Distribution

The second category included in the “Media” Area is “Film and Music Distribution” and the number of admissions per capita to cinema shows represents the first measurement of the phenomenon of film distribution at a regional level.

Figure 16 – “Media” Area: per Capita Admissions to Cinema Shows in the Region, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the Society of Italian Writers and Publishers (SIAE), 2009

The Region of Lazio has the highest number of per capita admissions per annum to cinema shows, averaging 2.8 admissions per inhabitant. However, in absolute terms it is the region of Lombardia – as was to be expected – that had the highest number of admissions to film productions, with approximately 20 million in 2008. In this case the variable was relativized with respect to the regional population in order to avoid that the regions with the highest number of inhabitants gain unfair advantage in the calculation of the indicator (with equal propensity to admissions to cinemas).

Toscana was the fourth highest region in Italy for per capita admissions to film productions, a placing it shares with the Valle d’Aosta, Lombardia and Liguria.

Publishing and Press Sector

Publishing and printing constitute the third category that makes up the “Media” Area (even if not in order of importance). The national benchmark analysis was conducted using 5 KPIs (number of new books published; number of books produced; average daily sales of newspapers; number of newspaper publishers; the share of inhabitants who have read at least one book during the past 12 months).


The Top 3 for Admissions to Films in 2008

In overall terms, the number admissions to films in Lombardia (20.3 million) resulted in a turnover of Euro 172.5 million. Lazio is in second place with 15.9 million admissions and a turnover of Euro 99.2 million. Third is Emilia Romagna with 11.5 million admissions and a turnover of Euro 76.7 million.

Source: data from the Society of Italian Writers and Publishers (SIAE), “Statistical Yearbook of the Performing Arts 2009”


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Figure 17 – “Media” Area: Average Daily Sales of Newspapers in the Italian Regions (per 100 inhabitants), 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the Italian Federation of Newspaper Publishers (FIEG), 2010

As the figure above shows, Liguria is the Region with the highest number of per capita sales of daily newspapers with 15.9 copies sold on average every day (per 100 inhabitants in the Region). Toscana is the sixth highest Region in Italy, ahead of Lazio and Lombardia (the Region with the highest overall number of copies sold - over one million every day). In this case also, when calculating the above indicator the variable was compared with the population of the region in order to eliminate the distortions caused by the different demographic sizes of Italian Regions. The line in the figure indicates the absolute value of daily newspaper sales in the Region.

Figure 18 – “Media” Area: Share of Inhabitants in the Italian Regions Aged 6 Years and Over who have Read at Least one Book During a 12 Month Period (per 100 Inhabitants with the Same Characteristics), 2009 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), 2009

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The measurement of publishing activity in the national benchmark analysis was based on 3 indicators. Of these, the number of regional inhabitants who have read at least one book during a 12 month period, in addition to significantly influencing the calculation of the final indicator, represents a useful example. The goal, in this case, is the measurement of both the attitude of the population towards the reading of books as a source of culture and information and the dynamism of the publishing sector at a local level.

If this indicator is considered in a comparison with the 20 Italian regions, Toscana takes seventh place nationally, with approximately 50% of its inhabitants (aged 6 and over) stating they have read at least one book during a 12 month period. This share rises to 60% in the case of Trentino Alto Adige (autonomous provinces of Bolzano and Trento), the leading Region in Italy for this indicator.

Digital Media

The last category analyzed within the “Media” Area is that of “Digital Media”. It intercepts the potential in terms of cultural and creative industries connected with the distribution of cultural content via the internet. The proxy used for measuring this phenomenon is broadband usage (a necessary requisite for taking advantage of the latest generation of web based technology such as, for example, Web 2.0) in families residing in the Italian Regions7.

Figure 19 – “Media” Area: Families Connected to Broadband in the Italian Regions (Percentage of the Total of Families in the Region), 2009 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), 2009

7 Even though the proxy selected has certain limits, it was considered essential to include this aspect in the analysis above all because of its perspective significance.


Indicators for Regional Book Production

The number of new publications is an indicator of the creativity in the production of books whilst the number of books printed in the region can be interpreted as a proxy of the “strength” in book production. In this last category, Toscana is the third highest region in Italy with 22 million books published, behind Lombardia (124 million) and Piemonte (36.6 million) and confirms the presence of numerous, important operators in the publishing sector.

Source: National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) data, 2010


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In Italy, the highest rate of broadband usage occurs in the Region of Lazio. Toscana, along with Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardia and Marche, is the second highest Italian region with 43% of families having “high speed” internet connection. The availability of digital infrastructures appears scarcer in some regions of southern Italy, such as Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria and Molise, where the presence of broadband usage amongst families is less than 30%.

Summary Indicator of the “Media” Area

The scores assigned to each region for every one of the 12 KPIs analyzed, as well as the weighting of the result obtained using the weights given in Table 2, has made it possible to create a provisional overall index for the “Media” Area. Calculated in this way the indicator shows the comparative contribution of Media to the region’s cultural and creative sector. This is shown in the figure below8.

Figure 20 – “Media” Area: National Benchmark Analysis, Summary Indicator – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration, 2010

It is not surprising that Lombardia is the Italian Region with the greatest incidence of the Media category on the cultural and creative sector. It is followed by Lazio, Emilia Romagna, Toscana, Veneto and Piemonte.

The Regions in the south however reveal the greatest weakness together with Valle d’Aosta.

The comparative analysis in the “Media” Area has highlighted a number of strengths and weaknesses for Toscana. One of its greatest strengths in particular is a good level of dynamism (when compared with other Italian Regions) as can be seen in the case of film distribution. Its weaknesses include poor regional performances in television and radio broadcasting.

The high value of the overall index calculated for Lombardia is the result of a strong polarization (at a national level) of activities associated with publishing, newspapers, film production and distribution and TV and radio broadcasting.

8 By using the adopted methodology, the comparative contribution of each category of the overall Florens Index can be: Very High (inter-mediate index greater than 3.0); High (intermediate index between 2.5 and 3.0); Medium (intermediate index between 2.0 and 2.5) and Low (intermediate index below 2.0).

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The high value of the overall index calculated for Lombardia is the result of a strong polarization (at a national level) of activities associated with publishing, newspapers, film production and distribution and TV and radio broadcasting. In the main cases this type of activity is conducted by large multi-national firms that for a variety of reasons (including the area’s socio-economic profile, the historical development of the region, the high concentration of financial concerns etc) are in the main located in Lombardia and Lazio - which not simply by chance have the highest overall index relating to the “Media” Area.

The figure below provides a summary of the scores of Toscana Region following the comparison process with the other Italian Regions in relation to the 12 KPIs selected.

Figure 21 – Comparative Contribution of the Media to the Florens Index Calculated for Toscana Region – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration, 2010

3.4. NATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: THE “NETWORKING” AREA

The Area entitled “Networking” identifies those activities that generate an output that is predominantly creative and non-reproducible for the competitiveness of geographical areas - the economic exchanges and the development of human capital.

The “Networking” Area has been divided into three major categories:

- Trade fair activity;

- Permanent updating/lifelong learning;

- Digital interconnectivity (Business to Business).

A set of indicators (KPIs), used for the comparison of the 20 Italian regions, has been identified for each of these areas.

With regard to this Area the analysis has examined the data of the 20 Italian regions in 8 KPIs for the most recent year for which statistics are available. The indicators examined and the weightings utilized are contained in the table below9.




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In some cases where precise information is not available about the phenomenon to be gauged, owing to the lack of available figures and/or owing to the nature of the phenomenon itself, ad hoc approximations (proxies) have been used to ensure that the phenomenon is measured in any case. The following table briefly summarizes - for each indicator identified - the reasons that led to the indicator being chosen and the relativization drivers used for the measurement.

Table 3- KPIs Selected for National Comparison in the “Networking” Area – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Below, by way of example, are the findings of the analysis of some the most significant KPIs measured and that contribute to the calculation of the final score for each region within the perimeter of the national comparison.

Trade Fair System

The trade fair system represents the major economic element linked to the Area in question. The national comparative analysis of the size of the trade fair system was conducted analyzing 5 KPIs, each of which was allocated an overall weighting equal to 60% in the calculation of the aggregated overall indicator for the Area.

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Figure 22 – “Networking” Area: Regional Breakdown of the Total Number of Domestic and International Visitors to International Trade Fairs – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from The Italian Exhibition and Trade Fair Association (AEFI), 2009

The regional split in the number of visitors (domestic and international) to international trade fairs reveals the high impact on Italy of Lombardia’s trade fair system, which is also one of the best developed in the world (as can be seen in greater detail further on). This indicator represents a measurement of the capacity of the local trade fair system to attract domestic and international visitors who may bring with them economic, social and cultural returns, even significant in nature, to the area in question.

Lombardia is therefore the Italian Region with the highest average number of visitor per annum to international trade fairs. Toscana is ranked in sixth position. In relation to this indicator there are six Italian Regions that show a nil return. This is because for the reference year – 2008 – none of these were shown to have hosted any international trade fairs (the statistics for this at a national level are provided by the Italian Exhibition and Trade Fair Association – AEFI, the source of the data used for calculating the indicator).

The complementary indicator to the number of visitors to trade fairs consists of the number of international exhibitors at trade fairs held in the Region.



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Figure 23 – “Networking” Area: Regional Breakdown of the Total Number of International Trade Fair Exhibitors, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the Italian Exhibition and Trade Fair Association (AEFI), 2009

Only international exhibitors were taken into consideration in this indicator with a view to favoring those trade fair systems that demonstrate a greater international mindedness. The presence of international exhibitors (that travel beyond their own territorial borders to promote their products abroad) indicates an acknowledgement, internationally, of the potential of networking expressed by the regional trade fair system in question.

Furthermore, the indicator has been compared with the total number of trade fairs in order to eliminate a polarizing effect towards the Regions with the greatest number of fairs (the indicator “Number of international trade fairs” has in fact been considered separately).

Liguria, with an average of 265 international exhibitors per fair, is the Region with the highest figure, whilst Toscana is sixth, with an average of 91. Generally speaking Lombardia, Lazio and Veneto are the three Regions that, during the course of the reference year, have welcomed the greatest overall number of international trade fair exhibitors.

Digital Interconnectivity

A second significant element that can be linked to the “Networking” Area is tied to digital interconnectivity and the use of information technology for Business-to-Business or Business-to-Customer applications. When measuring the regional positioning in this area two indicators were considered that would appear to represent a reasonable approximation of the element being gauged (by its own nature difficult to identify in all its possible forms and consequently, difficult to measure using direct parameters). These indicators are the percentage of companies with their own web site and the percentage that are connected to broadband.

Genoa International Boat Show

In October 2010 Genoa staged the fiftieth International Boat Show, with 260,300 visitors.

Despite coming at the end of a difficult two year period for the boating sector, the fiftieth edition of the show confirmed the distinctive nature of the event thanks to the presence of the entire world of boating matters (from Italy and abroad) and to the exceptional efficiency of the exhibition facilities both on land and on the water.

With over 2,200 accredited journalists from 29 different countries (including emerging countries such as China, Korea and India), 412,000 visits on the official web site (3.2 million pages viewed), the Show is now the world’s leading annual event of reference for the

boating sector.

Source: Genoa International Boat Show, 2010

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Figure 24 – “Networking” Area: Percentage Share of Companies with their own Web Site (Percentage of the Total Number of Companies in the Region), 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), 2010

In Toscana around one company in two has its own web site (to introduce the company, market its products and promote its own image, etc). In relation to this parameter this region is the seventh highest nationally. The “best performing” region is Trentino Alto Adige10 (where almost 70% of companies have their own web site), followed by Lombardia with 66.2%.

Summary Indicator of the “Networking” Area

The scores assigned to each region for every one of the 8 KPIs analyzed, as well as the weighting of the result obtained using the weights given in Table 3, has made it possible to create a provisional overall index for the “Networking” Area. The evidence obtained, which represents the comparative contribution to the Region’s cultural and creative sector, is shown in the summary that appears in the figure below11.

10 The figure recorded for Trentino Alto Adige could be the result of a vast distribution of sites developed by companies in the tourism sector as a promotional tool for its own offer.

11 The comparative contribution of each Area to the overall Florens Index has been evaluated concisely by applying the following summary results: Very High (intermediate index greater than 3.0); High (intermediate index between 2.5 and 3.0); Medium (intermediate index between 2.0 and 2.5) and Low (intermediate index below 2.0).



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Figure 25 – “Networking” Area: National Benchmark Analysis, Summary Indicator – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Lombardia is the Italian region with the highest comparative contribution to the Florens Index, followed by Emilia Romagna. In sixth place is Toscana with a score that is only marginally higher than Piemonte and Friuli Venezia Giulia. Calabria, Campania and Molise are the weakest Regions in the Area.

The Lombard Trade Fair System and the Milan Trade Fair Experience

Italy’s trade fair exhibition capacity focuses on three major regions that play a leading role also at European level. Together with Lombardy (Milan), Emilia Romagna (Bologna) and Veneto (Verona) account for almost two thirds of the total national supply.

The Lombard trade fair system in particular is not just outstanding on the domestic front, but it is also one of the most developed networks internationally. The Fair was first staged in 1906 to celebrate the opening of the Simplon Tunnel and to host the Universal Exposition. Today it consists of two separate exhibition areas: Fieramilanocity, in the municipality of Milan and Fieramilano, the location of which spans the municipalities of Rho and Pero. The latter of these opened its doors in 2005 and is preparing to host EXPO 2015 within the facility itself and in the surrounding areas. Milan’s trade fair system is now one of the best developed in the world and offers one of the largest areas of exhibition space in Europe – over 448,000 square meters (*) spread over the two facilities.

(*) The pavilions of the Rho-Pero facility offer 345,000 square meters of exhibition space under cover and 60,000 square meters outdoors. Added to this are the 43,000 square meters of exhibition space at Fieramilanocity.

Source: Fiera Milano, 2010

With regard to Toscana, there is an area of improvement in the area of the local trade fair system, despite the existence of some cases of particular interest and reputation.

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High-Level Trade Fairs in Florence

Florence’s trade fair system is associated first and foremost with the Fashion sector. Pitti Immagine organizes some of the world’s most important fashion events: international quality clothing and textile fairs, communication happenings and cultural and research initiatives for the Fashion System and Fashion as the aesthetic expression and global evolution of taste. This is the case with “Pitti Immagine Uomo” (men’s fashion collection), “Pitti_W Woman Pre-collection” (women’s fashion pre-collections), “Pitti Immagine Bimbo” (fashion collection for the 0 – 14 age range) and “Pitti Immagine Filati” (yarn collections for knitwear). All of these events take place in Florence twice a year. The wine and food sector also has its own trade fair, “Taste” and the 2010 edition, dedicated to the tastes and excellencies of Italian niche wine and food products, attracted over 10,000 visitors.

Source: Pitti Immagine, 2010

The figure below provides a summary of Toscana’s scores following the comparison process with the other Italian Regions in relation to the 8 KPIs selected.

Figure 26 – Comparative Contribution of Networking to the Florens Index Calculated for Toscana Region – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration, 2010

3.5. NATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: THE “CREATIVE INDUSTRIES” AREA

The cultural activities that generate an output that is reproducible on a large scale and is characterized by a nature that is predominantly “creative” are identified in the “Creative Industries” Area.

More specifically, those categories that make up the “Creative Industries” Area are:

- Research and Development;

- Advertising creation;

- Design and Architecture;

- Fashion;

- Food and Wine;

- Applied/decorative arts.

With regard to this Area the analysis used 15 KPIs, calculated for the most recent year for which each of the statistical sources were available. The indicators examined and the weightings utilized are shown in the table below12.




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Table 4 - KPIs Selected for National Comparison in the “Creative Industries” Area – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

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Research and Development

The number of patents filed with the Italian Patents and Brands office in the 20 regions is one of the indicators that contribute to the overall evaluation index of regional performances in the “Creative Industries” Area, as shown in the figure below.

Figure 27 – “Creative Industries” Area: Number of Patents Filed in the Region per 10,000 Inhabitants, 2009 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the Italian Patents and Brands Office (UIBM), 2009

In order to eliminate a possible polarization in the indicator in favor of the most populated Regions (on the basis of the supposition that, at least in part, the “demographic” mass of one territorial area could impact on the intensity of creativity and patenting), the number of patents filed during the reference period has been compared with the regional population.

With an average of 8.7 patents filed for every 10,000 inhabitants, Emilia Romagna is the Region with the greatest intensity in Italy, followed by Lombardia (which is ranked first from the point of view of the number of patents filed). In relation to this indicator the region of Toscana is sixth.

The Italian regions with the lowest intensity of patents are Valle d’Aosta, Basilicata and Sardegna.

Advertising Creation

A second category of business activity that is included in the “Creative Industries” Area is advertising creation – an area that could almost be viewed as the “symbol” of creativity.

The national benchmark analysis relating to advertising creation has been conducted using the regional subdivision of turnover generated by this activity as a reference KPI13.

13 According to the 2007 ATECO classification the activity of advertising creation is identified by code 74401. The primary source for finan-cial data relating to industries classified in accordance with the ATECO codes is the Bureau Van Dijk that is also the source of data used for putting together the indicator in question.



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Figure 28 – “Creative Industries” Area: Turnover Relative to the Creation, Production and Distribution of Advertising Campaigns per 1,000 Euro of Regional GDP, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the Bureau Van Dijk (AIDA database), 2008

Even in comparison with the regional GDP, the region of Lombardia is a long way ahead of all the other Italian Regions. In terms of advertising creation Lombardia has always been the region of reference for Italy, principally as a result of the presence, within the region, of major national companies in the publishing, production and television broadcasting sectors, as well as the allied industries of the Fashion System, design sector and architecture etc..

Italian Advertising

The Italian system of advertising creation represents a worldwide benchmark of reference. Italy’s advertising sector in particular really started to come alive in the years following the end of the second world war when Italian industry - finding itself at the dawning of a flourishing period of economic development whilst at the same time having to cope with a severe technological backwardness compared with other developed countries in the world – discovered the true purpose behind advertising. The merging of this situation with the extraordinary creative and artistic capacity of the Italians (already ably demonstrated throughout history) allowed the sector to develop and achieve levels of excellence.

Design and Architecture

Design and architecture are a further component of the “Creative Industries” Area, to which 2 indicators (KPIs) refer: the number of university students enrolled in architecture courses in the Region and the number of winners of the “Compasso d’Oro” (Golden Compass) award in the Region.

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Figure 29 – “Creative Industries” Area: Number of Students Enrolled on University Architecture Courses in the Italian Regions, a.y. 2008/2009 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from The Ministry of Education, Universities and Research - academic year 2008-2009

Toscana is the fifth highest region in Italy for the number of students enrolled on architecture courses at university, with an average of 0.7 students per 1,000 inhabitants. Abruzzo has the highest density of students of architecture in Italy (1.5 enrolled students per 1,000 inhabitants), followed closely by Lazio (which has a significantly higher overall number of students - the highest in Italy). Four Italian Regions - Molise, Trentino Alto Adige, Umbria and Valle d’Aosta - have no faculties of Architecture. For this reason the value associated with them, in relation to this indicator, is the minimum.

In absolute terms, the line in the previous figure shows that the region with the highest number of full-time university students of architecture is Lazio (approximately 7,000), followed by Lombardia (with approximately 4,500).

Fashion

The regional positioning in the Fashion sector is covered by two indicators that respectively measure the size of the local Fashion System in terms of the entrepreneurial fabric (density of companies in the Fashion System) and the propensity of the local Fashion System towards exporting. That is to say, on the one hand the number of companies in the Fashion system in the region and on the other the exports of the region’s Fashion System.

It is apparent that exports generated by the Tuscan Fashion System have a greater impact on the regional GDP than in any other Italian Region. Next are Marche and Veneto Regions and in this instance too, these are Italian Regions that have high concentrations of textile, tanning and shoe manufacturing industries etc linked to the Fashion System.



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Figure 30 – “Creative Industries” Area: Exports of the Regional Fashion System (Percentage of Regional GDP), 2006 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), 2009

The Tuscan Fashion System

The region of Toscana has historically been known as the creative and production platform of reference for the Italian and international fashion sector. Toscana is in fact home to many examples of excellence in almost all the major production lines in the Fashion sector, with various district polarizations at a provincial level. The most significant production lines to be found in Toscana, each of which is represented by some of the best know brand names in the world, include those for:

- Textiles;

- Clothing;

- Tanning;

- Leather goods and accessories;

- Footwear;

- Gold

Food and Wine

Tuscan food and wine sector represents a “system” of excellence both in Italy and abroad. If one considers the number DOCG14, DOC15 and SGT16 wines, Toscana is second out of the Italian Regions, preceded only by Piemonte (another region with a firmly rooted wine-making tradition and rich in areas of wine-production).

14 Registered and Guaranteed Designation of Origin.15 Registered Designation of Origin.16 Traditional Speciality Guaranteed.

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Figure 31 – “Creative Industries” Area: number of DOCG, DOC and IGT Wines Originating from the Region, 2008 - Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies, 2009

The Wine and Food Sector in Toscana

Over half of Tuscan wine and food heritage, the ultimate in excellence, consists of quality wines and includes the so called “big reds” of Toscana (“driving force” of the evolution of Italian wine making against the backdrop of quality international winemaking).These include Chianti (blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Trebbiano Toscano) in its “classic” and “gran riserva” versions, Brunello di Montalcino and other DOCG wines of excellence such as the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano or the Vernaccia di San Gimignano. In recent years, in addition to the those provinces with a historical wine making traditions, the area of Grosseto has also made great strides in the development of its own production with the Morellino di Scansano and Bianco di Pitigliano wines. Other DOC products of excellence are the Candia dei Monti Apuani, the Montecucco and the Montescudaios wines.

At the core of Tuscan gastronomy are its traditional products and raw materials, an area in which Tuscany has, throughout the centuries, known how to protect and celebrate biodiversity. The areas of gastronomic excellence include examples such as Florence, the Sienese Hills, the Hills of Pisa, the Garfagnana, Colonnata, the Tiberina Valley, the Chiana valley, the area of Lucca, the area of Lunigiana and Livorno.

Craftsmanship

Craftsmanship represents a creative sector par excellence and Toscana is a leader both domestically and internationally in this sector.

The measurement of the phenomenon of craftsmanship, both locally and nationally, reveals some intrinsically critical issues. This is due to the fact that there are no official statistics, or a definitive and reliable list of artisans companies (that allows its recognition of the collation of comparable territorially). The classification of artisan companies in Italy is in fact dimensional in nature. Companies are therefore considered “artisan” on the basis of their turnover and number of employees. The calculation of the indicator used for the national comparison of the craftsmanship sector used the following methodology:



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- Starting with the use of the reference bibliography on the topic, ATECO 200717 codes were identified that related to each category of production within which decorative arts companies might fall (e.g. paper crafts, binding and the like, ceramics, porcelain and precious metals, etc.).

- The financial statements of all the companies belonging to this category and with turnovers of between 200,000 and 2 million were extracted from the AIDA18 database and a count was taken of the total

number of companies in each Region that fell within this category.

This methodology meant that beginning with the available data, it was possible to compile an indicator of artisans activity for a comparison between the different Italian regions19.

As the figure below shows, Toscana is the second highest Region in Italy for the number of decorative arts companies, ahead of Veneto but behind Lombardia. Basilicata, Molise and Valle d’Aosta are the Regions with the lowest number of decorative arts companies within the local entrepreneurial system.

Figure 32 – “Creative Industries” Area: Regional Breakdown of a Sample of 8,643 Artisan Companies, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of AIDA data, 2009

Summary Indicator of the “Creative Industries” Area

The scores assigned to each Region for every one of the 15 KPIs analyzed, as well as the weighting of the result obtained using the weights given in Table 4, has made it possible to create a provisional overall index for the “Creative Industries” Area. The evidence obtained, which represents the comparative contribution to the region’s cultural and creative sector, is shown in the summary that appears in the figure below20.

17 The ATECO classification of economic activities is a type of classification adopted by the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) for providing national statistics of an economic nature.

18 AIDA is the name of the on-line database, owned by the Bureau Van Dijk, which includes the financial statements of all the Italian companies sorted by ATECO 2007 codes.

19 The final calculation could contain some imperfections as a result of the impossibility of accurately checking all of the 8,000 companies that make up the sample (some industrial companies with turnovers that fall within the pre-set range but are close to bankruptcy may in fact still have been included). This approximation however does offer a sufficiently reliable general overview of the distribution of artisan companies in the Italian Regions.

20 The comparative contribution of each Area to the overall Florens Index has been evaluated concisely by applying the fol-lowing summary results: Very High (intermediate index greater than 3.0); High (intermediate index between 2.5 and 3.0); Medium (intermediate index between 2.0 and 2.5) and Low (intermediate index below 2.0).

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Figure 33 – “Creative Industries” Area: National Benchmark Analysis, Summary Indicator – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration, 2010

In the case of the “Creative Industries” Area too the comparative analysis at a national level highlighted some of strengths and weaknesses of the Toscana Region.

A sector of fashion that is very well developed, the strong development of artistic craftsmanship (also linked to the same regional Fashion System) and wine and food are amongst the characteristics that allow Toscana to achieve a level of excellence in this area. Craftsmanship, Wine and Food and Fashion have in fact been measured using a total of 6 KPIs and contribute to the calculation of the summary indicator with a relative weighting equal to 30%.

In particular, the Tuscan Fashion System perhaps represents the Region’s greatest creative asset. It has an impact of almost 10% on the regional GDP and consists of a widespread fabric of production excellence that is spread across the territory. Across all the manufacturing sectors and in particular in the Fashion sector, creativity is a process that is widespread and networked and the process of innovation often starts from a system of suppliers (in Tuscany represented by a flourishing network of artisan laboratories most of which make up the production lines of some of the biggest international groups in the Fashion and Luxury sector). Creativity is not just delegated to stylists and suppliers make a substantial contribution to the supplying of the Region’s creative system.

The final indicator considered (the estimated number of decorative arts companies), even if not univocally associated with the “Fashion” phenomenon, cuts across a large section of the category of creative companies associated with the Fashion System.

Among Tuscan weaknesses, Research and Development, when it comes to the number of employees and to the overall expenditure for financing this activity, and the intensity of patenting. Nevertheless it is important to bear in mind, in this regard, how only a part of the these performances are under the direct control of regional operators and local institutions. The problem of a lack of motivation towards Research and Development and the mediocre intensity of patenting, etc., are critical areas that tend to be shared by all Italian Regions and represent a national problem that has existed for decades (this topic will be discussed in greater depth in the chapter dedicated to the international benchmark analysis).



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A final aspect worthy of attention concerns advertising creation which produces mediocre performances with respect to the Tuscan system. This evidence however results in a strong polarization of the activity of advertising creation towards Lombardia that in this field plays a leading role nationally.

The figure below provides a summary of Toscana’s scores following the process of comparing it with the other Italian Regions when it comes to the 15 KPIs selected.

Figure 34 – Comparative Contribution of the Creative Industries to the Florens Index Calculated for Toscana Region – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration, 2010

3.6. NATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: THE FLORENS INDEX FOR THE ITALIAN REGIONS

Relative weightings were given to the four Areas when putting together the Florens Index, as can be seen in the figure below.

Figure 35 – The Relative Weighting Associated With Each of the Areas of the Cultural and Creative Sector Matrix – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

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The indication of the relative weighting given to each of the matrix’s Areas is the result of an in-depth analysis of the reference bibliography, the information provided by the Advisory Board and the work forecasts put together by The European House-Ambrosetti Working Group.

Combining the scores calculated for the 20 Italian Regions in the different Areas by using a simple weighted average with the weightings identified, produces the summary index of the ranking in the matrix for the cultural and creative sector known as the Florens Index, shown in the figure below.

Figure 36 - National Comparative Analysis: the Florens Index for the Italian Regions – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

In the comparison of the Italian Regions with respect to the cultural and creative sectors, Toscana is the fourth highest Italian Region in terms of the dynamism of the geographical area. Of the four Areas of the cultural and creative sector, the determining factor behind the positioning of the Region is “Cultural and Environmental Heritage” which in itself consists of Cultural Heritage, Environmental Heritage and Landscape, the System for teaching cultural knowledge and the Visual and Performing Arts).



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In addition to the contribution of the Cultural and Environmental Capital, Toscana can also be certain of being well placed in the “Media” and “Creative Industries” categories (which includes the area’s Fashion System that is one of the points of reference for the Fashion and Luxury goods sector worldwide) that provide a positive contribution to the calculation of the Florens Index for the Region.

Although possessing less “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Lombardia is well placed in the summary indicator of the cultural and creative sector (Florens Index) and shows a territorial configuration that is capable of influencing the high creativity (“Creative Industries”) sectors in the “Media” Area and “Networking” sector (within which it represents a benchmark for excellence internationally).

To conclude this exposition of the analysis carried out in the 20 Italian Regions. A schematic comparison appears below of the four Areas that go to make up the Florens Index (Cultural and Environmental Capital, Media, Networking and the Creative Industries) for some selected Regions (Lombardia, Lazio, Toscana and Emilia Romagna).

Lombardia is the Italian Region with the highest figure in the Florens Index and reveals a mix of cultural and creative industries, in the main polarized towards Media, Networking and the Creative Industries, whilst the indicators associated with Cultural and Environmental Capital make no significant contribution to the regional Florens Index (the next figure).

Figure 37 – Contribution of the four Areas of the Cultural and Creative Sectors to the Florens Index of Lombardia – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

As the figure below shows, Lazio scores far fewer points than Lombardia in the areas of “Media” and “Networking” but in recompense it takes the lead in the areas of “Cultural and Environmental Capital” where it is the top Italian Region.

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Figure 38 – Contribution of the four Areas of the Cultural and Creative Sectors to the Florens Index of Lazio – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Unlike Lombardy and Lazio, the Florens Index calculated for Toscana reveals a substantial balance between the four essential areas under consideration and is proof that there is a substantial equilibrium between the different components of the cultural and creative sectors such as the regional system’s driver of development. Although revealing excellent levels of “resourcing” and “performance” in all four areas, Toscana demonstrates a strong leaning towards Cultural and Environmental Heritage.

Figure 39 – Contribution of the Four Areas of the Cultural and Creative Sectors to the Florens Index of Toscana – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010



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In conclusion, the analysis of the dynamism shown by the cultural and creative sectors shows, in the case of Emilia Romagna, the relevant role of the area of networking, as witnessed by an extremely well developed trade fair system and a very good network of digital infrastructures.

Figure 40 – Contribution of the Four Areas of the Cultural and Creative Sectors to the Florens Index of Emilia Romagna – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

The next chapter will illustrate the international comparisons that have been undertaken by examining a number of benchmark countries.

To conclude the quantitative work conducted on the 20 Italian Regions examined in the previous paragraphs, a study has been carried out on the correlation between the Florens Index and the per capita level of GDP in each of the Italian Regions. The findings of this study reveal a positive and fairly significant correlation (correlation coefficient equal to 0.73) from which it is possible to identify a positive correlation between the development of the cultural and creative sector and economic development.

The figure below shows the findings of this study.

Figure 41 – Results of the Analysis of the Correlation Between the Florens Index and the Per Capita GDP in the 20 Italian Regions– Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), 2010

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4. The Florens Index: International Comparative Analysis

4. THE FLORENS INDEX: INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

4.1. INTRODUCTION

The same type of analysis as that presented in the previous chapter, constructed on the basis of the definition of the cultural and creative sector described in Chapter 2, was also carried out to evaluate and compare potential and dynamism shown by the cultural and creative sector in Italy and seven other European and non-European benchmark countries: France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Japan and the United States.

In particular this means the top countries, as classified in the World Heritage List drawn up by UNESCO, with the addition of a number of other European and international countries considered important benchmarks on the subject of cultural economy and cultural heritage.

The methodology adopted for these 8 countries is the same as that used for national comparison (see Paragraph 3.1). In particular, as in the case of the comparison made between the 20 Italian Regions, comparison analysis of national systems was also carried out by selecting a group of indicators (KPI - Key Performance Indicators)1 for each Area in the cultural and creative sector matrix (see Figure 10, Chapter 2).

The Florens Index was also calculated for international comparison in order to provide a final summary indicator.

Furthermore, depending on the availability of comparable data from updated and reliable sources, the perimeter of analysis (for certain indicators only) was also extended to the following nations: China, Egypt, India, Mexico, Russia and Turkey. However, it was not possible to calculate the Florens Index for these countries.

4.2. INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: THE “CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAPITAL” AREA

International comparison analysis for the “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area took into consideration the position of the nations selected on 14 KPI, relative to the latest year of data made available by the sources of statistics being used. The indicators taken into consideration2 and the weightings utilized are given in Table 1.

1 The KPIs used in the international comparison analysis are not exactly the same as those used for the national analysis due to the fact that not all of them were available on an international scale. When this was the case similar replacement indicators were selected to measure the same values.

2 The selection of the portfolio of indicators and relative weightings depended both on the evaluation of the Advisory Board as well as the availability of complete, compatible and comparable data between the various countries.


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Table 1 – KPIs Selected for International Comparison in the “Cultural and Environmental Culture” Area – Source: The European House Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

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The following paragraphs provide, by way of an example, the findings from the analysis of some of the most significant KPIs measured and which contribute to calculating the final score for each nation within the perimeter of international comparison in question.

Cultural Heritage

With regards to the “Cultural Heritage” sector, the first indicator selected for analysis was the number of cultural and natural sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Figure 1 - “Cultural and Environment Capital” Area: Number of World Heritage Sites Included in the UNESCO List, 2010 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from UNESCO, 2010

Italy holds the top position for the number of UNESCO sites (45 sites) closely followed by Spain (42 sites). Being first in the ranking means that Italy is awarded the maximum score of 5. A number of other countries, which are not part of the base perimeter for international comparison, are found to have a significant number of sites registered by UNESCO: most notably China (40), Mexico (31), India (28) and Russia (24).

On the other hand, the nation within the measurement perimeter registering the lowest number of sites recognized by UNESCO, is Japan (with a score of 1 awarded for this indicator). Only Turkey and Egypt (but as already mentioned these two countries are not included in the perimeter of score assignment for calculation of the Florens Index) possess a lower number of sites.

Landscape and Environmental Heritage

The second area identified for Cultural and Environmental Capital concerns “Landscape and Environmental Heritage”. This dimension refers to the environmental and landscape heritage of the various countries.

Two KPIs were taken into consideration: the overall surface area of national parks (to which a relative weight of 10% was attributed) and the surface area of major international biosphere reserves (to which a relative weight of 5% was attributed). The following figure illustrates the positions of the countries analyzed with regards to the first two indicators.



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Figure 2 - “Cultural and Environment Capital” Area: Total Surface Area of National Parks as a % of the Total National Surface Area, 2010 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from Federparchi, 2010

The country which holds first place with regards to this indicator is Greece, with a surface area given over to national parks equal to approximately 11.1 % of the overall national surface area with a total of 11 national parks. Italy, despite having 24 national parks, holds fourth place with national parks occupying 5.3% of the country’s total surface area.

At the bottom of this ranking - on an even score - are the United States (even though it is the nation with the largest area of national parks) and Japan with just 2.2% of the national surface area occupied by national parks.

Among the nations not included within the score assignment perimeter, the countries which stand out for absolute size of national parks are Russia and Mexico.

The National Parks System in the USA and the Biosphere Reserves in MexicoThe United States has the largest surface area occupied by protected areas. The protected areas are safeguarded by both national and federal law, and in each State, many areas are protected locally and regionally. A key role is played by the National Park Service, the federal agency which reports to the Department of the Interior established in 1916 to promote and govern the use of federal areas such as parks, monuments and national reserves. This body is responsible for three types of area (natural, historic and recreation areas), which cover around 16 categories belonging to the National Parks System, including for example, national parks, national monuments, national reserves, national recreation areas, national historic sites, national historic parks, national coastal areas, etc.. Of the 319 areas managed by the National Park Service, however, only approximately sixty are officially designated as a National Parks. The establishment of the Yellowstone National Park in 1872 marked the start of the world movement aiming to protect these areas by declaring them national monuments. Today, the US boasts 11 natural sites out of the total of 21 included in the World Heritage list: among the most famous, the national parks of the Great Smoky Mountains (9.5 million visitors in 2009), the Grand Canyon (4.3 million), Yosemite (3.7 million) and Yellowstone (3.3 million). Despite the crisis, in 2009 the US parks system attracted 285 million visitors: in 2009 the National Park Service saw an increase of 10 million visitors (+3.6%) compared to 2008.

A large part of the Mexican territory is also covered by protected natural areas. The country, which has one of the world’s highest rates of biodiversity, hosts a number of natural parks, biosphere reserves (ecosystems which are undisturbed by human activity), areas for the protection of fauna and flora, “sanctuaries” or areas dedicated to the diversity of species. In particular, four Mexican reserves are protected by UNESCO: The Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve (one of the most important marine parks in the country, with tropical forests, lagoons, marshland and coral reefs), the El Vizcaino Whale Sanctuary (an important reproduction site for whales, sea lions and elephant seals), the islands and protected areas of the Gulf of California and the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (covering 56,000 hectares and created to protect the winter habitat of the Monarch Butterfly).

Source: UNESCO World Heritage List, U.S. National Park Service, 2010

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System for Teaching Cultural Knowledge

The “general” teaching system and the specific artistic-cultural teaching system, being as they are generators of human capital (primary input for the development of cultural capital and creative capital) were included as a determining factor in the cultural capital Area. In particular, specific training courses for Visual and Performing Arts were set apart (measured by the “Average annual number of graduates in liberal arts” indicator) from the third level education system.

With reference to the third level education system, the following figure illustrates the results with regards to the indicator relative to the number of university students for each country.

Figure 3 - “Cultural and Environment Capital” Area: Number of University Students per 100 Inhabitants, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from OECD, 2010

The United States holds first place in the international ranking, both in absolute terms (with approximately 18 million university students) and in relative terms (with 5.8 students per 100 inhabitants).

Italy, together with France, is in fifth place with 3.4 university students for every 100 inhabitants.

Visual Arts

Due to the difficulties in finding comparable data relative to shows and exhibitions for international comparison, the category of Visual Arts was measured using, as an estimate, the average monthly number of visitors to the world’s 25 top museums (classified by number of visitors). The following figure also provides an indication of the average monthly number of visitors per square meter.

At the top of the table we have France, with almost 16 million visitors (1.3 million per month), followed by the United Kingdom, the United States and Italy which holds fourth place with 8.8 million visitors per annum. The bottom places in the ranking go to Germany and Greece which have a value equal to zero (due to the fact that these nations do not possess any museums amongst the top 25 in terms of numbers of visitors).



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Figure 4 - “Cultural and Environment Capital” Area: Average Monthly Number of Visitors to the World’s Top 25 Museums – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from City Arts, 2010

Performing Arts

The size of Performing Arts was measured using two indicators: the number of theatre performances and the number of concert performances.

The figure below illustrates the findings from the comparative analysis of theater performances given in a year. The overall number of performances was correlated to the national population.

As can be observed in the following figure, the country which is best positioned with regards to this indicator is France (which was awarded 5 points towards calculation of the final score) with 11.1 theater performances for each 1,000 inhabitants. Spain comes last out of all the countries taken into consideration, while Italy is in sixth place with 2.6 performances for each 1,000 inhabitants during the period of reference. However, in absolute terms, the United States is the nation offering the greatest number of theatre performances (almost 1.5 million shows per year).

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Figure 5 - “Cultural and Environment Capital” Area: Annual Number of Theatre Performances per 1,000 Inhabitants, 2007 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication/DMTS, SIAE-Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori, Sociedad General de Autores y Editores, Statistische Ämter des Bundes un der Länder and London Development Agency, 2010

The Main Events Dedicated to Visual and Performing Arts in France and the United Kingdom

Among the main events dedicated to the visual and performing arts in France, in addition to the annual Cannes International Film Festival, we may mention the Festival de Marseille (an event with dance, theatre, music and art performances held in July), the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence (an opera festival with classical music performances, operas and ballets held in July), the Festival d’Avignon and the Impressionist Normandy Festival.

In particular, every year the International Forum d’Avignon sees artists, film producers, advertisers, financial and industrial partners, Internet & Media operators and political leaders meeting in the Provence capital to discuss the issues of culture, economics and media in a synergic logic: the 64th edition of the Festival, held in July 2010, saw 50 events and a total of 250 live performances, with 116,000 tickets sold. The Impressionist Normandy Festival, the first edition of which was held in the summer of 2010, saw events open to the public encompassing all forms of artistic expression, from painting to photography, from classical music to historical reenactments, to celebrate the artistic movement which has made Normandy famous around the world.

As far as the United Kingdom is concerned, probably the most internationally-renowned appointment is the Edinburgh Festival, dedicated to theatrical performances, music and cinema. The Festival was established in 1947 by Rudolf Bing (then the General Manager of the Glyndebourne Opera), Henry Harvey Wood (then the Director of the British Council in Scotland) and a group of civic leaders from the city of Edinburgh. The aim of its founders was to enhance the European (and British) cultural context and “provide a platform for the flowering of the human spirit”: today with 180 events and more than 2,200 performers in 2009, the Edinburgh International Festival is the a festival of theatrical performances, classical music concerts held every year from mid-August to early September in the Scottish capital. The 2009 edition attracted almost 400,000 visitors (15% of whom were from outside the United Kingdom) and raked in 2.58 million UK pounds from the Festival events. Alongside this, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is dedicated to comedy, music, dance and theatre, and in 2009 sold 1.8 million tickets for the 34,265 performances put on by 2,098 artistic companies from 60 countries.

Source: Festival d’Avignon, Impressionist Normandy Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, 2010



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Summary Indicator of the Cultural and Environmental Capital Area

The awarding of points to the individual nations for each of the 14 KPIs analyzed and the weighting of the results obtained with the weights indicated in Table 1 made it possible to obtain an intermediate summary index relative to the “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area for the 8 countries in question.

The results thus obtained are provided in the figure below.

Figure 6 - “Cultural and Environment Capital” Area: International Benchmark Analysis, Summary Indicator – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti data elaboration, 2010

First place is held firmly by the United States (3.63), followed by the United Kingdom (3.38). At a greater distance down the ranking, in third place is France (3.01) which shows rather a net advantage over the nations that follow.

The Key Role of Non-Profit Cultural and Artistic Associations in the United States of America

A recent study conducted on US non-profit associations working in the art and culture sector* shows that this sector represents a fundamental economic driver for the country: it is a growth sector which guarantees jobs, generates income and contributes to the increase in tourism flows.In the USA, every year the non-profit arts and culture industry generates a turnover of 166.2 billion dollars: of these, 63.1 billion dollars are the expenditure of the organizations and 103.1 billion dollars are linked to public expenditure in correlated events. Moreover, the impact of the activity of these organizations is of national importance, as it counts for:- 5.7 equivalent full time jobs;- 104.2 billion dollars in family income;- 7.9 billion dollars in taxes for the local administrations;- 9.1 billion dollars in taxes for the central administration;- 12.6 billion dollars in federal income taxes.

* Americans for the Arts, “Arts & economic prosperity III: The economic impact of non-profit arts and culture organizations and their audiences”, 2010. This study, the broadest ever conducted in the US, analyzes the economic impact of the non-profit arts and culture industry in 156 US communities and regions (116 towns and counties, 35 regions and 5 States), covering all 50 States and the District of Columbia.

Source: Americans for the Arts, 2010

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Italy is in 4th place with a score (2.54) only slightly higher than that of Germany and Spain in this Area.

Finally, Greece and Japan are at the bottom of the partial ranking relative to the “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area.

For Italy, the comparative analysis has highlighted a number of strengths and weaknesses. With regards to strengths, one can mention in particular the presence of no less than 45 sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List (the most of any one country in the world), the fairly high level of college graduates in proportion to the population and a high number of visitors to some of the most important museums in the world. Among the weaknesses, on the other hand, we have the fact that it holds last place out of all the countries taken into consideration in terms of the number of visitors to public museums and archeological sites, the number of books in public libraries and the areas covered by major international biosphere reserves. Furthermore, Italy records a low number of theatre performances and concert performances in relation to its population.

The diagram below illustrates a summary of the points awarded to Italy following the comparison process with the other countries concerning the 14 selected KPIs.

Figure 7 – Comparative Contribution of the “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area to the Florens Index

Calculated for Italy - Source: The European House Ambrosetti re-elaboration, 2010

On the other hand the very high score obtained by the United States is, above all, a result of being first in indicators such as the quantity of books in public libraries, the number of visitors per inhabitants to museums, monuments and archeological sites, the number of cities included in the “World Top Cities to live in for cultural experience” list, the number of universities included in the world’s Top 500 and the number of university students enrolled. The United States, however, appears weaker from the standpoint of the number of World Heritage Sites included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, surface area of national parks in relation to the total national surface area, as well as the surface area covered by major international biosphere reserves.

The United Kingdom, on the other hand, is the number one country for average number of college graduates in general, and art-related degrees in particular. It is also in second place, behind France, for the number of concert and theater performances per 1,000 inhabitants. Among the weaknesses concerning the United Kingdom is the low number of visitors per inhabitants to museums, monuments and archeological sites.



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4.3. INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: THE “MEDIA” AREA

International comparison analysis of the “Media” Area took into consideration the nations’ performance calculated on 9 KPIs, relative to the last year made available by the sources of statistics being used. The indicators taken into consideration3 and the weightings utilized are given in Table 2.

Each KPI was selected with the specific aim of measuring the position of the territorial reference system in relation to a series of identified references fields. In some cases, where precise information is not available concerning the phenomenon to be gauged owing to the lack of available figures and/or owing to the nature of the phenomenon itself, ad hoc approximations (proxies) were used to ensure that the phenomenon was still measured.

The following table provides a brief summary for each indicator identified, the reasons that led to the indicator being chosen and the relativization of any drivers used for measuring.

Table 2 – KPIs Selected for International Comparison in the “Media” Area – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

The following paragraphs provide, by way of an example, some of the findings from the analysis of some of the most significant KPIs measured and which contribute to the calculation of the final score for each nation within the perimeter of international comparison.

TV and Radio Broadcasting Activities

The Area dedicated to “Television and Radio Broadcasting” was analyzed taking into consideration the number of television channels available on a national level (channels which can only be viewed upon payment of a fee were excluded due to the unavailability of reliable and comparable data on the subject).

The country which came out in the best position for this indicator was Germany which offers 13 freely available channels on a nationwide basis. Italy is in third place while Japan and the United Kingdom are at the bottom of the table for this particular indicator.


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Figure 8 – “Media” Area: Number of Television Channels Available Nationwide, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from Euromonitor, 2009

Film and Music Distribution

The second category which comes into the “Media” Area concerns “Film and Music Distribution”.

With regards to this area, for international comparative analysis, a total of four indicators were taken into consideration: number of admissions to cinema shows, number of international film awards won by the country, number of presences in the ‘Top 50 Global Best Selling Albums’ chart and number of music CDs (albums and singles) sold.

Figure 9 – “Media” Area: Number of Admissions to Cinema Shows for Every 100 Inhabitants, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of figures produced by UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2010


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With regards to cinematographic activities, the United States is the leading country when it comes to the number of admissions to cinema shows out of all the benchmark countries taken into consideration. Italy comes in sixth position with an average of 1.7 admissions per year.

In absolute terms however, India dominates the ranking with almost 3 billion admissions to cinema shows in 2008.

The “Number of music CDs sold per 100 inhabitants” indicator was taken into consideration to measure the nation’s music production and distribution activities, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 10 – “Media” Area: Number of Music CDs Sold for Each 100 Inhabitants, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from IFIP Statistics, 2010

The United States is the leader in overall sales of music CDs (approximately 328 million discs sold). However, when taking into consideration sales in relation to the national population the highest ranking country is the United Kingdom.

In this indicator Italy appears to be somewhat further behind with just 28 CDs sold for each 100 inhabitants per year.

Publishing and Press Sector

Publishing and Press activities constitute the third category which makes up the “Media” Area. The analysis of benchmarks at an international level in this field was conducted by analyzing the rankings of the countries in 3 KPIs: number of new book publications, average number of books read per inhabitant, average number of newspapers (copies) produced in the country.

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Figure 11 – “Media” Area: Number of Newspaper Copies Produced per Inhabitant, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from Euromonitor, 2010

If the number of newspapers produced annually per inhabitant is taken into consideration, the leader nation with regards to this indicator is Japan, with an average number of 56 copies per capita. Italy finds itself in fifth position with an average of 10.4 copies per capita. To calculate the indicator presented, also in this case, the variable studied was correlated to the population in order to eliminate any distortion which could arise from the differing demographic sizes of the countries being analyzed.

Digital Media Activities

The last category analyzed within the “Media” Area is that of “Digital Media”. It intercepts the potential in terms of cultural and creative industries connected to the distribution of cultural content via the Internet. The proxy used for measuring this phenomenon is the usage of broadband amongst the families residing in the countries being analyzed.

Figure 12 – “Media” Area: Percentage of Families With Access to Broadband, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from Eurostat, 2010


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In the international comparison, evidence shows that the highest diffusion of broadband is found in the United Kingdom. Italy is in seventh place where 51.7% of families have access to broadband.

Summary Indicator of the Media Area

The awarding of a score to each nation for each of the 9 KPIs analyzed and the weighting of the results obtained with the weights indicated in Table 2 made it possible to obtain an intermediate summary index relative to the “Media” Area. The ranking thus obtained, which represents the comparative contribution of Media activities to the cultural and creative sector of the country, is illustrated in the following figure.

Figure 13 – “Media” Area: International Benchmark Analysis, Summary Indicator – Source: The European House Ambrosetti re-elaboration, 2010

On an international level, the United States is found in first place in the ranking calculated as a weighted average of the score obtained by the 8 countries in the KPIs taken into consideration, the United Kingdom follows in second place. The first two nations, which obtained an average score of over 3 points, present a contribution of the “Media” area to the cultural and creative sector which can be considered as “very high”.

Italy comes in seventh place, only higher than Greece in the comparison relative to this Area.

The second-to-last position obtained by Italy in the “Media” area derives mainly from a low position concerning film and music distribution activities and in the publishing and press area. On an international level, in fact, the film and music distribution system, despite being capable of generating internationally recognized excellence, appears to be undersized in terms of critical mass in comparison to many of the other nations taken into consideration for comparison purposes.

Despite its poor ranking in this particular Area, of the performances surveyed a strong point emerges for Italy with regards to the ability to generate an output of internationally acclaimed excellence in the cinematographic sector.

The International Awards for Italian Cinema Production

If we add up the number of Oscars awarded to Italian films in the “Best Film” and “Best Foreign Film” categories, the Palma d’Oro awards of the Cannes Festival and the Orso d’Oro awards of the International Cinema Festival in Berlin (in total, 28 awards between 1957 and 2010), Italy lies in second place after the United States, demonstrating the fact that the Italian cinema industry has been and still is able to generate internationally recognized products of excellence.

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Figure 14 – Comparative Contribution of the “Media” Area to the Florens Index Calculated for Italy– Source: The European House Ambrosetti re-elaboration, 2010

4.4 INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: THE “NETWORKING” AREA

International comparison of the “Networking” Area took into consideration the nations’ performance measured on 4 KPIs, relative to the latest year made available by the sources of statistics being used. The indicators taken into consideration4 and the weightings utilized are given in Table 3.

Each KPI was selected with the specific aim of measuring the positioning of the territorial reference system in question in relation to a series of identified references fields. In some cases, where precise information is not available concerning the phenomenon to be gauged owing to the lack of available figures and/or owing to the nature of the phenomenon itself, ad hoc approximations (proxies) were used to ensure that the phenomenon was measured in any case.

The following table provides a brief summary for each indicator identified, the reasons that led to the indicator being chosen and the relativization of any drivers used for measuring.



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Table 3 – KPIs Selected for International Comparison in the “Networking” Area – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Trade Fair System

The trade fair system represents the major economic element linked to the Area in question. The comparative analysis on an international level of this dimension was conducted by analyzing a single indicator which guaranteed completeness of data for the selected countries, or rather the availability of indoor trade fair exhibition space.

Figure 15 – “Networking” Area: Indoor Trade Fair Exhibition Space per 100 Inhabitants (m²), 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of figures produced by UFI – The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, 2010

In absolute terms, the United States was the country offering the greatest surface area of indoor exhibition space. However, if the indicator is relativized by the number of inhabitants in order to take into consideration the demographic size of nations, then the nation which comes out in first place for this KPI is Germany, with 4 square meters per 100 inhabitants. Italy comes directly after Germany, with 3.8 square meters per 100 inhabitants followed by Spain and France both of which offer only slightly less facilities. The difference in available facilities between these two countries and Japan (with just 0.3 square meters per 100 inhabitants) in last place, appears very pronounced.

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The “dOCUMENTA” Contemporary Art Fair in Kassel and the Frankfurt Book Fair

Germany boasts two cultural fair events of absolute international renown.

The first is the Contemporary Art Fair, “dOCUMENTA”, founded in 1955 by German painter and curator Arnold Bode (1900-1977), which places the German city of Kassel at the centre of the world’s artistic interest for one hundred days. Every five years, different exhibitors present contemporary art collections, starting from their own personal viewpoint, along with social currents, philosophies and theories: today the event represents the most important contemporary and modern art fair in the world. Since the 2007 edition, cinema has also found its rightful place alongside other forms of art already contemplated by the event, with its own special section. The 2007 edition of “dOCUMENTA” saw 754,301 visitors to the 113 artists and 516 works on display. The event is organized by the non-profit organization “dOCUMENTA und Museum Fridericianum Veranstaltungs-GmbH”, which is participated in and funded by the city of Kassel and the Federal State of Hessen and supported by the German Federal Cultural Foundation (Kulturstiftung des Bundes). The 2007 edition of “dOCUMENTA 12” cost 26.23 million Euros.

The second trade fair event is linked to publishing: this is the Frankfurt Book Fair (better known as the “Frankfurter Buchmesse”), which, since its first edition in 1949, has made its name over the years as the most prestigious international appointment for the publishing industry . The fair is held every year in October, and in 2010 saw 300,000 visitors to approx. 7,000 exhibitors, involving 110 countries and 2,500 specific events. Considering also the importance of this international fair, it is not surprising that Germany, among the analyzed countries, lies in first place for the average number of books read per inhabitant (4.7 in 2008).

Source: dOCUMENTA and Frankfurter Buchmesse, 2010

Lifelong Learning

With regards to lifelong learning activities, the figure below shows the positions of the countries considered in terms of percentage of the population of working age which regularly attends lifelong learning courses and activities.

Figure 16 – “Networking” Area: Rate of Participation in Lifelong Learning Activities, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from Eurostat, 2010


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In this indicator the United Kingdom is placed way ahead of all the other countries, with a value of 20.1% of people taking part in lifelong learning activities, almost double compared to the figures for Spain which occupies second place. Italy, with 6% of people of working age involved in lifelong learning activities, appears to be lagging rather behind. Unfortunately, for this very interesting indicator calculated by Eurostat, no data is available for the non-European countries such as the United States and Japan.

Digital Communications

Digital communications represents another very important division linked to the “Networking” Area.

For measuring the ranking of the countries in this field a proxy indicator which appears to represent a reasonable estimate of the entity to be measured was considered: this is the percentage of Internet users who make use of social networks.

Figure 17 – “Networking” Area: Percentage of Internet Users who Make use of Social Networks, 2010 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from Nielsen, 2010

According to the data provided by Nielsen, Italy comes out in the best position with regards to this particular indicator (78% of Internet users also use one or more social networking tools) and comes out ahead of Spain, (77%) and Japan (75%). Other countries show a similar percentage, apart from Germany which is further behind (63%).

Summary Indicator of the “Networking” Area

The scores assigned to each country for every one of the 4 KPIs analyzed, as well as the weighting of the results obtained using the weights given in Table 3, has made it possible to create an intermediate summary index relative to the “Networking” Area. The findings thus obtained, which represents the comparative contribution to the cultural and creative sector of the country, is briefly indicated in the following figure.

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Figure 18 – “Networking” Area: International Benchmark Analysis, Summary Indicator – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

The United States is the country with the highest comparative contribution of the “Networking” Area to the Florens Index (3.95), followed by Spain (3.53) and Italy (3.49). In this Area the countries seem to be quite aligned, with the exception of Japan and Greece which benefit from a much lower contribution to the cultural and creative sector from the “Networking” Area compared to the other countries (1.48 and 1.47 respectively).

The diagram below illustrates a summary of the points awarded to Italy with regards to the 4 selected KPIs. It appears evident that the strong points for Italy are the availability of a first-rate trade fair infrastructure and the propensity of its citizens to use digital networking tools.

Figure 19 – Comparative Contribution of the Networking Area to the Florens Index Calculated for Italy– Source: The European House Ambrosetti re-elaboration, 2010


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4.5. INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: THE “CREATIVE INDUSTRIES” AREA

International comparison of the “Creative Industries” took into consideration the position of the selected nations measured on 13 KPI, relative to the last year made available by the sources of statistics being used. The indicators taken into consideration5 and the weightings used are shown in Table 4 that also briefly summarizes, for each indicator identified, the reasons that led to the indicator being chosen and the relativization drivers used for measuring.

Table 4 – KPIs Selected for International Comparison in the “Creative Industries” Area – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010


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First of all the indicator for the export of “creative goods” was analyzed, meaning, in accordance with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), products originating in the sphere of architecture, design, fashion, etc.. This indicator makes it possible to indirectly measure the quality and success recognized on an international level of a country’s “Creative Industries”. To calculate the score the value of exports was relativized to the GDP in order to evaluate its contribution to national wealth.

Figure 20 - “Creative Industries” Area: National Exports of “Creative Goods” as a Percentage of the GDP, 2005 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from UNCTAD, 2008

Italy came out as being far the biggest exporter of creative goods (1.5% of the GDP, a value which is double that of the United Kingdom, Germany and France), exceeding, in terms of absolute export value, even a country the size of the United States.

The US manages to export creative goods equal to 0.2% of its Gross Domestic Product, ranking only ahead of Japan (0.1%) in the countries taken into consideration.

Research and Development

The activity of Research and Development is one of the major elements involved in the category of cultural and creative activities intercepted by the “Creative Industries” Area. However, the aim of this Area is to measure the activity of Research and Development performed outside universities, which are part of the “generation and transmission of artistic and cultural knowledge system” already measured in the first Area.

Figure 21 - “Creative Industries” Area: National Expenditure for Research and Development as a Percentage of the GDP, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from Eurostat, 2010


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Italy, with regards to expenditure for R&D, presents a significant problem of under-investment. Research and Development activities are in fact a determining “key” for the generation of sustainable economic growth, impacting on productivity of production factors and on the advancement of the country’s technological frontier; promotion of R&D should therefore be considered an indefeasible priority on the strategic agenda of every country.

The best nation out of the 8 countries examined in the international comparison analysis, is Japan, with an expenditure for financing Research and Development equal to 3.4% of its GDP. The United States holds second place (2.7%), followed by Germany (2.5%) and France (2.0%).

Creation of Advertising Campaigns

A second category of economic activity which falls within the “Creative Industries” Area, is the creation of advertising.

The level of dynamism in the activity of creating advertising was measured using as a proxy the number of national brands included in the world’s top 100 brands6. In this way it was possible to carry out a comparison on an international level concerning the attitude of nations to the generation of excellence in the field of advertising.

Figure 22 - “Creative Industries” Area: Number of National Brands in the World’s Top 100, 2009 – Source: re-elaboration by The European House-Ambrosetti using figures produced by Interbrand, 2010

With regards to this indicator, the United States is way ahead of all the other countries taken into consideration in the international comparison analysis (with 40 brands more than second place Germany).

Successful Italian Brands Around the World

In the league table of the number of national brands in the top 100 brands in terms of value, Italy lies in equal fifth place, tying with the United Kingdom. There are four Italian brands in the list, 3 of which are linked to fashion: Gucci (in 41st place), Prada (91st place), Ferrari (93rd place) and Giorgio Armani (94th place). The top global brand is on the other hand Coca Cola, with an estimated value of almost 60 billion Euros.

Source: Interbrand, 2010

6 Based on the value calculated by Interbrand, an international consultancy company specialized in brand analysis and evaluation.

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Design and Architecture

Design and Architecture represent the third sphere of analysis within the “Creative Industries” Area and these were measured using two indicators: the average annual number of graduates in architecture and the number of Prizker Architecture Prize winners (one of the main signs of recognition on an international level for this particular sector).

Figure 23 - “Creative Industries” Area: Average Annual Number of Graduates in Architecture for Each 10,000 Inhabitants, Three-Year Period 2006-2008 – Source: re-elaboration by The European House-Ambrosetti using OECD data, 2010

Since reliable and comparable data relative to the concentration of architects was not available, the average annual number of graduates in the faculty of architecture in each country over a three-year period was taken into consideration. The indicator was relativized by correlating the average number of graduates in architecture to the national population.

With regards to this indicator, Italy finds itself in first place with an average annual number of 3 graduates in architecture for every 10,000 inhabitants, closely followed by the United Kingdom, while all the other countries are distanced by a significant margin from the top of the ranking, with Japan and the United States in the bottom two places respectively.

The “Nobel Prize for Architecture”: the Pritzker Architecture Prize

In the analyzed sample, the two countries vying for the record of the number of Pritzker prizes awarded by the Hyatt Foundation, are Japan and the United States, both with 6 awards received between 1979 and 2010. Behind the United Kingdom, Italy lies ties in fourth place with France: the two Italian architects to whom this prestigious prize has been awarded are Aldo Rossi (in 1990) and Renzo Piano (in 1998).

Source: Pritzker Architecture Prize - Hyatt Foundation, 2010


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Fashion

The national fashion system represents yet another “driver” in the cultural and creative sector which is intercepted by the fourth Area in the matrix. The dynamism and quantity of the fashion system is measured by means of three indicators and has a 20% influence on the weighted average through which the final summary indicator is calculated. The selected KPIs for international comparison are the number of labels present amongst the world’s top brands in the luxury sector, the number of International Fashion Award winners and the degree of export generated by the national Fashion System.

Figure 24 - “Creative Industries” Area: Net Exports of the National Fashion System, 2008 – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from UNCTAD, 2010

On an international level the Italian Fashion System annually generates the highest net export out of the all the countries examined in the analysis, both in absolute terms and in terms of percentage of the GDP. This results means that Italy is awarded the highest score for this indicator (5 points).

Second place goes to France, while all the other nations are distanced by a significant margin from the two leading nations. Greece comes bottom in the ranking when absolute export values are taken into consideration, while the United States has the lowest results in terms of net exports in relation to the national GDP. This means that the United States is awarded just 1 point for this particular indicator.

Wine and Gastronomy

Italy’s national gastronomy, measured by taking into consideration the number of restaurants recognized as being amongst the Top 100 in the world, generates a level of excellence to put it in fourth place out of the 8 countries analyzed.

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Figure 25 - “Creative Industries” Area: Number of Restaurants Ranked Amongst the top 100 in “The San

Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurants”, 2010 – Source: re-elaboration by The European House-Ambrosetti using figures produced by “The San Pellegrino World ‘s best Restaurants”, 2010

Remaining in the field of wine and gastronomy, Italy is well placed in the international ranking concerning the top 100 wine labels in terms of quality, coming second after the United States (29 labels) with 19 top ranking labels.

Craftsmanship

As already stated in the national benchmark analysis, also in the international comparison analysis relative to the “Creative Industries” Area craftsmanship was taken into consideration.

Due to the difficulty in finding data for measuring this aspect (as already encountered when analyzing the different Italian Regions), in order to measure craftsmanship in the international comparison it was decided to use the number of winners of the prize awarded by the WWC - World Craft Council: this is a prize which is awarded every year on behalf of the European Union to the best craft product made during the year. The criteria on which the prize is awarded are: originality, the real craft element in its production and the choice of suitable materials for making the object.

With regards to this indicator, Italy finds itself in fourth place with a score of 2, having only been awarded the prize once to date (since 1993 when the award was founded).


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Figure 26 - “Creative Industries” Area: Number of WCC-Europe Award winners, 1993 – 2009 - Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from WCC-Europe Award data, 2010

Summary Indicator of the “Creative Industries” Area

The scores assigned to each country for every one of the 13 KPIs analyzed, as well as the weighting of the results obtained using the weights given in Table 4, has made it possible to create an intermediate brief index relative to the “Creative Industries” Area. The findings thus obtained, which represents the comparative contribution to the cultural and creative sector of the country, is illustrated below.

Figure 27 - “Creative Industries” Area: International Benchmark Analysis, Summary Indicator – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration, 2010

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The US, Italy and France show a similar positioning in this Area, with a very high contribution to the overall Florens Index. Spain and Greece appear weaker on this standpoint.

Also in the case of the “Creative Industries” Area, the comparative analysis on an international level highlighted a number of strengths and weaknesses in Italy.

Absolute leadership in the export of creative goods, a Fashion System of international excellence and the quality of human capital in the sphere of design and architecture, represent the main strong points in the Italian “Creative Industries” which provide a very high contribution to the positioning of Italy in the Florens Index.

On the other hand, amongst Italy’s weak points in this Area we can point out: on one side low investments in Research and Development, on the other hand low employment in high tech sectors and low propensity for innovation (measured as a number of patents filed).

The diagram below illustrates a summary of the points awarded to Italy following the comparison process with the other seven countries.

Figure 28 – Comparative Contribution of the “Creative Industries” Area to the Florens Index Calculated for Italy - Source: The European House Ambrosetti re-elaboration, 2010

The United States once more confirmed itself the nation with a better relative position compared to the other countries analyzed. As well as Italy and France, countries such as Japan and the United Kingdom register a good ranking in this Area, with a contribution to the cultural and creative sector exceeding 2.5 (High).

The contribution of the “Creative System” to the Florens Index in Germany can be defined as “medium” while Greece and Spain rank in the “low” contribution sector.


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4.6. INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: THE FLORENS INDEX FOR THE SELECTED COUNTRIES

As for the national comparative analysis (see Paragraph 3.6), after analysis of the rankings of countries in the four Areas of the cultural and creative sector matrix, the Florens Index was elaborated to provide a final comparison on an international level. To create the summary indicator, first of all relative weights were attributed to the four Areas, as shown in the figure below.

Figure 29 - The Relative Weightings Associated With Each Area in the Cultural and Creative Sector Matrix - Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

By aggregating the scores calculated for the eight countries in the various Areas, by means of a simple weighted average with the identified weights, the summary positioning index is obtained for the cultural and creative sector matrix known as the Florens Index.

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Figure 30 – International Comparative Analysis: the Florens Index for the Selected Countries – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

The United States is the country which came top in the Florens Index (3.45), thanks to its first place ranking obtained in all four Areas making up the cultural and creative matrix. The United States are followed, at quite a distance, by the United Kingdom (3.10) and France (2.91).

Compared to the 8 selected countries, Italy ranks in fourth place in terms of potential and dynamism expressed by the cultural and creative sector with a final score of 2.62.

If the four Areas of the culture and creative sector matrix are taken into consideration, the highest contribution to Italy’s ranking is provided by the “Creative System” Area – in which Italy is in second place, behind the United States, as it can count on numerous elements of excellence in diverse sectors (fashion, design, architecture, craftsmanship, etc.) - and by the “Networking” Area (3rd place).

However, with regards to the “Cultural and Environmental Capital”, the result obtained by Italy (4th out of all the countries analyzed) is the result of the average between excellent quantities of heritage (for example the highest number of UNESCO sites out of all 8 countries analyzed) and a performance which is not in line with the other countries (in particular the United States, the United Kingdom and France) in terms of the capacity to valorize these assets (for example, in terms of visitors to museums and archeological sites). This is an area with a significant potential to be exploited.


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Finally, the Media sector appears to be the area in which Italy has less leverage, ranking 7th with only Greece coming lower.

Figure 31 – Contribution of the Four Areas of the Cultural and Creative Sector to the Florens Index for Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Just behind Italy we find Germany, with just a slightly lower score (2.56), while Spain (2.28) and Japan (2.20) are some distance behind. Finally, the country registering the lowest level of potential and dynamism in the cultural and creative sector out of all those analyzed was Greece (1.62).

As highlighted at the end of the analysis executed at regional level in Italy, also with reference to international comparison it is possible to detect a positive correlation of some significance (correlation coefficient equal to 0.75) between the national GDP per capita and the score obtained in the Florens Index, from which one can deduce a positive relation between development of the cultural and creative sector and economic development.

Figure 32 – Results of the Correlation Analysis Between the Florens Index and the GDP per Capita of the 8 Countries Analyzed - Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from Eurostat, 2010

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5 . Estimate of the Direct, Indirect and Induced Impact of the Cultural and Creative Sector in Italy

5. ESTIMATE OF THE DIRECT, INDIRECT AND INDUCED IMPACT OF

THE CULTURAL AND CREATIVE SECTOR IN ITALY

5.1. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES USED TO ESTIMATE ECONOMIC IMPACTS

In order to achieve a clearer understanding of the potential and current importance for Italy of the cultural and creative sector, considering also the relatively limited data available, we have performed an analysis of the system using input-output tables.

In literature, and at the empirical level, there are a number of different methods and techniques for estimating the impacts produced by cultural events or activities. In general, these methods and techniques can be comprised in two main groups: impacts of a single event, and systemic impacts.

One estimates the variations (impacts) caused by any action, which in this case could be a festival, an event, an exhibition, a musical review or the restructuring of a neighborhood, on the economic activity of the surrounding area.

The area (urban, provincial and regional) is circumscribed to identify which expenses and which economic activities to include in the estimate. As is readily understandable, the smaller the area the easier it is to calculate the impact of an event, since the variations are measured by recording the changes that occur in expenditures, in income, in tourist influx and employment. This type of estimate can be implemented either with specific empirical measurements on a sample of economic activities, on which to project the total impact, or by means of surveys and interviews with the operators in the area.

A few recent studies made according to this model revealed results that were often very variable with multipliers of the economy expressed in terms of turnover and/or expenditures for consumption, with respect to the direct expense for the organization of the event, ranging between:

- 4 times for the Festival of the Economy in Trento;

- 3 times for exhibitions in Brescia and Como1;

- 7 times for the Festival of Literature in Mantua.

By way of example, the study made in the United Kingdom with reference to the Festival of Edinburgh demonstrated how it generates effects of indirect and induced multiplication of the expense for the festival between 1.39 for the transport sector and 1.7 for the food and beverage sector, with respect to the direct expense. In other words, for every Euro of direct expense, the festival generates 1.39 Euro of expense in the transport sector and 1.7 Euro of expense in the food and beverage sector.

Calculating the economic impact in this way, however, presents a number of limits from the methodological standpoint. The reasons must be sought in the fact that measurements are often subjective and in the lack of common agreement on which effects should be considered in an analysis of impacts of this type. In addition to this, there are often cases of confusion of short, medium and long-term impacts, and the assessments are often made “once and for all” rather than on a continuous basis.

With the aim of focusing on the cultural sector in its entirety (systemic impacts), that is, on a medium-long time frame, at the level of the entire national economic and productive system, in order to understand the importance on a broader area, not limited to the local dimension, and analyzing the economic links with all the other sectors without overlooking any (as could easily happen in the studies described above), we used the method of estimating direct, indirect and induced impacts, applied to the cultural and creative sector, using the tables of sectorial interdependence theorized and used by Wassily Leontief, the Russian economist awarded the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1973.

Leontief was the first to develop the models of accounting and analysis that form the elements of modern input-output analysis, also known as analysis of the tables of sectorial interdependence, or intersectorial/interindustrial tables.

1 Source: G. Guerzoni, “Effetto Festival”, Ed. Fondazioni Eventi, 2008.

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Analyzing the structure of the American economy between 1919 and 1929, Leontief created tables to describe in numerical terms the relations (between producers and consumers) that pervaded the economic system: this work led to the definition of two tables of transactions, consisting of 10 production sectors, which were those that characterized the American economy at the time.

Since then, statistical processing of intersectorial data flows has become a subject of study at the international level.

With reference to Italy, the first input-output table was constructed in 1950 by the Mutual Security Agency2 and later reprocessed and updated by the ISCO in 19533. From 1959 to the present, the Italian Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) has worked on this subject, publishing continuous updates of the input-output tables and expanding the analysis in order to highlight economic transactions divided among 77 production sectors. Moreover, since 1970, with the creation of the European System of Regional Accounts - SEC4, the table of transactions has become an integral part of national accounting for all the European Union countries.

Over the years, its theoretical structure has been refined and its practical application extended. Now it is widely used in applications of economic and social policies, and in a large number of fields, including that of national accounting, in the regional economy, in the environmental economy, in trade and transportation, in the study of technological change, employment and the growth of economic development.

5.2. STRUCTURE AND GOALS OF THE ANALYSIS OF SECTORIAL INTERDEPENDENCE

The structural interdependence of an economic system can be measured and assessed by means of a particular method of economic analysis, such as analysis of the sectorial interdependence tables, or input-output analysis.

In its most recent applications, implementation of input-output analysis serves to measure the impact that a variation in demand in any sector or field of activity has on the entire economic system.

More in detail, over a specific period of time, among the different units into which the economy is divided, a sum of transactions takes place, determined by the end user demands and technological characteristics of the economic system as a whole.

A breakdown of the relationship among different economic sectors is illustrated in Figure 1. At the starting point (zero time) we analyze the relations or interdependence (physical or monetary) that permeate the different economic sectors, and absorb resources to produce goods and services.

2 The agency was created on October 31, 1951, as a concrete implementation of the Mutual Security Act, the American law enacted as the Marshall Plan.

3 International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO).4 Eurostat, European system of accounts ESA, 1995.

The logic underlying the input-output matrix

“An input-output matrix is constructed on the simple idea that goods and services produced by economic sectors should be registered in a table simultaneously by origin and by destination”

Source: OECD, 2006

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Figure 1 – Reference Outline for the Economic Relationships Analyzed by Leontief: Initial Situation – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

After a period (time 1) the expansion of an industry or sector sets off a series of related events within the economic system that, in turn, will cause other relationships to form with other industrial sectors, according to the diagram of sectorial interdependence (Figure 2).

For example, the exogenous increase in demand in a given economic sector will cause a series of effects, shown in the figure by the red line, including:

- an increase in the employment offering to keep that sector functioning;

- a general increase in wages and salaries paid in the sector;

- an increase in the offering of goods and services to meet the needs of the expanding sector.

Figure 2 – Reference Outline for the Economic Relationships Analyzed by Leontief: Expansion of an Industry/Economic Sector – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010


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For the first time period, the effects will be limited to the same sector in which the effect occurs. In succeeding time periods, by effect of sectorial interdependence, other economic sectors will be involved, and for them too there will be increases in the offering of employment, in the wages and salaries and demand for goods and services required by the sectors (Figure 3), producing an expansion at the level of the system.

Figure 3 – Reference Outline for the Economic Relationships Analyzed by Leontief: Complete Activation of the Economic System – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

The algebraic translation of this reference outline leads to the construction of sectorial interdependence tables, or input-output tables.

We can say that the input-output system is constructed by statistically analyzing the interactions among the industrial sectors of a nation.

Input-output tables offer a statistical representation of the internal relationships caused by production and circulation (purchases and sales) of goods among the various sectors into which an economic system is divided, and by external relations, i.e. imports and exports.

The central element of the input-output analysis consists of the intersectorial table of flows among economic sectors. The national economy is viewed as a set of production units, each of which engages in a dual order of transactions:

- on the one hand, as buyer from the other units of goods and services that it uses as input in its own production;

- on the other, as seller of its product to other economic sectors.

In other words, every enterprise operating in a production sector produces an output by purchasing and combining inputs from other industries/production sectors.

It is possible to express the intersectorial flows in monetary or also in physical terms. The economic system thus consists of a network of flows that connect different production units.

We can construct a table (matrix) with double entries, for both physical and monetary flows, where the lines represent the production units as sellers (output) and the columns are the same units as buyers (input).

For the details, we refer to the methodological note in the appendix. The examples in the box below illustrate the mechanism of activation of internal consumption in a given sector, due to an increase of production in that sector.

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Example of Consumptions and Uses Within Sectors

Energy Sector

It is estimated that the demand for petroleum will increase by 1 million barrels. How much petroleum must be produced to satisfy the demand?

To increase the production of petroleum and satisfy the increased demand it is necessary, for example, to increase the number of extraction pumps, or make better use of the existing ones, as well as the system of transport for conveying crude oil to the refineries, the refineries, etc..

However, increasing even only one of these elements requires the use of more petroleum in the form of internal consumption within that same sector. The extraction pumps are powered by energy produced from petroleum, transport is based on fuels derived from petroleum and the refineries function by burning petroleum.

If we want to produce 1 million more barrels of petroleum it is therefore necessary to produce more than 1 million barrels, and the difference serves for internal consumption within the sector. This ratio applies in all economic sectors.

Cultural Sector

With reference to the cultural sector, a simple example is linked to the realization of a new theater or museum.

With reference to the theater, to establish a new theatrical activity requires, for example, the acquisition of a staff of operating personnel assigned to the productions, actors, directors, artistic directors, hall managers, stage managers, choreographers, set designers, a chorus, costume designers, lighting experts, equipment handlers, playwrights, dressmakers and mechanics.

With reference to a museum, the creation or expansion of a museum requires, for example, the acquisition of professionals for the care and management of the collections, such as the conservator, cataloguer, recorder, restorer, the assistant expert assigned to collections; professional personnel relative to services and public relations such as a manager of educational services, a museum educator, possibly someone in charge of the library, the manager and operators of the services of reception and wardrobe, the manager of the documentation center, professional staff in charge of administration, finance, management and public relations such as the managing and financial director, a person responsible for the website, someone in charge of development, a secretariat, a press office manager for public relations; professional staff to manage the structures, preparation of exhibitions, security such as a structure manager, someone in charge of systems, an exhibit designer, a security manager and a manager for the IT network.

The professional elements listed above for museums and theaters are resources that already work within the cultural sector.

Therefore, if we create a new theater or museum, we will necessarily “use” professional elements that are already part of the sector: consequently, the investment in the cultural sector required to open a new museum or theater is greater than the cost of building them.

The method of sectorial interdependence and the theories developed by Leontief on the relations among industrial sectors serve to identify the level of production necessary to satisfy the demand, taking account of consumption within the sector itself.

Briefly, analysis of sectorial interdependence, or input-output analysis, serves the following purposes:

1. to construct a diagram of input and output flows among economic sectors, institutions and families in an economy of exchanges;

2. to estimate the impact in monetary terms and work units on the sectors/fields of supply activities with respect to changes in the production of a specific sector or field of activity following an increase in demand in that sector;

3. estimate ex ante and evaluate ex post the reactivity of the economic system following the implementation of incentives to the economy by the government or local administrations.

Often the input-output tables are used to make classifications of importance with reference to the allocation of investments among different economic sectors. The use of multipliers as the instrument of choice for the orientation of financing has its limits, however, and can be misleading at times.


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For example, input-output analyses performed in other studies and surveys, with reference to the Gross Domestic Product, highlight the following multipliers:

- Health care about 2;

- Railroad infrastructures 2.5;

- Motorway infrastructures from 3 to 4;

- Airport infrastructures from 4 to 5;

- Universities from 5 to 8;

- Primary and middle schools 1.5.

On the basis of these results, and from a reading of the multipliers as the instrument of choice for the orientation of financing, it appears preferable to invest in the university system. However, it is obvious that, with a restricted budget, it would not make any sense to invest only in the university (and not in the primary and middle schools), as students who enroll in the university must have attended primary and middle school.

Another example is related to health care. Usually analyses of this kind on the transportation infrastructures give higher multiplier values to investments in the health care sector (hospitals, medical research, etc.). However, who could sensibly claim that it is more important to invest in infrastructures than in hospitals?

In short, the multipliers and estimates serve to understand interindustrial and intersectorial relations, rather than to make classifications of importance. After we understand the relationships existing between sectors we can analyze the links between them, and then we can determine the effective ability of an economy to achieve certain goals. For example, if an investment in the cultural sector generates positive effects on the hospitality industry, and we discover through input-output analysis that this policy cannot be pursued due to the inadequacy of the hospitality industry, which is unable to furnish the quantity of services required in terms for instance of lodging, restaurants, etc.., it becomes clear that an investment in the cultural sector can only be made after improving the hospitality industry which, by furnishing services to the cultural sector, will enable the latter to achieve the beneficial effects estimated with the input-output tables.

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5.3. ASSESSMENT OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT DERIVING FROM STRENGTHENING THE CULTURAL AND CREATIVE SECTOR

The methods we have briefly illustrated were implemented to estimate the direct, indirect and induced effects on the national economy following an increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and work units in the cultural sector in Italy.

We started from an analysis of national accounts to find those activities recorded by ISTAT that satisfy the definition of cultural activities furnished in the preceding chapters. In the national accounting statistics, cultural activities, as identified by us, are included in the sector of activities under the heading of “Recreational, cultural and sports activities”.

Based on the reference model that describes the cultural and creative sector, we then isolated the following items:

- production and distribution of films and videos and management of cinemas;

- radio and television activities;

- libraries and archives;

- management of museums and the cultural heritage;

- management of botanical gardens, nature parks and the natural heritage;

- artistic and literary creations and interpretations;

- management of theaters, concert halls and other sites of entertainment and related activities;

- circuses and other types of live entertainment;

- press agencies.

In accordance with the reference diagram for definition of the cultural and creative sector, presented in Chapter 2, which we repeat here below for the sake of completeness, it also includes the publishing and print sector, cinema, design, and research & development. Activities of permanent education, digital interconnectivity and fairs are also included in the systemic vision.



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However, ISTAT does not provide the individual user and utilization flows for each and every economic activity identified in the above diagram: this is because the input-output tables apply a “traditional” view of the cultural sector, considering mainly activities connected with museums, theaters, archeological sites, etc..

Where possible, the ISTAT grouping of “Recreational, cultural and sports activities” has been integrated with the economic activities included in the broader view of the sector applied by both the “Florens 2010” project, and all the most recent specialized literature.

It is to be hoped that these elements can be included in the near future to ensure a more complete and integral reading of the sector.

For example, editorial activities which, in our reference model are part of the cultural sector, are grouped in another sector of activities under the heading “Information and communications services”, also including fixed, mobile and satellite telecommunications, data processing, the management of databases, etc..

Another example is linked to fair activities that, in the classification used by ISTAT are grouped under the heading of “Rentals, travel agencies, services of support to enterprises” along with such activities as car rental and the rental of goods for personal use and for the home (CDs, DVDs, sports equipment, etc.) use of copyrights, employment agencies, travel agents and tour operators, guard services and private investigators, activities of cleaning and pest control, and activities for the support of office functions such as call centers, etc..

Analysis of sectorial interdependence based on the input-output tables is therefore constructed using as its central point the input and output flows that involve the group of activities that ISTAT defines as “Recreational, cultural and sports activities”.

Though we have observed these problems, part of the activities that are not considered are reported on in any case, by effect of mechanisms of indirect and induced transmission. For example, for publishing activities, the link appears rather obvious if we think that a museum needs to print its catalogues, and a theater has to print programs or leaflets. Publishing is therefore activated by the cultural activity in the strict sense. Undoubtedly, revision of the broader groupings would provide a more complete picture of the economic potential of the cultural sector.

After this necessary introduction, using the tables of sectorial interdependence, we estimated the impacts on the economic system deriving from strengthening the cultural sector.

Specifically, we estimated the following impacts5:

- direct, i.e., those directly related to the sector analyzed and effects produced within the production chain of the cultural sector;

- indirect, generated by the economic system through the production chain consisting of the suppliers of goods and services external to the cultural sector, whose output are, however, input for the cultural sector chain;

- induced, generated through expenses and consumption induced by the direct and indirect impact. They consist of the increased expenses occurring in the geographical area of reference of the cultural activities generated by the larger number of citizens, businesses and work units “attracted” by the cultural activities.

The results of the analyses made with reference to the cultural and creative sector in Italy are detailed hereafter.

5.3.1 Multipliers of the Cultural Sector on the Gross Domestic Product

In view of the value of the input-output tables and introductory considerations, we analyzed the impacts on the Gross Domestic Product of an expansion of the cultural and creative sector.

5 It should be noted that this method is based on theories that, in the medium-long term, may not apply. For example, estimates on direct, indirect and induced impacts are based on fixed technical coefficients (that is, on the quantitative relations between fixed outputs and inputs), considering outputs of scale constant in time, and not foreseeing limits to the production capacity of the system (infinitely elastic offering of inputs).

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The direct impact generated by the expansion of cultural and recreational activities amounts to 1.15 where 1 is the direct increase of the GDP and 0.15 is the impact of the GDP activated within the chain itself, due to internal consumptions/utilizations.

The indirect and induced impact, however, amounts to 1.34, which breaks down into an impact of 0.58 in services, 0.75 in industry and 0.01 in agriculture.

Table 1 – Sectorial Multipliers of the Cultural Sector on the Increase of the Gross Domestic Product in the Economic System – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

The manufacturing industry (0.62), transportation (0.16) and trade (0.12) are the most reactive sectors to an increase of the GDP in the cultural sector. For every additional unit of GDP in culture, the GDP in these sectors increases by 0.9 units.

Figure 5 – Breakdown of the Impact of an Increase in the GDP for the Cultural Sector on the total GDP of the Economic System – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010


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Briefly, for every Euro of Gross Domestic Product generated by the cultural sector, the direct, indirect and induced impact on the economic system is 2.49 Euro of GDP, of which 1.15 are “withheld” by the sector, 0.62 Euro are generated in the manufacturing industry, 0.16 Euro in transportation, 0.12 Euro in trade, 0.09 Euro in other industries, 0.04 Euro in construction, 0.02 Euro in accommodations (hotels and restaurants) and 0.01 Euro in agriculture.

The effect generated on the GDP in other services (real estate, finance, rentals, information technology, services to the enterprises, education, health care and defense) is around 0.27 Euro, for every Euro of increase in the GDP for the cultural and recreational sector.

5.3.2 Multipliers of the Cultural Sector on Work Units

As we did previously for the GDP, in view of the input-output tables, and the introductory considerations, we analyzed the impacts on work units6 (full time equivalent) of an expansion of cultural and creative activities.

The direct impact generated by the expansion of cultural and recreational activities amounts to 1.1 where 1 is the direct increase of work units and 0.1 is the impact of work units activated within the chain itself, due to internal consumptions/utilizations.

The indirect and induced impact, however, amounts to 0.5, which breaks down in to an impact of 0.35 in services, 0.16 in industry and 0.04 in agriculture.

Table 2 – Sectorial Multipliers of the Cultural Sector on the Increase of Work Units (Full Time Equivalent) - Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Also with reference to work units, the manufacturing industry (0.13), transportation (0.07) and trade (0.07) are the most reactive sectors to an increase of the work units in the cultural sector. For every additional work unit in culture, the work units created in these sectors increase by 0.27 units.

6 The European System of national and regional accounts indicates how the total work units are a better indicator than the number of employees to understand the effective dynamics of labor in a geographical area or territory. The SEC performs a uniform quantification of the volume of labor performed by those who participate in a production process carried out on the economic territory without considering their residence (internal employees). This calculation is necessary because a person can occupy one or more positions depending on: the activity (single, main, secondary); the position in the profession (employee, freelance); the duration (continuous, non continuous); the work hours (full time, part time); the position with regard to social security or taxes (regular, irregular). The work unit is the quantity of labor performed in a year by a person employed full time, or the quantity of equivalent work performed by part-time workers or workers who hold two jobs. This concept is no longer linked to the individual physical person, but refers to a number of annual hours corresponding to a full-time job, which can then be diversified depending on the different types of activity. Work units are therefore used as a measure of the volume of work involved in the production of the goods and services included in the estimates of the Gross Domestic Product in a specific reference period.

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Figure 6 – Breakdown of the Impact of One Work Unit Created in the Cultural Sector on the Total Work Units in the Economic System – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

For every increase of one work unit in the cultural sector, the total increase on the full time equivalent work units in the economic system is 1.65, of which 1.10 are “withheld” by the sector, 0.13 WU are generated in the manufacturing industries, 0.07 WU in transport and trade, 0.004 WU in agriculture, 0.03 WU in construction, 0.02 WU in other non-manufacturing industries and in the sector of hotels and restaurants.

The effect on the WU in other services (real estate, finance, rentals, information technology, services to the enterprises, education, health care and defense) is around 0.18 Euro, for every work unit generated in the cultural and recreational sector.

The analyses made and the results obtained refer to the Italian context, as they are based on the sectorial interdependence tables constructed with reference to Italy and the Italian economy.

However, though we are aware of the differences that exist, it is possible to hypothesize that the economic relations analyzed among the sectors are similar in the main European countries as well, such as Germany, France and Spain. Thus, the results obtained for Italy can be considered valid at the European level in general, as least in the order of size though not as specific data.

5.4. MULTIPLIERS AND FLORENS INDEX

A reading of the results of the Florens Index, with that of the sectorial interdependence tables, enables us to contextualize the input-output analyses on a regional basis.

By their nature, the tables are constructed on a national basis and the impact multipliers are also national. However, it is feasible that certain territorial situations with a greater specialization and characterization in the cultural sector may present higher multipliers.


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Table 3 – Estimate of the Multipliers of the Direct, Indirect and Induced Impact on the GDP at the Regional Level – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

With this in mind, we can assume that the regions with a higher Florens Index bring virtuous dynamics to their economic systems, with consequent positive effects on the multipliers.

The values of the Florens Index, expressed on a rising scale from 1 to 5, are between 1.47 in Molise and 3.41 in Lombardy. The average value of the Florens Index for Italy (calculated as average of the regional values) is 2.12.

It is assumed that in a range of +/-10% with respect to the average Florens Index of Italy, the regional multiplier coincides with the national one. Outside of this range, the regional multipliers are assumed to be higher or lower than the Italian average depending on the distance of the regional Florens Index form the average Italian Florens Index.

In other words, in proportion to the distance between the values of the Florens Index reported in the regions and its average value, we have calculated the multipliers of direct, indirect and induced impact on the GDP in the economic system following an increase by one unit of GDP in the cultural sector.

For example, for the Region of Tuscany, with a Florens Index of 2.79, equivalent to +31.6% difference with the average national Florens Index, we estimate that its multiplier will be 3.03, calculated as 2.49 for the average national multiplier and 0.54 calculated as the higher difference due to a higher value of the Florens Index for Tuscany (2.79) with respect to the national average (2.12).

5.5. SUMMARY OF THE MAIN RESULTS EMERGING FROM THE STUDY

The cultural and creative sector is becoming more and more important in the current economic context and exhibits dynamics that move in the opposite direction with respect to the recent economic crisis. The importance of the creative economy is linked to the fact that its related activities involve many fields and economic sectors often different and distant from one another, considering the production processes and resulting outputs.

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In line with these data that confirm the importance of the cultural and creative sector in Italy, we proceeded to estimate the effects on the economic system generated by a strengthening of the cultural and creative sector.

After analyzing the methods of estimating the economic impacts, in accordance with the purposes of this study, we decided to implement the analysis of the sectorial interdependence tables also known as input-output analysis, in order to analyze the relationships between the cultural and creative sector and the entire economic system.

This method is based on the analysis of flows among economic sectors, and their relationships to one another. An increase in the final demand of output in a specific sector generates a process of multiplication in succeeding waves in which, for each stage, the net increases of the output in each sector become smaller and smaller, until they reach zero.

The sum of the net increases of output is summarized in the economic multipliers of the sector.

Briefly, the multipliers in the cultural sector obtained from the analysis of the sectorial interdependence tables reveal the following:

- an increase in the GDP of 100 Euro in the cultural sector generates, through the interindustrial relationships (indirect impact) and the increase in demand (induced impact), an increase of 249 Euro in the GDP of the economic system (multiplier of 2.49);

- every work unit created in the cultural sector generates, through the interindustrial relationships (indirect impact) and the increase in demand (induced impact), an increase of 1.65 total work units in the economic system (multiplier of 1.65).

Another interesting result is the existence of a strong link between the cultural sector and the manufacturing industries. Excluding the impact generated on the cultural sector itself, it can be seen how the manufacturing sector captures almost 42% of the positive effects on the GDP and 20% of the positive effects on the number of work units generated by the cultural sector.

More specifically, as we can see from the data processed:

- for every 100 Euro of GDP produced in the cultural sector, 62 Euro of GDP are generated in the manufacturing industry. This means that it represents 41.6% of the impact generated on the economic system, excluding the impact on the cultural sector itself (62 euro out of a total of 149);

- for every work unit created in the cultural sector, 0.13 work units are generated in the manufacturing industry. It represents 20% of the impact generated on the economic system, excluding the impact on the cultural sector itself (0.13 euro out of a total of 0.65).

The impacts calculated are relative to the Italian economy as a whole. In other words, the multipliers refer to an increase of the Added Value and employment in the cultural sector, and to the impacts produced at the overall level of the national economic system.

Regions, provinces and cities with a strong specialization and characterization in the cultural and creative sector may report higher multipliers, just because of the greater intensity and size of the cultural and creative sector within their economic system. Unfortunately, there are no tables of sectorial interdependence on a provincial basis, or referred to individual cities. It is feasible, however, that these multipliers will be higher in locations that have a greater specialization and characterization in the cultural sector.

In this sense, using the Florens Index, which measures the level of comparative development of the cultural and creative sector in every Italian region, the multipliers on the GDP have been estimated at the regional level. In Tuscany, we estimate that this multiplier reaches a value of about 3: this means that for every 100 Euro of GDP generated in the cultural sector in Tuscany, the direct, indirect and induced effects on the GDP in the economic system of Tuscany reach around 300 Euro.


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Moreover, if we narrow the analysis further to the local level and focus on the areas that present excellences in the cultural and creative sector, the effects are amplified with respect to the averages that are reported at the national or regional level.

As we mentioned earlier, studies made on specific local sectors demonstrate how the multiplier on the economy with respect to the direct cost amounts to:

- 7 times for the Festival of Literature in Mantua;

- 4 times for the Festival of the Economy in Trento;

- 3 times for exhibitions in Brescia and Como.

These results are obtained because the effect of an event or cultural activity on a smaller geographical area (province or city) is more concentrated, and therefore the multiplier is higher. The effects generated tend to decrease as we move away from the site of the event or cultural activity, generating a lesser overall impact on the economic system.

Concluding, for the purposes of this study and in line with our intention to investigate the importance of the cultural and creative sector for Italy, but also with the need to assess the effects generated by an event or cultural activity on a broader level with respect to the individual city, we think that a broader, more general analysis provides a better understanding and appreciation of the impact of the cultural sector on the Italian economic system. Studies made on a level smaller than the regional level are undoubtedly useful for the evaluation of individual events/activities, but appear limiting for the purposes of achieving a real understanding of the impacts produced and links with other sectors and economic activities.

Enclosure. Note on the input-output table method of analysis

Table 4 – Algebraic Structure of the Input-Output Tables: Example on 3 Sectors – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

In table 4 the lines of the table indicate the sector that sells, the columns the sector that buys. For example, X

12 indicates the agricultural products sold to industry and, vice versa, that the industry purchases from the

agricultural sector (such as food, beverages, agricultural raw materials, etc.), while X21

indicates the goods that the industry sector sells to agriculture, or that agriculture purchases from industry (such as plows, tractors, other machinery for food processing, equipment, etc.).

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Table 5 – How to Read the Algebraic Structure of the Input-Output Tables – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Continuing in our reading of the input-output tables, the intermediate uses present the interindustrial transactions regarding intermediate goods and services arriving from the sector of origin (line) to the sector of use (column) and used by them as input for their production processes.

In the section on final uses, we report the flows of goods and services going from the sector of origin to the end users for consumption (private and Public Administration), for the formation of capital (investments and stocks), and exports. The sum by line of the intermediate and end uses gives the total use of goods and services for the sector considered.

The information contained in a sectorial interdependence table can be read vertically and horizontally (table 5). Vertical reading (by column) indicates how much and from which industrial sectors the sector considered purchases, while a horizontal reading (by line) indicates how much and to which industrial sectors the sector considered sells.

In general, the algebraic structure of the input-output tables, relative to intermediate uses, can be generalized as follows.

X1 = X

11 + X

12 + … + X

1i + … + X

1n + Y

1

X2 = X

21 + X

22 + … + X

2i + … + X

2n + Y

2

Xi = X

i1 + X

i2 + … + X

ii + … + X

in + Y

i

Xn = X

n1 + X

n2 + … + X

ni + … + X

nn + Y

n

where:

X1…X

n = the total production of the sector

Y1…Y

n = the final demand

X11

…Xnn

= intermediate uses among sectors

In operational terms, the input-output table becomes a matrix of direct coefficients, which indicate how many i-th units of goods (or services) are necessary to produce one j-th unit of goods (or services).

Leontief’s theory is that in every productive activity the quantity of input absorbed is proportional to the volume of output obtainable (theory of linear technology).


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In accordance with this theory, we define the coefficients, which can be:

technical − if the amplitudes are expressed in physical units;

of cost − if the amplitudes are expressed in monetary units.

Figure 7 – Input-Output Model Written in Accordance With Leontief’s Theories and the Focus of Coefficients – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Production is therefore used in part to satisfy final demand (Y) and in part to ensure its producibility, in the form of necessary intermediate input (AX).

This expression is of fundamental significance because it takes account of the fact that among the economic sectors there are also uses within the sector considered, that enable it to function.

Estimating the economic impact on the supplier industries with respect to changes in the production of a single industry is one of the most widely used applications in the study of economic impact deriving from the expansion of public investments, infrastructures or programs of industrial incentive.

In algebraic terms, by resolving the preceding equation X = AX + Y with respect to X we obtain:

Coherent with what was reported earlier, input-output tables:

- serve to calculate the sectorial multipliers that measure overall impact on the economic system of a change in one unit in a single sector;

- are characterized along the main diagonal (sector*sector) by the presence of values greater than the unit, since they take account of internal uses/consumption.

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The Tables of Sectorial Interdependence Furnished by ISTAT

In August 2009, the National Institute of Statistics published tables of supply and use and symmetrical tables coherent with the aggregates of national accounting. These tables update to 2006 the tables previously available, which were dated 1995 and 2000. There is therefore a considerable time gap between the date of publication of the interdependence tables and the period to which they refer.

In particular, the table of supply shows the total availability of production classified by type of product and sector of activity, distinguishing between internal and imported products. In the supply table, imports of goods are valued CIF (cost insurance freight7), which is the value of the products imported including shipping costs and insurance to the importer’s frontier.

The table of uses presents the uses of goods and services by product and type of use (intermediate or final) and illustrates the elements of added value. In the table of uses exports of products are valued FOB (free on board8), i.e. the value recorded at the customs frontier of export.

The tables of supply and uses are organized by sector of economic activity and uniform sectors of production, and describe in detail the internal production processes and operations on products of the national economy. The tables are also used to verify and improve the coherence both of the basic data and final estimates of the national accounting system.

Starting from the tables of supply and uses, ISTAT has constructed symmetrical input-output tables, converting the information contained in the two preceding tables using further information about the structure of the productive inputs and based on its a priori assumptions about the production technologies of those sectors. Generally speaking, the tables are furnished for two different levels of detail. A more detailed version with 59 sectors of economic activity and 59 product groupings, and a more simplified version with 30 sectors of economic activity and 30 product groupings.

The symmetrical table is compiled in specific cases for use in input-output analyses. There are two types of symmetrical input-output tables constructed on different theories, the “sector by sector” symmetrical table and the “product by product” symmetrical table.

The sector-by-sector table, which describes interindustrial relations, indicates for each sector the use of products from other sectors (which may also be secondary products of those sectors). In turn, the “sector by sector” table can be constructed according to two theories:

- every sector of activity has its own sales structure, regardless of the mix of products (this theory does not appear very realistic, since in very few cases companies offer their products in the same proportions to the various users);

- every product has a specific sales structure.

7 By “Cost, Insurance and Freight”, known with the acronym CIF, we indicate one of the contract clauses in use in international trade. This specific notation, used for ocean freight shipment, establishes that the seller in responsible for all shipping costs to destination, including any costs for unloading the ship, obtaining licenses and documentation for exporting from the country of origin, and customs duties, also relative to exports. The seller is also responsible for insuring the goods. From the time the goods are unloaded in the port of arrival, all further costs are for the account of the buyer, including customs duties in the country of arrival. Formulation of this term of delivery is considered complete with the indication of the port of destination (i.e. CIF Genoa).

8 By “Cost, Insurance and Freight”, known with the acronym FOB, we indicate one of the contract clauses in use in international trade; these clauses refer to delivery and concern the transport sector. This specific notation, used for ocean freight shipment, from which the usual translation of free on board a ship derives, established that the seller is responsible for all transport costs to the port of embarkation, including any costs for loading the goods on board the ship, and obtaining the licenses and documentation for exportation from the country of origin, as well as any customs duties relative to the export. From the time the goods are considered ready for departure, all further costs are considered for the account of the buyer, including insurance. As regards liability for the goods, this passes from the seller to the buyer as soon as the goods physically pass the ship’s side.


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The product-by-product table, which describes the technological relations among products, indicates for each product the quantity of products that are used to produce it, regardless of the sector of origin.

The “product by product” table can also be constructed according to two theories:

- there is only one way to produce each product, consequently every product has its typical input structure;

- every sector has its own production methods, regardless of the mix of products it produces. Therefore every sector has its own input structure and every sector can assign a column of input coefficients that are typical of that sector. If the output mix of a sector changes, the proportions in which the inputs are used do not change.

This latter table, the “product by product” version, is preferred by the European System of National and Regional Accounts, as it is considered the table that shows more uniform flows than the “sector by sector” table.

In accordance with the European System of Accounts, and applying the method guidelines furnished by ISTAT9 we used the second case to implement our simulations on economic impacts.

Concluding, to estimate the effects generated by strengthening the cultural sector we used the sectorial interdependence table constructed according to the “product by product” method, which indicates for each product the amount of intermediate products used to produce it. Specifically, moreover, we chose in processing our simulations for the “product by product” table, the theory that every sector of activity has its own production methods, regardless of the mix of products it produces. In this way, for every sector (or economic/productive field) we can assign input coefficients that are specific to the branch, through which we can calculate the economic multipliers of activation.

9 See: ISTAT, “Tables of supply and uses and their transformation into symmetrical tables – Note on the method”, October 2006.

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6. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DATA RELATIVE TO THE NATIONAL AND

INTERNATIONAL SURVEY ON THE CULTURAL AND CREATIVE SECTOR

6.1. GOALS, AREAS OF INVESTIGATION AND COUNTRIES CONSIDERED IN THE SURVEY ON CULTURE

In our strategic study of the cultural and creative sector, we prepared a questionnaire to obtain empirical data, on a national and international scale, relative to the behavior and expectations of the population with respect to culture, in order to analyze the attitudes, needs, current problems and future expectations toward cultural products, and compare the results from the different countries surveyed.

The questionnaire was constructed on four different spheres of analysis with the aim of exploring and covering the most relevant aspects to the subject of culture. Specifically, the survey was modulated on these four elements:

- awarenes of the cultural offering and interest in the cultural heritage, with the goal of understanding the perimeter of the concept of culture in the collective imagination, and how general and specific information is furnished on cultural subjects and initiatives;

- behavior, demands and choices of individuals relative to cultural subjects, with the goal of identifying the most significant elements that prompt people toward one cultural offering rather than other, and how much the cultural element influences tourist choices and leisure activities;

- use of the new technologies, to understand how much and in what way the new technologies are used and what is the propensity for their consumption;

- financing of culture and any attitudes toward patronage of the arts and donations to cultural organizations, to analyze and evaluate the sensitivity of public opinion toward public and private financing for artistic and cultural activities.

Figure 1 – Areas of Analysis of the Survey - Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

The survey on culture was carried out in 6 countries: Italy, France, Germany, the UK, Spain and the US.

For each country, the sample was selected by The European House-Ambrosetti working group with the cooperation of a polling and market research company1, with the goal of furnishing statistically significant results.

1 The European House-Ambrosetti directed the market survey performed by SWG.

6. The Most Significant Data Relative to the National and International Survey on the Cultural and Creative Sector

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In accordance with the survey method, the results obtained have the following requisites:

- reliability: the results are reliable and statistically consistent;

- validity: the output is strictly related to the topic of the study and furnishes a reasonable understanding of the subject analyzed;

- comprehensibility: the final values and scales of assessment are organized so as to be understandable not only by experts in the sector;

- longitudinality: the survey is constructed to ensure repeatability and comparability of the results in the future.

With reference to Italy, the survey was made (using the CAWI method) between the months of May and June 2010 on a sample of 4,000 people, fully representative of the Italian population. This sample makes it possible, with high levels of statistical significance, to read the data by region of residence, age, level of education and gender. In other words, the sample was constructed so as to permit transversal reading of the data for every Italian region, dividing the sample of women and men into six age groups (18-24; 25-34; 35-44; 45-54 ; 55-64; over 64 years) and different levels of education (“low”, which corresponds to no diploma or primary school only; “medium”, which corresponds to a middle school or high school diploma; “high”, which corresponds to a university degree, teaching degree or research doctorate).

With reference to the countries chosen for the international comparison – France, Germany, the UK, Spain and the US – the surveys were carried out between May and July 2010 on a sample of 1,000 people that, with a high degree of statistical significance, permits the reading of the results for the total of the national population.

In the following chapter we present the results of the elaborations made with reference to Italy and the other countries surveyed. In view of the high number of elaborations made, we present the main data and results of greatest interest.

6.2. RESULTS OF THE SURVEY ON CULTURE

6.2.1. Words that People Associate With the Idea of Culture

Before examining the relationship between individuals and culture, it seemed advisable to understand how the public interprets the very concept of culture itself.

In particular, the people interviewed were asked to indicate which three, in a series of words, they would associate most readily to the concept of culture.

The possible choices were as follows:

- museum;

- library;

- monument;

- nature park, nature reserve;

- art exhibition, art gallery;

- music, concert, opera;

- theater;

- cinema;

- fashion, design:

- food and wine, culinary tradition;

- traditional or local customs and festivals;

- archeological sites;

- don’t know.

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Almost half the Italians associate the concept of culture with the word “museum”. Next come archeological sites with 36%, art galleries with about 34% and monuments with about 28%.

Figure 2 – Words that People Associate With the Idea of Culture: Total Italian Population – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Very few Italians, however, associate the words fashion, design and cinema with culture.

Among the young (ages 18 to 24) the percentage that considers the words “fashion” and “design” is around 7%, while the percentage of young people who identify the nature park and nature reserve as an element of culture is below the national average: only 13.8% of the young people (ages 18 to 24), think of natural parks and reserves as culture, compared with 24.1% at the national level.

There are no significant differences in the answers between the different regions of Italy, educational levels and gender of the people interviewed.

Compared with international results, the picture shows significant differences. The word “museum” is the one that interviewees associate most with the ideal of culture in France (about 52%), the US (about 47%) and Italy (about 46%). In Spain (about 37%) and Germany (about 38%) the word most associated with culture is the concept of traditional customs and festivals, while for the UK (about 48%) culinary tradition is the expression most associated with culture.


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Figure 3 – Percentage of Association Between the Words “Museum” and “Culture”: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

With reference to the association between the words museum and culture, about one person in two in France, Italy and the US considers the word museum a synonym for culture, while in the UK, Germany and Spain the word “museum” is associated with culture only by about 1 person in 3.

Figure 4 – Percentage of Association Between the Words “Art Exhibition” / “Art Gallery” and “Culture”: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

As we can observe from the preceding graph, art exhibitions and galleries are synonyms for culture for over a third of the Italians, about a quarter of the British, Americans, French and Germans, and a fifth of the Spaniards.

The Italians hold first place also when it comes to the association between archeological sites and culture. More specifically, 37% of the Italians associate archeological areas and culture, while only about 17% of the Spaniards make this association.

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Figure 5 – Percentage of Association Between the Words “Archeological Areas” and “Culture”: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Traditional festivals, fairs and customs are associated with culture above all for the British (39.4%) and Germans (38.3%). For the Italians, however, popular traditions seem more distant from their idea of culture.

Figure 6 – Percentage of Association Between the Words “Traditional Rites and Festivals” and “Culture”: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

The British hold first place also when it comes to the association between culinary traditions and culture. Rather surprisingly, for almost 50% of the British population, culinary traditions are a synonym for culture, while in Italy and Spain (in the next to last and last place), the percentage was only 20% and 17%, respectively.


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Figure 7 – Percentage of Association Between the Words “Culinary Traditions” and “Culture”: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Music, concerts and opera are synonyms for culture for 35% of the Americans. This percentage is more than twice that of the Spaniards (15%) and is twice that of the French (18%).

Figure 8 – Percentage of Association Between the Words “Music, Concert, Opera” and “Culture”: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

The countries of Latin origin (France, Italy and Spain) are in the last places for the association between the words “music, concert, opera” and “culture”, while they are in the first places in the association between “library” and “culture”.

Specifically 1 out of 5 French, Italian and Spanish citizens consider the word “library” a synonym for “culture”, while only 1 in 20 do in Germany, the US and the UK.

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Figure 9 – Percentage of Association Between the Words “Library” and “Culture”: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Briefly stated, significant differences emerge from the international comparison. For the British, traditional customs and festivals and food and wine are synonymous with culture. In Italy, on the other hand, culture is considered, above all, to be exhibitions and art galleries and archeological sites.

In the US, other than museums, music, concerts and opera are top-ranked as words associated with culture. In Latin countries the word “library” is considered to be synonymous with culture, while in Anglo-Saxon countries and Germany the link between library and culture is very weak: only the word “museum”, although with some variations, is associated on average in high percentages with the term culture across-the-board in all countries in the survey.

6.2.2. The Ideal Vacation and Culture

The association between culture and tourism is often automatic. In fact, art cities and cultural tourism are often widely interchanged.

As a result, the sample of citizens of the six countries examined were asked to indicate, from among a series of responses, the one which most represented for them the ideal vacation.

The possible choices were as follows:

- art cities, places rich in history and culture;

- areas with a broad offering of night spots, discotheques and entertainment;

- a quiet, uncrowded place in which to rest and relax;

- a place with attractive natural surroundings;

- a place in which to practice sports and physical activity;

- don’t know.

For Italy, art cities or places rich in culture were indicated by more than 1 person out of 3 as a place to spend their vacation. Therefore, it would seem especially interesting to understand the perceived relationship between culture and ideal vacation to evaluate if and how much cities are a decisive element in the choice of tourist destinations.


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Following this, with respectively 28% and 27% of the responses, were quiet places in which to relax and places with attractive natural surroundings. Only 7% prefer places with a broad offering of night spots and discotheques, while the remaining 3% prefer places in which to practice sports and physical activity.

Figure 10 – Ideal Vacation and Culture: Total Italian Population – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

An analysis by age bracket also confirms the preference of Italians for art cities and places rich in culture and traditions. Within this context, in which even the majority of young people (age 18-24) declare they prefer art cities as the ideal vacation setting with a response level of around 27%, there is a positive relation between age of people and a preference for art cities and places rich in culture and tradition as an ideal vacation setting. In fact, as the age bracket rises, so does the connection between culture and ideal vacation.

Figure 11 – Ideal Vacation and Culture: Results by Age Bracket, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

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And, vice versa, as could be expected, there is a negative correlation between age and preference for places filled with night spots and discotheques as an ideal vacation. Specifically, the percentage of those who declare to prefer areas filled with night spots and discotheques is around 25% for those between 18 and 24 years of age and 10% for those between 25 and 34, while falling with the increase in age to 1.6% in those over 64.

On the other hand, the percentage of those who declare to prefer places with attractive natural settings is fairly stable, ranging from 23% in those over the age of 64 (minimum level) to 30% in those between the age of 55 and 64 (maximum level).

Analyzing the responses by region reveals a range of results. In Sicilia, Sardegna and Toscana, more than 40% of individuals associate culture with the concept of ideal vacation, while in Trentino Alto Adige and the Valle d’Aosta, the percentage falls to approx. 26%.

Despite the fact that these results do not seem to be especially influenced by which macro geographical area they are from (North, Central, South), it is a fact that the top two ranked regions in Italy on this point are islands (Sicilia and Sardegna) and the two bottom ranked are mountain regions (Trentino Alto Adige and the Valle d’Aosta).

Figure 12 – Ideal Vacation And Culture: Results by Region, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Again in reference to Italy, analyses of the responses by gender and education level do not reveal any significant and/or relevant differences.

On the contrary, the same question posed to the same sample interviewed in the six countries of the international survey provides very interesting results. Italy is the only country among those examined in which art cities and areas rich in culture and tradition have the majority preference as the ideal vacation setting, with a percentage over 34%. In Spain, this percentage is 25%, in the United States and United Kingdom around 20%, in France approx. 14% and in Germany 8.5%.


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Figure 13 – Ideal Vacation and Culture: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

In Spain, Germany and France, people prefer places with attractive natural surroundings, respectively with 27%, 37% and 42%, while in the United Kingdom and the United States, people prefer quiet places in which to rest and relax, respectively with preferences of approx. 39% and 45%.

To recapitulate, almost 1 American in 2 associates quiet and uncrowded places in which to rest with the concept of the ideal vacation, and approx. 40% of Britons agree. Art cities and places rich in culture represent the ideal vacation for almost 35% of Italians (maximum level) and for approx. 8% of Germans (minimum level). The German preference for entertainment is particularly high: 14.3% of them associate areas with a broad offering of night spots and discotheques with the ideal vacation.

6.2.3. Factors Which Promote the Interest of Young People in Culture

Understanding which factors promote the interest of young people in culture was another aspect examined during the survey. Specifically, interviewees were asked to provide an evaluation of the ability of four different factors (school, home and social environment, friends, travel and experiences) to promote the development of interest in culture among young people.

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Figure 14 – Factors Which Promote the Interest of Young People in Culture: Total Italian Population – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Over 93% of Italians consider travel and experiences to be the main stimulus for interest in culture in young people. This is followed by the family and social environment with 74% and friends with 70%. Only 56% of Italians believe school is able to have a significant and positive influence on interest in culture for young people.

Looking at this statistic from a negative standpoint, more than 4 Italians out of 10 do not think school has a role in promoting interest in culture for young people. This is a reason for concern, given that the role of school itself should be to promote the curiosity and interest of youth in knowledge and, therefore, culture.

Analysis of results in terms of gender, age bracket, level of education and region did not reveal significant differences in the responses.

On an international level it was seen that in all countries, travel and experiences are considered the primary aspect that promotes interest in culture among young people.

However, the role of the family and social environment was perceived differently. The French (78%) and Italians (74%) consider the family and social environment to be an aspect that promotes interest in culture at a rate almost double that of the Germans (41%) and British (37%). In addition, in Italy and France, the family and social environment is in second place among the factors which promote interest in culture In young people, while in Germany and the United Kingdom, it is in last place. Within this context, Germans, the British and Americans think that school is an aspect which most greatly promotes interest in culture, as opposed to the family and social environment.

To conclude, across-the-board, friends are considered an important factor in the development of interest in culture among young people, with percentages ranging from 54% in Germany to 69% in Italy and France.


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Figure 15 – Factors Which Promote the Interest of Young People in Culture: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

6.2.4. Factors Which Discourage Involvement in Cultural Activities

Often, involvement in cultural events and activities is discouraged by a number of factors or aspects which make normal involvement in cultural activity difficult or less easy.

To better understand the nature of these hurdles, the sample for each country examined was asked to indicate the three factors considered most negative, i.e., which more significantly hinder involvement in cultural activities. The choices were:

- high prices;

- inefficient ticket offices;

- lines to enter, crowding;

- transportation problems or difficulty parking;

- hours;

- opening days;

- lack of adequate guides, signage or explanatory material;

- lack of rest/refreshment areas;

- other/don’t know.

The results are not surprising, but are interesting. The factor which most significantly discourages involvement in cultural activity is high prices. Specifically, 6 Italians out of 10 indicate high prices as an obstacle to participating in cultural activities.

Following this are the lines to enter and crowding (40%), while transportation problems or parking difficulties nearby are around 37%.

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Figure 16 – Factors Which Discourage Involvement in Cultural Activities: Total Italian Population – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Opening days and hours were only indicated by 17-18% of those interviewed.

Analysis by region confirms high prices as the main obstacle, although with different percentages in the various regions, ranging from 70% of interviewees in Piemonte, to 44% in Molise. In all regions, except Molise, more than one person out of two indicated price as the obstacle to taking advantage of cultural activities.

Analyzing the sample by gender, age bracket and level of education did not reveal any significant statistical differences.

Figure 17 – Factors Which Discourage Involvement in Cultural Activities: Results by Region, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

In addition, in all regions, second and third place were held by entry lines/crowding and transportation problems as the main elements that discourage involvement in cultural activities.

Also internationally, as in Italy, high prices were the primary factor, but with different percentages. In France, high prices were indicated by almost 90% of interviewees, while in Spain, by 68% of those surveyed.


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Figure 18 – Factors Which Discourage Involvement in Cultural Activities: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

From this can be seen that although high prices are considered a negative and discouraging element in involvement in cultural activities by 60% of Italians, it is at a lower level than in other benchmark countries.

To verify this result, admission prices for a number of the leading museums located in the countries involved in the survey were analyzed. Despite the fact that the sample utilized is not statistically significant, the proxy data makes it possible to interpret the survey results.

The standard prices for a day admission were gathered from the official websites of the museums. In general, the maximum price corresponds to the full price paid by an adult, while the minimum price is the discounted price for children2.

If France is excluded, the statistics show that the perception of high prices as a negative factor in the US and UK is justified given the fact that admission rates are, in fact, higher than in Italy, Germany and Spain.

An exception to this is France, where almost 90% of those surveyed (the highest percentage among all those registered) complain of high prices as a negative factor that discourages involvement in cultural events, but in reality, together with Italy and Germany, France has the lowest prices.

2 This information was gathered on October 14, 2010. To calculate the prices of tickets in the United Kingdom and the United States, the official Euro/Pound/Dollar Exchange rate on October 14, 2010 supplied by the European Central Bank was utilized.

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Table 1 – Admission Prices in a Number of Museums/Art Galleries in Benchmark Countries – Source: data gathered by The European House-Ambrosetti from the websites of the museums/galleries examined, October 2010

The table above includes the names of the museums/galleries examined and their admission prices taken from their websites, while the chart below provides a graphic representation, highlighting the average minimum and maximum prices, as well as the overall average.

Figure 19 – Admission Prices in a Number of Museums/Art Galleries in Benchmark Countries – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010


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As can be seen, with an average price of 7.3 Euros, Italy is basically in line with France and below the prices registered in the United Kingdom and, above all, the United States.

Among the other impediments on a national level, entry lines and crowding were negative elements perceived by almost one-half of French people, by over 40% of Germans and 40% of Italians. In the United Kingdom, approx. 37% complain of entry lines and crowding, while in the US, this percentage is less than 30% and in Spain around 25%.

Transportation problems, on the other hand, are an aspect that discourages involvement in cultural activities for 45% of the British, 37% of Italians and 35% of Americans. In France, this percentage is lower, at around 29%, in Spain 25% and even lower in Germany, at approx. 19%.

In any case, it is clear that the lessening, or removal of obstacles requires concerted effort on a systematic basis, involving local public administrators and managers and organizers of cultural events and activities.

6.2.5. Interest in Cultural Events in One’s Own City/Area of Residence

In order to understand the level of satisfaction of citizens regarding what is available to them culturally, they were asked to provide an opinion regarding their level of interest in the cultural events occurring in their city or area of residence. Possible answers were: “very interested”, “fairly interested”, “not very interested”, “not at all interested” and “don’t know”.

It is assumed that very high levels of interest are a proxy for the level of satisfaction of people for what is available culturally.

Figure 20– Interest in Cultural Events in One’s Own City/Area of Residence Total Italian Population – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

The results show that almost 70% of Italians declare they are interested (very + fairly) in cultural events occurring in their own city or area of residence. The remaining 30% are either not very or not at all interested in cultural events taking place in the province in which they live.

A number of differences emerge if age bracket is considered. In fact, if analysis is restricted to young people (between age 18 and 24), the percentage of those declaring themselves to be satisfied by what is offered culturally drops by 10 percentage points to around 60%. Therefore, nearly 40% of the young people between 18 and 24 are not very or not at all interested in cultural events occurring in their own city or area of residence.

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Figure 21 – Interest in Cultural Events in One’s Own City/Area of Residence Results by Age Bracket, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

The cultural events and activities offered seem more in line with the expectations of people over 45 years. In fact, over this limit, the level of satisfaction is stable at an average of over 70%. Younger age brackets of the population express less satisfaction in what is offered culturally in their own area. In fact, 65% of individuals between age 35 and 54 say they are satisfied with what is offered culturally, 63% between ages 25 and 34, and 58% between 18 and 24.

Analysis by region points up a number of different perspectives of interpretation between various areas in Italy. Overall, in all Italian regions, the percentage of people declaring to be satisfied with what is offered culturally in their area is stable above 50%.

The region with the greatest level of satisfaction is Emilia Romagna with around 83%, while on the opposite end of the scale is Abruzzo with 53%.

Analyzing those who declare they are very satisfied with what is offered culturally in their own city or area of residence, the results change noticeably. The no. 1 region is Lazio with almost 30% declaring they are very satisfied by what is offered culturally (double that of the Italian average around 15%), the second is Toscana with over 20% and Campania is in third place with Veneto in fourth.

Lombardia is the second region in Italy taking together the “very interested” and “fairly interested” responses, but is one of the last regions if only those declaring to be very interested are considered. Specifically, around 10% of those in Lombardia declare they are very satisfied with what is offered culturally in their city or area of residence. That value is less than the national average (15%) and places Lombardia fourth from the last, ahead only of Abruzzo, Calabria and Liguria.


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Figure 22 – Interest in Cultural Events in One’s Own City/Area of Residence Results by Region, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Cross-checking the data in the survey with that of the Florens Index, the results of which are presented in Chapter 3, reveals a number of significant parallels.

Figure 23 – Interest in Cultural Events in One’s Own City/Area of Residence Comparison With the Florens Index – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

The results show that the top three regions by level of public interest (Emilia Romagna, Lombardia and Veneto) in events held in their regions are also high up in the Florens Index which estimates either directly or by proxy the level of comparative development of the local cultural and creative sector in each region of Italy.

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What emerges overall is a certain correlation (which can also be seen graphically) between the results of the Florens Index and those of the survey in terms of level of interest in cultural events in one’s own city or area of residence.

In addition, analyzing the five regions with the lowest standings on the Florens Index, three of them (Calabria, Molise and Basilicata) are also ranked in the lowest five for declared interest of people in cultural events held in their home regions.

There is also a certain correlation for the Tuscan region between the Florens Index and survey results. Toscana is in fourth position in the Florens Index and seventh in Italy in terms of level of satisfaction of people in cultural activity, with a percentage of around 74.9%.

Analysis of satisfaction of cultural events held in one’s own city or area of residence showed no significant differences in terms of gender or level of education.

Figure 24– Interest in Cultural Events in One’s Own City/Area of Residence: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Internationally, the French have the highest level of satisfaction with a percentage over 70%. Immediately behind them are the Italians, Germans and British, with percentages of between 68% and 65%, while the Americans (55%) and Spanish (53%) are the least satisfied in terms of cultural activity in their respective areas of residence.

Vice versa, 40% of Spanish and Americans declare that they are little or not at all interested in cultural events taking place in their area of residence, while in other countries this percentage falls between the French 25% and British 32%.

Another question examined in the empirical analysis was the evolution of the interest of people in culture. In developing the survey, two specific questions were included on this topic: the first related to the development of interest in cultural events over the last five years in order to have an idea of past trends, while the second related to forecasts in spending for cultural activities over the next five years. For both questions, those surveyed could respond by indicating an increase, a reduction or no change in terms of interest over the last five years and in terms of spending for the upcoming five years.


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6.2.6. Interest in Culture in the Last Five Years

Thirty percent of Italians affirmed that their interest in culture had increased in the last five years, 8% declared it had decreased and 61% said it had remained constant.

In other words, over the last five years:

- less than 1 Italian out of 10 declare to have reduced his/her interest in cultural activities;

- 3 out of 10 declare to have increased his/her interest in cultural activities;

- and, finally, 6 Italians out of 10 declare to have maintained the same level of interest.

Figure 25 – Interest in Culture in the Last Five Years: Total Italian Population – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Significant differences are seen if the answers are analyzed by age bracket. Over 50% of young people (age 18 to 24) declare to have increased interest in cultural events. This percentage is almost double that of those between 35 and 64 (28% on average) and almost triple that of those over age 64 (17%). This figure is quite logical given the learning rate during formative years.

Generally, even including among young people the 25-34 age bracket, it can be seen that the latter have a higher interest in culture than other age brackets. After the age of 35, however, it seems that on average interest in culture stabilizes and tends to increase less. Finally, over 64 years of age, only 17% of those interviewed indicated increased interest in culture.

Briefly put, in adulthood, interest in culture would seem to stabilize and tend to diminish after the age of 64. Since this is a basic component in the development of human capital, interest in culture seems to symptotically follow man’s experience curve.

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Figure 26 – Interest in Culture in the Last Five Years: Results by Age Bracket, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Analysis by education level reveals a positive relationship between interest in culture and level of study. This demonstrates how important it is to boost growth in human capital by raising the overall level of access to higher education. This is also a way to positively nurture cultural and creative capital.

Figure 27 – Interest in Culture in the Last Five Years: Results by Level of Education, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010


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Analyzing the data by region reveals a certain diversity in the answers given.

Those regions in which people declared more frequently to have increased interest in the last five years are the Marche with approx. 40%, Sardegna with 39% and Puglia with 37.5%. In the lowest positions are Sicilia with approx. 21%, Lombardia with 23% and Liguria with 25%.

These results do not indicate a ranking of the “intensity/amount of interest” in culture over the last five years, but must be seen in terms of a dynamic and trend. In fact, despite the fact that only 1/5 of people in Sicilia and Lombardia declared to have increased their interest in culture, this does not mean they are not interested in culture, but only that this interest has not grown in the last five years. No significant differences were noted in data analysis by gender.

Figure 28 – Interest in Culture in the Last Five Years: Results by Region, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Looking at these figures internationally, Italy is in third place behind Spain and the United Kingdom, as far as interest in cultural events is concerded.

Figure 29 – Interest in Culture in the Last Five Years: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

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45% of Spanish and 38% of British individuals declare that they significantly increased their interest in cultural events. In France, the United States and, above all, in Germany, the percentage of those declaring that their interest in cultural events has diminished was over 10%, reaching nearly 14% in Germany.

6.2.7. Expenditures on Culture Over the Next Five Years

Just 30% of Italians declared that their interest in culture has increased in the past five years, 30% also declared that they foresee an increase in spending on culture over the next five years. Within this context, over one-half of Italians predicts that expenditure for culture will remain the same, while only 10% think it will diminish.

Figure 30 – Expenditures on Culture in the Next Five Years: Total Italian Population – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

On a general level, forecasts for spending over the next five years indicate percentages regarding increase, stability and reduction similar to those seen with the interest shown by Italians over the last five years.

By age bracket, 50% of young people aged between 18 and 24 foresee that their own spending on culture will increase. This percentage is around 43% among young people aged 25 to 34.

With an increase in age, the tendency is to maintain or reduce spending in cultural consumption. Those between the ages of 35 and 44 declare that they will increase cultural spending by 33%, those between 45 and 64 by 30%, and those over 64 by approx. 15%.

If those between 25 and 34 are also included in the young age bracket, the percentage of those who declare that they will increase spending on culture is around 45%, compared with 30% of people between 35 and 64.


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Figure 31 – Expenditures on Culture Over the Next Five Years: Results by Age Bracket, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Data by age bracket in terms of spending on culture over the next five years also seems in line with the interest shown in the past five years towards cultural activities.

Briefly, 50% of young people declared that, over the last five years, their interest in culture increased, and they also declared that their culture-related spending will increase over the next five years. This is also the case for 40% of those between 25 and 35, and 30% of those between 35 and 64.

The same situation can be seen from the analysis of results by level of education. Just as a positive correlation was seen between level of study and increase in interest in cultural activity in the last five years, there was a similar positive correlation between level of study and forecast for an increase in cultural spending over the next five years.

Figure 32 – Expenditures on Culture Over the Next Five Years: Results by Level of Education, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

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Nearly 45% of Italians with a high level of education foresee that their spending on culture will increase, compared with the 34% of those with an average level of education, and 22% of those with a low level.

On a regional level, those with the highest expectation for future spending on culture are those living in Molise. Surprisingly, bottom-ranked are Veneto, Lombardia, Toscana and Sicilia.

Figure 33 – Expenditures on Culture Over the Next Five Years: Results by Region, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

It should be noted that, among the four lowest ranked regions in terms of level of interest in cultural events in the last five years (Sicilia, Lombardia, Liguria and Toscana), three are also in the lowest four in ranking for forecast increase in cultural expenditure: Sicilia, Toscana and Lombardia.

Similarly, two of the top four regions in the ranking of level of interest in cultural events over the past five years (Marche, Sardegna, Puglia and Basilicata) are also in the first positions of the rankings in terms of cultural spending: Sardegna and Basilicata.

Figure 34 – Relationship Between Cultural Expenditure Over the Next Five Years and Per Capita GDP – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010


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Contrary to what might tend to be intuited, the tendency toward spending on culture over the next five years does not seem to be correlated to GDP. Regions with higher per capita GDP do not exhibit a greater propensity towards cultural expenditure. This is the case in Lombardia, Veneto and Toscana. On the other hand, there are regions with per capita GDP below the national average with a higher propensity for cultural expenditure, as in the case of Basilicata or Puglia.

No significant differences were noted in data analysis by gender.

International analysis shows a greater propensity for future expenditure on culture in Spain (41.9%) and the United Kingdom (41.3%). They are followed by the United States (37.3%), while Germany exhibits the lowest propensity for an increase in future expenditure on culture (24.2%).

Figure 35 – Expenditures on Culture Over the Next Five Years: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

6.2.8. Accessing Information About Cultural Activity

To understand through what method and how information about cultural activities is channeled and aimed at the public, those surveyed were asked to indicate what modes they used over the last year to find information about cultural activities.

Interviewees were offered set answers and they were asked to choose a maximum of three on the basis of frequency of use. The possible choices were as follows:

- I did not have to search for cultural information over the last year;

- tourist services websites;

- websites of towns, cities, regions;

- websites of the museum, exhibition, event of interest;

- blogs;

- brochures at tourist information centers;

- advertising in newspapers and magazines;

- TV, teletext, digital services;

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- directly at travel agencies, ticket centers;

- at the venue itself;

- other;

- don’t know.

The primary result to emerge from analysis is that the net is the main means of information for finding information about cultural events.

Figure 36 – Means of Gathering Information: Total Italian Population – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

In fact, almost 60% of Italians declare that they search for information about cultural events on websites of cities/regions, nearly 55% state that they search on the websites of museums, exhibitions or events in which they are interested, and a further 33% state that they search on websites of tourist services.

Less than 20% utilize brochures in tourist centers, around 15% look for information in advertising in newspapers and approx. 11% search on television and/or directly at the venue where the cultural event is to take place.

Focusing exclusively on those who answered that they use the net and analyzing the results by age bracket, a statistic emerges that, in some ways, is surprising: the net is also used significantly by older age brackets. In fact, on average, 40% of people over 64 use the net to find culture-related information, against an average of 50% in young adults between 18 and 35.

People between ages 45 and 54 are those who declare to use internet most to obtain information about cultural events and activities (on average 53%).


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Figure 37 – Means of Gathering Information: Results by Age Bracket, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Also significant the results shown in the chart below which analyzes the impact of blogs, tourist centers and travel agencies.

Here, analysis by age bracket reveals significant differences. Blogs are used more by young adults, while people over age 64 tend to go to tourist centers or travel agencies.

Figure 38 – Means of Gathering Information: Results by Age Bracket, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Specifically, consulting blogs for cultural information has a negative relation to age (the higher the age, less blogs are consulted). Blogs are utilized by 15% of young adults between age 18 and 24, while the percentage of those over 64 is 3%.

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On the other hand, brochures displayed at tourist offices and information at travel agencies are used more by people over 64 who use these two resources in percentages of, respectively, approx. 28% and 15%.

Because the net is the means most widely used, the relation between level of education and use of this tool to search for cultural information was studied. People with higher levels of education use the net more as a means of finding information regarding cultural events and activities.

On average, 40% of the population with a low level of education uses the net as a means of finding information about cultural events and activities. This percentage rises to 50% for people with an average level of education and 60% in those with a high level of education.

Figure 39 – Means of Gathering Information: Results by Level of Education, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Analysis results regarding means of gathering information by gender and region did not reveal any particular aspects.

The role of internet as a primary means and reference point for gathering information about cultural events and activities was also confirmed from the international analysis. The net is the most common means in all countries studied, although to varying extents.

In Italy and Spain people tend to utilize more the websites of tourist services of the city or region, while in the United Kingdom and the United States people tend to use more the websites dedicated to the exhibition, museum or event that interests them.

Specifically, 65% of Britons and Americans utilize websites dedicated to the exhibition, museum or event of interest to find out information. Only approx. 36% of Germans do the same.

In Italy, Spain and France, approx. 55% of people use the websites of cities and regions for information about cultural events, compared with 34% of Americans and 38% of Britons.

Another interesting finding is that over 33% of Italians use websites of tourist services to find information about cultural events, while this source is used by only approx. 11% of Americans.


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Figure 40 – Means of Gathering Information: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Nearly three times as many Spanish people utilize blogs than Germans and British. In terms of brochures in tourist centers and travel agencies, the percentage of people utilizing these resources for information about cultural events is just about equal, except in France where it is markedly lower.

Specifically, blogs are used by over 9% of those in Spain and by approx. 7% of Italians, French and Americans. Germans using this means of information gathering are only about 3%. Brochures in tourist centers are used in similar percentages in all countries, except for France. Germans use travel agencies more than those in other countries to gather information about cultural events.

Figure 41 – Means of Gathering Information: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

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6.2.9. Means of Payment for Cultural Events/Activities

A further aspect examined in this analysis was the means of payment for tickets to attend cultural events or activities. The sample of those surveyed was asked what means they would have used to pay for a performance, concert or opera, or admission to a museum, exhibition, archeological site, nature reserve, etc..

Those interviewed were asked to select three answers on the basis of frequency of use, from a list of set answers. The possible choices were as follows:

- I use the net to make reservations and pay;

- I use the net to make reservations but pay at the entrance;

- I telephone to make reservations and pay via bank transfer;

- I telephone to check availability and pay at the entrance;

- I go immediately to the venue and buy my ticket at the ticket office;

- I use a ticket agency;

- other;

- don’t know.

Although the net is the most widely used means to gather information, purchases and payments are still made at the ticket office.

Nearly 4 Italians out of 10 declare that they purchase tickets for cultural events directly at the ticket office. However, 30% of Italians, say they use the net to make reservations and pay. The percentage of those who pay at the entrance remains high: 18% utilize the net to reserve, but pay at the entrance, and approx. 14% call to verify availability, but pay at the entrance. Finally, 13% use a ticket agency.

Figure 42 – Means of Payment for Cultural Events/Activities: Total Italian Population – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010


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Analysis by gender points up some differences between men and women. Men tend to use the net more to make reservations and pay, compared with women. The latter, on the other hand, more often go to the ticket office or ticket agency.

Specifically, 36% of men say they reserve and pay for tickets to cultural events using the net, compared with approx. 27% of women. Almost 39% of women go directly to the ticket office, and 15% in ticket agencies, compared with approx. 36% and 10% of men.

Figure 43 – Means of Payment for Cultural Events/Activities: Results by Gender, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Taking into consideration only those who utilize the net to make reservations and pay, and breaking down the sample by age, the percentage is over 30% for those age 18 to 54, with a peak at 38.7% for the 25-34 bracket. The percentage drops to 20% for people over 64.

Figure 44 – Means of Payment for Cultural Events/Activities: Results by Age Bracket, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

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Analysis by level of education, once again taking into consideration those who utilize the net to reserve and pay, indicates a positive correlation between level of education and means of payment and reserving online.

Over 42% of Italians with a high education level use the net to make reservations and pay attendance to cultural events: double the percentage of those with a low level of education (approx. 22%).

Figure 45 – Means of Payment for Cultural Events/Activities: Results by Level of Education, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

As is often the case, regional analysis highlights a number of significant differences in the answers provided by those interviewed. Nearly 40% of those in Lazio declare they use the net to reserve and pay for admission to a cultural event (the highest level for Italy), against 24% of those living in Calabria (lowest national level).

Figure 46 – Means of Payment for Cultural Events/activities: Results by Region, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010


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Generally, regions in the south of Italy utilize the net less as a means for reserving and on admittance to a cultural event/activity.

The international comparison reveals that Italians and French tend more towards “traditional” means of payment, while the British, Spanish and Americans have a greater propensity to purchase online.

Italy’s last place in the use of the net as a means of reserving and paying for attendance in cultural activities is also due in part to the lower use of credit cards3 which are required to reserve/pay online.

Figure 47 – Means of Payment for Cultural Events/Activities: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Finally, again as part of the international comparison, a gender analysis shows that in Latin countries, men use the net to a greater extent to reserve and pay compared to women, whereas in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States it is the opposite. Women are the ones who use the net more to make reservations and pay.

3 The lower level of use of credit cards was also highlighted in the most recent report of the CRIF (Credit Card Observatory).

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Figure 48 – Means of Payment for Cultural Events/Activities: Results by Age Bracket, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

6.2.10. Interest in New Technologies

This survey also examined interest in the use of new technologies and in particular georeferencing services.

Interviewees were asked to imagine a service that could be activated when desired by users that would notify them free-of-charge on their cellphones (for example, via text message) every time they passed near something interesting to visit or which would announce events and activities currently taking place. They were then asked to indicate their level of interest in such a service, selecting between the following responses:

- very interested;

- fairly interested;

- not very interested;

- not at all interested;

- don’t know.

The results revealed that 75% of Italians declare they are interested in a free service that signals on their cellphone the proximity of places of special cultural interest and/or events currently taking place. However, 1 Italian out of 4, says they are not interested.


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Figure 49 – Free Cellphone Signaling Service: Total Italian Population – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Analysis of results by age bracket shows that approx. 40% of young people, between age 28 and 34, declare that they are very interested in a free cellphone signaling service, compared with an average of 21% of people over 55.

If the percentages of people declaring themselves to be very interested or fairly interested in a service of this type are combined, it can be seen that those who say they are very or fairly interested represent a broad majority in each age bracket.

Figure 50 – Free Cellphone Signaling Service: Results by Age Bracket, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

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In terms of education level, results show a positive correlation between level of study and high interest in this service.

Approx. 35% of Italians of high education level say that they are interested in a free cellphone signaling service, compared with 32% of those of average education level and approx. 25% of those of low education level.

If the percentages of those who responded very interested are added to those who responded fairly interested, the differences in the responses between education levels diminish. In fact, almost 78% with a high education level declare themselves to be very or fairly interested, 76% with an average education level and 71.5% of those with a low education level.

Figure 51 – Free Cellphone Signaling Service: Results by Level of Education, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Analysis by gender or region did not produce any significant results.

However, comparison on an international level revealed a number of aspects that should be underscored.

Italians (approx. 75%), Spanish (approx. 56%) and British (approx. 54%) seem the most interested in georeferencing services that signal proximity to areas of special cultural interest; on the contrary, the French (approx. 46%), Germans (approx. 41%) and Americans (approx. 35%) do not seem especially interested in a service of this type.

In Italy and Spain, respectively, approx. 6% and 12% of citizens are not at all interested in a service of this type. In France, Germany and the United Kingdom, this percentage is around 24% and in the US rises to approx. 33%.

It should be noted that of the countries in the survey, Italy has the highest penetration of cellphones: 151% according to most recent figures, compared with 130% in the United Kingdom, 127% in Germany, 112% in Spain, 95% in France and 92% in the US.


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Figure 52 – Free Cellphone Signaling Service: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

6.2.11. Financing Cultural Activities

To complete the survey, after having examined awareness of what is available culturally, people’s behavior towards culture and the use of technologies to take advantage of cultural resources and activities, the aspect concerning how culture is financed was analyzed.

Interviewees were asked which type of financing they felt was most appropriate. The possible choices were as follows:

- exclusively public financing;

- financing from both public and private sources;

- exclusively private financing;

- don’t know.

Over 75% of Italians believe that cultural activity must be financed jointly by public and private sources.

Fifteen percent believe it must be financed only through public funds, while 4% think it should be financed only with private resources.

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Figure 53 – Financing Cultural Activities: Total Italian Population – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Analysis of the results by education level revealed that almost 85% of Italians with a high education level feel that cultural activities may be financed jointly through public and private funds, compared with 71% of those with a low education level.

Ten percent of Italians with a high education level think that cultural activities must be financed only through public funds. This percentage rises to almost 16% in those with a low education level.

In addition, only 3.8% of those with a high education level think that cultural activities must be financed with private funds alone, compared with 4.5% of those with a low education level.

To summarize, those with a high education level do not think that culture must be financed with public funds alone, or only with private resources, but think that activities must be financed primarily with the involvement of public and private funds.

Figure 54 – Financing Cultural Activities: Results by Level of Education, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010


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Analysis by region did not reveal any particular differences because the vast majority of people, irrespective of where they live, think that cultural activity must be financed jointly by public and private sources.

However, some differences were noted on the basis of macro regional areas. Here, analysis showed a slight prevalence for joint public-private financing in the Northwest, Northeast and Center, compared with the South and Islands. In the South and Islands, there is also a higher percentage of people who think that cultural activities must be financed by either public funds alone or private funds alone.

Figure 55 – Financing Cultural Activities: Results by Macro-Regions, Italy – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Internationally, more than 3 people out of 4, in all countries analyzed, think that cultural activities must be financed jointly by public and private funds.

However, some differences can be noted between Latin countries and the others. In Latin countries (Italy, France and Spain) approx. 13% of the population thinks that cultural activities must be financed exclusively by public funds. This percentage falls to around 6% in Germany and the United Kingdom, and to approx. 3% in the United States. In the US, there is also a greater share of people who think that cultural activities must be financed exclusively by private funds.

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Figure 56 – Financing Cultural Activities: International Comparison – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Finally, in reference to the Italian situation alone, interviewees were asked their opinion about the introduction of tax breaks to promote donations and sponsorships of cultural events and activities by private individuals. Eighty-five percent of Italians declared themselves favorable, and only 10% was against this, with 5% undecided.

In other words, virtually all Italians are in favor of introducing further forms of tax incentives to promote donations and sponsorships for cultural activity.

6.3. SUMMARY REMARKS

6.3.1. Synthesis of Key Results Regarding Young Adults

One of the goals of this study was to understand the needs of young adults, their behavior and their cultural expectations. In order to better focus on a number of points which emerged during the analysis of survey results, graphics were prepared which allow for transversal interpretation of the issues examined, with special focus on people age 18 to 24.

Specifically, setting the average results for Italy as base 100, the relative values for young adults were calculated for the following issues: interest in cultural events in their own cities; words most closely associated with culture; factors that hinder involvement in cultural events; past interest and forecast of future spending on culture; means of gathering cultural information; and interest in the use of new georeferencing technologies.


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Figure 57 – Focus on Young Adults (Age 18-24) and Comparison With Italian Average Results – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

From a comparative analysis of average Italian results and those given by young adults for the various issues examined in the survey, the following emerged:

- compared to the average, young adults are less satisfied by what is offered culturally in their own city or area of residence; cultural activity currently being offered seems more aimed at older age brackets of the population;

- among those factors that hinder involvement in cultural events, young adults seem more affected by entrance lines and less by prices;

- young adults associate the words “fashion” and “design” with the concept of culture almost three times more than the Italian average, while they consider “nature reserve” and “archeological site” less related to the idea of culture than the Italian average;

- young adults declare that they have increased their interest in culture over the last 5 years, and declare that they will increase spending on culture over the next 5 years, to an extent 1.6 times greater than the Italian average;

- blogs are utilized by young adults to find cultural information twice as much as the Italian average;

- young adults are also more interested (40% more than the Italian average) in a free cellphone signal service of cultural events or activities.

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Figure 58 – Focus on Young Adults (Age 18-24)and Comparison With Italian Average Results – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

6.3.2. Synthesis of Key Results From the International Comparison

Just as was done with young adults, in order to better focus on a number of significant results, graphics have been prepared to provide a rapid comparison between the responses supplied by interviewees in the various survey countries.

Setting the average results for Italy as base 100, the relative values for the other countries were calculated for the following issues: ideal vacation; words most closely associated with culture; interest in cultural events their own cities or areas of residence; factors which impede involvement in cultural events; and means of payment for participating in cultural events or activities.

Figure 59 – Focus on International Comparison: Comparison With Italian Average Results – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010


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In terms of the ideal vacation, in all countries analyzed, the percentage of people who think of a place rich in culture or an art city is lower than that recorded in Italy. In Germany, this percentage is one-fourth that of Italy, in France, the United Kingdom and the United States about half, and in Spain is approx. 30% less. Compared with Italy, however, people who declare to prefer quiet places in which to relax total 60% higher in Germany, 40% higher in the United Kingdom and 17% higher in the US. Results for France are similar to those in Italy, while in Spain, people who declare they prefer quiet places in which to relax are nearly 20% lower than the Italian average.

From a comparison of words associated with the concept of culture, it was seen that Latin countries consider the world “library” to be synonymous culture at a rate of four times higher than in Anglo-Saxon countries and Germany. The word “museum” is synonymous with culture to virtually the same extent in France, Italy and Germany, while it has a lower association with the concept of culture in Spain and Anglo-Saxon countries. However, these latter countries associate “food and wine” with culture at twice the level as in Italy, and three times that in Spain.

These results indicate that the perception of the concept of culture has gradually broadened and is fairly different from country-to-country. For these reasons, the decision to focus on cultural tourism requires careful evaluation of the “real” cultural expectations of potential tourists. Successful tourist options are increasingly seen as packages in which it is possible to bring together different aspects.

Observing the graph above, for example, it can be seen that focusing only on art cities and places rich in history and culture to attract foreign tourists would not seem to be a winning choice. Bringing together a tour package that could leverage various aspects of an area, such as tranquility, food and wine traditions, etc. would seem to be a better solution.

In Toscana, it is possible to successfully unite different aspects tied to culture, such as art cities, quiet places in which to rest and relax, an excellent tradition in wine and food, the sea and attractive natural landscapes.

As was seen above, for example, since the British associate food and wine traditions with culture at a rate almost double that of Italians, while they declare art cities to be their preferred destination for an ideal vacation at a rate of almost 40% less, bringing together into a tour package both these aspects makes it possible to extract the maximum potential from the entire culture sector which takes on different connotations, boundaries and characteristics among the various countries.

Figure 60 – Focus on International Comparison: Comparison With Italian Average Results – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

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Returning to the analysis of survey data, French, Italians, Germans and British declare they are very interested in the cultural events which take place in their cities, while satisfaction among the Spanish and Americans is less.

As seen above, high prices is the factor which in all countries across-the-board most greatly discourages people from participating in cultural events and/or activities. In Italy, despite the fact it is the no. 1 inhibiting factor, its negative impact is less than in benchmark countries. In France, for example, the percentage of those who state that high prices is an aspect which impacts negatively is almost 50% higher than in Italy.

Entry lines represent an impediment above all in France and Germany, while in Anglo-Saxon countries and Spain this factor has a negative impact, but less than in Italy. Finally, compared with Italians, only half of Germans identify transportation problems as a negative element, while approx. 20% more British (again, compared with Italians) say transportation problems have a negative impact.

6.3.3. Focus on Survey Results in Regions With the Highest Florens Index Ratings

Presented in this section are the results of the survey on a regional basis, focusing attention on those regions with the highest standings in the Florens Index.

Therefore, comparative results in terms of the Italian average will be analyzed for Lombardia, Lazio, Emilia Romagna and Toscana in a number of key aspects.

The graphics below provide comparisons of some significant results regarding various issues examined in the survey and compare them with the average Italian results.

Lombardia

Compared with the Italian average, in Lombardia:

- people prefer quiet, uncrowded places as their ideal vacation destinations;

- people are more satisfied with local cultural activities, to the extent of almost ten percentage points over the Italian average;

- only approx. 24.5% of people think they will increase spending on culture over the next five years, against an Italian average of 31%.

Figure 61 – Key Survey Results: Focus on Lombardia – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010


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Lazio

Compared with the Italian average, the citizens of Lazio:

prefer art cities and − places rich in history and culture as ideal vacation destinations;

40% use the net to reserve and pay − for participation in cultural events, compared with an Italian average of 31%. In this area, Lazio is the no.1 region in Italy.

Figure 62 – Key Survey Results: Focus on Lazio – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Emilia Romagna

In examining Emilia Romagna, the key results to emerge are:

83% of people are satisfied with the cultural activity in their region− , compared with the national average of 68%;

however, only 54% think that price is a factor which impedes participation in cultural events, − compared with a national average of 60%.

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Figure 63 – Key Survey Results: Focus on Emilia Romagna – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

Toscana

Finally, for Toscana, once again in comparison with the Italian average, the key results are:

in − Toscana over 40% of people think that a quiet, uncrowded place is the ideal vacation destination, compared with the Italian average of 34.5%;

in− Toscana, nearly 75% of people are satisfied with the cultural activity in their region, compared with the national average of 68%;

once again in comparison with the Italian average (approx. 31%), only 25.5% of people in − Toscana think that expenditure on culture will rise over the next five years.

Figure 64 – Key Survey Results: Focus on Toscana – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010


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The graphic below presents an overall summary of the highest and lowest response results for a number of key issues of particular interest.

People in Sicilia are most likely to associate art and culture with the concept of an ideal vacation, while those from the Valle d’Aosta prefer quiet, uncrowded places in which to rest and relax.

Almost 70% of those in Piemonte state that high prices is the factor that most discourages participation in cultural events and activities, compared with approx. 44% of those in Molise who appear less-affected by high prices.

However, people from Molise have the highest propensity for culture-related spending over the next five years. In fact, nearly 41% declared that they will increase their spending on culture over the next five years, compared with 21% of Sicilians, in last place in Italy.

People in Emilia Romagna are the ones most satisfied with the cultural activities offered in their region, at a rate of nearly 83%, while only about 53% of the people in Abruzzo declare to be interested in cultural events in their region.

And finally, people in Lazio are the ones who most often reserve and pay for tickets to cultural events and activities online (nearly 40%), while in Calabria, only 24% declare to use the net to reserve and pay for tickets to cultural events.

Figure 65 – Comparison Summary Between Italian Regions: Highest and Lowest in Each Area Examined – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010

To conclude, presented below are the country profiles developed from the analysis of survey results.

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Table 2 – Comparative Table of Key Results From the Culture Survey – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration, 2010


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7. Legislation on the Definition of Cultural Heritage and Landscape in Italy

7. LEGISLATION ON THE DEFINITION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE AND

LANDSCAPE IN ITALY

7.1. INITIAL STEPS TOWARDS THE RECOGNITION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE

According to historians, the Romans were the first to lay down provisions on the protection and intangibility of monuments and to consider for public use, or of public dominion, works of architecture and sculpture (the latter if freely displayed to the community at large).

Among the most significant examples of provisions on this subject are the adoption of measures to ensure that the appearance of urban centers would not be altered, the prohibition to demolish even one’s own property in order to transfer the statues and marble, the dissemination of the principle whereby even a statue placed by private citizens in a public place in honor of eminent citizens should be deemed public property.

If we consider the huge quantity of precious statues, basso-rilievos and architecture in the cities under Roman rule, it appears clear that these legal provisions represented an extensive and quantitatively important restriction. It should also be mentioned, first and foremost, that the issuing of those regulations was not determined by a precise and conscious desire to protect these properties due to their cultural or artistic worth, but rather to safeguard other aspects (road traffic, health, economic interests etc.)1.

This does not mean, however, that certain of the institutions established in the Roman world were not subsequently reviewed and reworked from the first systematic protection laws of the pre-unification Italian States, up until the present day. Typical examples of this are the dicatio ad patriam and the deputatio ad cultum:

- the first represents the institution known today as the “restriction to the right of property”, i.e. the faculty of the owner to place a cultural property voluntarily at the disposal of the community at large, subjecting it to public use or allowing the public to enjoy it;

- deputatio ad cultum derives from the above-described institution: in this, the collective use of the historical or artistic work is of an exclusively cultural nature.

In both institutions, however, the property right is only weakened by the public purpose of the cultural property, but the possibility to sell it, obviously in compliance with the relevant regulations, still exists.2

Above and beyond the experience gained on this subject during the Roman period, the protection of the historical, artistic and archeological heritage was also of interest in the pre-unification Italian States.

Already at the end of the sixteenth century in the Grand Duchy of the Medici in Tuscany, an initial attempt – albeit embryonic – was made to draw up the first version of the “Cultural Heritage Legal Framework”. In 1571, the removal of inscriptions and signs from antique buildings was prohibited. In 1602, Ferdinand I enforced a resolution entitled “paintings for which removal is prohibited”, containing a list of 18 painters whose works were considered of such importance for the identification of the historical roots of figurative culture, that they could not be exported without the granting of a permit to do so by the “representative of the Academy of the Arts of Drawing”: in this way a clear-cut limit was posed to the exportability of the canvases.3

Again in Tuscany, in the first thirty years of the eighteenth century, the Grand Duchess Anna Maria Elettrice assigned the Grand Duchy collections of the Uffizi to museum functions and ordered, in her will (5 April 1739) that the works of art in her possession remain in Florence. This and other measures brought Tuscany into the vanguard as regards the protection of works of artistic, historical and archeological interest, also throughout the entire period preceding the Unification of Italy. The greatest worry at that time was that of being able to avoid – or at very the most, limit – pillaging and the sale abroad of Italian works of art: this was the first acknowledgement of the existence of an artistic and historical heritage to be protected.

1 A. Mansi, “La tutela dei beni culturali”, II ediz., Padova, Cedam, 1998. 2 A. Ainis M. Fiorillo, “I beni culturali”, in “Trattato di Diritto Amministrativo”, tomo II (edited by S. Cassese), Milano Giuffrè Editore, 2000.3 A. Ainis M. Fiorillo, “I beni culturali”, in “Trattato di Diritto Amministrativo”, vol. II (edited by S. Cassese), Milano Giuffrè Editore, 2000.

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7.2. TOWARDS THE RECOGNITION OF “CULTURAL LANDSCAPE”

In Western society, with the advent of the industrial revolution, the perception of the relationship between man and nature changed, generating a growing demand for the protection of nature, in order to preserve it from the damage caused by its unconditional exploitation.

In Italy, the first signs of legislation on the “beauties of nature” dates to the early years of the twentieth century. During those years, the conception of landscape protection prevailing at an institutional level was essentially linked to the simultaneous presence of cultural values alongside the aesthetic factor. As a consequence, a landscape that was aesthetically pleasing but not recognized at a historical and cultural level, was not considered worth protecting.

The first major action taken to safeguard a natural area on the outskirts of a town was represented by Law no. 411 of 16 July 1905, to protect the pine forest of Ravenna. The next year, King Victor Emmanuel III appointed a commission to draw up a bill on the subject of movables and immovables of historical, archeological or artistic interest. This commission produced the bill which then become Law no. 364 of 20 June 1909 (known as the “Rosadi – Rava Law”) in which, however, protection was limited to movables and immovables of historical, archeological and artistic interest4.

7.3. KEY HISTORICAL CHANGES IN THE DEFINITION OF “CULTURAL HERITAGE”

7.3.1. The Provisions of the Constitu tional Charter

The protection of the historical/artistic heritage and landscape acquired considerable importance at a legislative level after the Constitution came into force. In fact, article 9, in fact, combines the protection of landscape and the protection of the historical and artistic heritage and places the aesthetic, cultural and landscape-related interests among the primary values of the legal system, driving force of culture and scientific research (art. 9, paragraph 1), where culture does not only refer to the ideas and values of man, in the sense of the expression of personal freedom and of the autonomy of cultural institutions, but also to what these ideas and values give rise to, i.e. the cultural heritage and activities5.

The Constitution abandons the philosophy of the previous laws; in fact, the property that is constitutionally protected does not reside in the individual objects, generically defined, but in the cultural value attributed to the man-environment relationship in which these immovables of historical and artistic also find their place. The legislature was not merely concerned with movables and immovables exclusively as isolated objects to be preserved passively, but also with the territory in its entirety, including the flora, fauna and everything else contributing to the environment in which people live and work, as well as all the properties having a historical and/or artistic value.

So with the Constitutional Charter, a concept was introduced that was innovative for the time: the integrated and total protection of natural values together with those consolidated by the testimonies of civilization. For interpretation purposes, the regulation of art. 9 is connected with those of articles 2 and 3, paragraph 232 paragraph 1 and 42, paragraph 3 of the Constitution, since the purpose of protecting the historical and artistic heritage is to culturally enrich the individual and satisfy the current needs of society to enjoy an environment that guarantees a better quality of life. In this sense, the planning of the territory assumes a particularly important role as it involves taking action in the various areas with a view to satisfying the collective interest in recovering cultural and environmental values and a more extensive use of cultural properties by the public. The protection and promotion of the artistic heritage and landscape are justified, therefore, inasmuch as the latter is an expression of the historicity, creativity and spirituality of a people6.

4 M. Cantucci, definition of “beauties of nature”, in “Novissimo Digesto Italiano II”, third edition, Torino, UTET, 1957. 5 F.M. Lazzaro, “I beni culturali tra riforma amministrativa e nuovi principi costituzionali”. 6 N. Aicardi, “L’ordinamento amministrativo dei beni culturali. La sussidiarietà nella tutela e nella valorizzazione”, in “Ambiente, beni

culturali, urbanistica”, series directed by G. Caia, B. Carovita, L. Francario, Torino, Giappichelli Editore, 2002.

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7.3.2. Provisions on Cultural Heritage in the Sixties

Notwithstanding the radically innovative reach of the Constitutional Charter, no particular provisions on the subject of culture existed in the initial years of the Italian Republic. In fact, leaving aside the new order of the Archives, approved with Presidential Decree no. 1409 of 30 September 1963, and the legislation of the special statute Regions, which largely refer to the government regulations in force, only isolated and occasional actions are taken in the sector of historical-artistic heritage and the protection of the beauties of nature, generally prompted by the political and cultural environments most sensitive to the problems involved in the public management of the artistic heritage and the landscape. Unfortunately, during this phase of Italian history – connoted by the transition of a still predominantly agricultural society to an industrial society – the cultural and environmental heritage was subjected to significant damage due to urban sprawl and the rapid spread of industrial estates.

An inversion of this trend was recorded in the mid-sixties, with Law no. 310 of 26 April 1964 and the setting up of an enquiry committee for the protection and promotion of the historical, archeological, artistic and landscape heritage, called the “Franceschini Committee”, which concluded its work in 19667.

7.3.3. Recent Regulatory Developments: the Consolidated Law on Cultural Heritage and Landscape

In much more recent times, the key to reinforcing the system for the protection and promotion of cultural heritage consists of the drawing up of the Consolidated Law no. 490 of 29 October 19998, the primary goals of which were the simplification of the relationship between citizens and public administration and the updating and modernization of the legislation on cultural heritage and landscape.

With notable efforts to simplify, harmonize and coordinate, all of the legislation on the subject was reviewed, starting from the fundamental laws of 1939 on the protection of the artistic heritage, right up to the laws on the Archives, to the Ronchey Law9 (which expressed the state’s intention to encourage forms of private involvement for the performing of the institutional functions) and the Veltroni Law10. The latter, while leaving the protection of the cultural heritage to the State, provided for the possibility to delegate its management and promotion to regions, provinces or municipalities, and established that the State, regions and local bodies should cooperate in the activities for preserving the cultural heritage.

The previous general definition classed a “tangible” cultural property as being physically tangible, e.g. an architectural work, a painting or a sculpture, while a property was classed as being “intangible” when not physically tangible, such as a language or a dialect, a folklore event or even a cooking recipe.

Composed of 166 articles, the Consolidated Law re-proposed the distinction between cultural heritage and landscape and environmental heritage. The former are those of historical/artistic interest; moreover the Consolidated Law provides for the possibility of extending the definition of “cultural property” also to photography, audiovisual materials, musical scores, scientific and technical instruments and everything that could be assessed, in the future, as material testimony of civilization, adapting it therefore to the socio-economic and cultural evolution of the second half of the twentieth century.

Landscape and environmental heritage is thus distinguished from cultural heritage and defined as: “immovables that have outstanding characteristics of natural beauty such as villas, gardens, parks, groups of immovables, scenic beauties, coastal areas, areas next to lakes, rivers, streams, waterways, mountains, glaciers and ice circles, parks and national and regional nature reserves”. Additionally, among the landscape and environmental heritage category are also those properties that are predominantly natural, even if modified, transformed or created by the human activities.

7 G. Cogo, “I beni culturali ed ambientali tra ordinamento e istituzioni”, in “I beni culturali”, edited by di Mezzetti, Padova, Cedem, 1995.8 Published in the Official Gazette of 27 December 1999 – ordinary supplement no. 302.9 Law no.4 of 14 January 1993.10 R. Tamiozzo, “La legislazione dei beni culturali e paesaggistici”, Milano, Giuffrè Editore .r, 2004.


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Lastly, more in general, the Consolidated Law has given great prominence to the role of the regions and local bodies in the protection and preservation of the cultural heritage, reinforcing the rules governing construction works, and the recourse to international agreements especially with reference to the circulation of the goods outside their country of origin. Finally, therefore, although the Consolidated Law has failed to resolve the problem relative to the protection of cultural heritage, it should be given credit for having totally reorganized the legislation relative to a such a complex and delicate sector.

Two summary diagrams of the topics covered by the Consolidated Law are shown below.

Figure 1 – Cultural and environmental heritage under the profiles regulated by the Consolidated Law - Source: re-elaboration by The European House-Ambrosetti from F. Lanzarone, “Conservazione dei beni culturali: processo conservativo e vigente normativa: il nuovo Codice Urbani”, 2004

7.4. THE CULTURAL HERITAGE AND LANDSCAPE CODE

The “Cultural Heritage and Landscape Code” (Legislative Decree 22 January 2004 and subsequent amendments) plays an important role in the definition of cultural heritage and landscape.

It is the first Code in Italian legislation concerning the cultural heritage and landscape sector, substantially replacing the previous decrees.

The entire normative text responds to the aim of regulating in an comprehensive manner the subject of cultural heritage and it is based on art. 9 of the Italian Constitution which promotes the development of culture, protects the landscape and the historical and artistic heritage of Italy and creates an indissoluble bond between cultural heritage and landscape. To this end, article 2 of the Code explicitly affirms the principle of unitariness of the subject of cultural heritage.11

The Code is composed of 184 articles which:

- define, first and foremost, the concept of national cultural heritage: it consists of both cultural properties and landscape properties;

11 A. Ferretti, “Il Codice dei Beni Culturali”.

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- ratify the obligation for public parties to guarantee at all times, during the performance of their institutional activities, respect of the requirements for the protection and promotion of the cultural heritage, so that it might be enjoyed by the community, because its fruition contributes to the development and promotion of culture. At the same time, the Code confirms the duty of private parties to guarantee the preservation of their own cultural properties;

- define both protection and promotion, confirming the pre-eminence of the former over the latter.

The Code should also given credit for having considered the landscape and the properties composing it as elements – together with the cultural properties in the narrow sense – of the cultural heritage. As a result, all the new regulations governing the restrictions imposed on the properties and on the areas, landscape planning and permits for works to be carried on properties or on restricted areas are inspired by the principle that the landscape is a cultural property. This unquestionably corresponds to the full and concrete implementation of art. 9 of the Italian Constitution.12

Landscape properties, part of the cultural heritage, consist both of immovables providing an expression of the historical, cultural, natural, morphological and aesthetic value of the territory, and of other properties identified by the law or on the basis of the same.

In addition to the Italian legal tradition, according to which the national landscape has an undeniable and particular cultural value, the article also takes into account the contents of the European Landscape Convention which, in art. 1, paragraph a), defines the landscape as “an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors”.

The landscape is, therefore, viewed as a territorial context in which environmental and natural aspects become one with anthropic and cultural aspects. So the protection of nature automatically becomes the protection of human beings and their need to be surrounded by an environment that has value, not only from the aesthetic standpoint, but first and foremost for the quality of life and the sense of belonging that everyone feels towards landscape. Landscape belongs to everyone, it contributes to their personal and social development and reinforces their relationship with the places of daily life.

This extending of the concept of landscape, which is no longer limited to the classical definition of “beauty of nature”, nor to a synonym of the expression “landscape and environmental heritage”, has also changed the legal perspective for approaching the issue of the protection and promotion of landscape heritage. Effective protection of the values that the landscape heritage expresses cannot therefore peter out with conservative actions on delimited areas of particular value: it is indispensable to have integrated rules and regulations that extend to the entire territory and which, in addition to protecting the landscape, also promote and develop it rewardingly.

12 Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities, “Il nuovo Codice dei Beni Culturali e Paesaggistici”.


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8. Recommendations and Policy Indications for the Relaunching of the Cultural and Creative Sector in Italy

8. RECOMMENDATIONS AND POLICY INDICATIONS FOR THE

RELAUNCHING OF THE CULTURAL AND CREATIVE SECTOR IN ITALY

8.1. INTRODUCTION

This chapter illustrates a series of recommendations and policy indications designed to contribute to the comprehensive valorization and development of the cultural and creative sector in Italy.

The observations listed below derive partly from the analysis of the main results emerging from the Florens Index calculated at a national and international level (presented in Chapters 3 and 4) and the results collected from the survey on the cultural and creative sector carried out in Italy and abroad (described in Chapter 6). Also of fundamental importance for the identification of these “work sites” were the debates that animated the various meetings and the work of the Advisory Board and the Working Groups of the “Florens 2010” project, as were the interviews with national and international experts and opinion leaders in the sector.

8.2. KEY-AREAS FOR ACTION FOR THE CULTURAL “RENAISSANCE” OF ITALY AND TUSCANY

“Florens 2010” has identified the following 13 areas for action:

1. Renewed attention to investments in the cultural sector as a strategic industrial policy tool

2. Simplifying the rules for the free circulation and sale of works of art

3. Promotion of artistic and productive “Made in Italy” excellence on foreign markets

4. Technological developments in the cultural sector

5. Florence as the reference center for digitalization

6. Creation of a database of best practices for museum management

7. Assessment of customer satisfaction concerning the supply of cultural services

8. Initiatives to support patronage in the artistic and cultural sector

9. Support to public-private partnership in the cultural sector

10. Improvement in statistical classification for monitoring craft activities

11. Improved valorization of arts and crafts

12. Greater accessibility to culture for young people

13. Florence’s specialization in the management of cultural heritage

Some of the suggestions point to actions on a Country System scale and require therefore actions and/or clear positions to be taken by the national Institutions responsible; in other cases, the proposals point towards specific features of Tuscany or cultural and industrial situations peculiar to Florence. As a result, many players – both public and private – are called upon to act in synergistic cooperation in order to create a virtuous circle in transforming the proposals into concrete initiatives.

In order to place the various areas for action in context and provide examples of potential lines of action, innovative experiences or reference best practices, both in Italy and abroad, will – wherever possible – be quoted.

Lastly, it bears mentioning that the recommendations of “Florens 2010” focused on the cultural heritage and the creative system. These areas were, in fact, the priority areas in the work carried out in this first year of activity.

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1. Renewed Attention to Investments in the Cultural Sector as a Strategic Industrial Policy Tool

The analysis of the results of the Florens Index, calculated on an international base (see Chapter 4), revealed Italy’s weakness with regard to the capacity to use the cultural and environmental heritage at its disposal to full advantage: for example, in the ranking relative to the “Cultural and Environmental Capital” Area, Italy is preceded by the United States (in first position also for its total score in the Florens Index), the United Kingdom and France. In specific terms, the US scores higher than Italy thanks to its greater capacity to manage its own cultural and environmental heritage. In fact, if the analysis is limited to the Florens Performance Sub-Index1 that points to the capability of taking advantage of cultural assets, the three aforementioned countries (France first, followed by the US and the United Kingdom) occupy the first three places in the ranking. The comparison between Italy’s score and that of the Unites States provides an idea of the gap that Italy has to bridge in its capacity to profit from its own assets.

Figure 1 – Florens Performance Sub-Index: Comparison Between Italy and the US – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti data elaboration, 2010

In Italy this consideration appears more urgent than ever today in the light of the possible cuts in government funding to some of the most important Italian cultural institutes2. Historically, Culture has been considered a “cost center”3: there seems, therefore, to be a lack of awareness of the strategic value of this sector as regards potential development in terms of GDP and job creation, not to mention the social significance related to the cultural and creative sector.

1 Nine KPIs were considered for the calculation of this sub-indicator on the capacity to use the cultural and environmental heritage to the best advantage: “Number of visitors to state museums, monuments and archeological areas charging admission”, “Number of Universities included in international rankings”, “Number of university students”, “Average annual number of new university graduates”, “Average annual number of university graduates in arts, humanities and music subjects”, “Number of Nobel Prizes for literature”, “Average annual number of visitors in the first 25 world famous museums”, “Number of theater shows” and “Number of concerts”. The relative weightings have been maintained intact with respect to the calculation of the Florens Index, but all the weightings have been 100% normalized for each cluster considered.

2 Art. 7, paragraph 22, of “Decreto Legge recante misure urgenti in materia di stabilizzazione finanziaria e di competitività economica” (Decree-Law adopting urgent measures on financial stabilization and economic competitiveness,) envisaged the suspension of public funding to 232 cultural bodies, foundations and institutions in Italy (33 of which are located in Tuscany). The Minister for Culture, Sandro Bondi, in a press conference of 4 November 2010 stated that he had managed to prevent the closing of these entities and had succeeded in maintaining their contribution from the State practically intact for the year currently in course.

3 The lack of attention dedicated to Culture as a strategic asset may be roughly estimated, not only by the reduction in government funding for some of the main Italian cultural institutions or by the frequent announcements of cuts to the Entertainment Fund (FUS - “Fondo Unico per lo Spettacolo”), but also by the salary levels of Museum Directors: as recently observed in Italy, Directors of public museums earn lower salaries than their European colleagues, and very often the salary gap compared to other executives or directors in other depart-ments of the Italian Public sector is really quite pronounced.

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Today, the total estimated Added Value attributable to the cultural sector in Italy amounts to about 116 billion Euros, i.e. 9.3% of the national Added Value, while employing almost 2.8 million people, i.e. 11.9% of the total workforce4.

Proposal no. 1

It is necessary to give priority, both on a national and regional basis, to investments in the cultural and creative system, to ensure Italy is equipped with the necessary tools (development of technical expertise and knowledge, managerial skills, infrastructures, technology, etc.) in order to promote the unexpressed potential in this sector: this is a fundamental strategic lever for future initiatives in industrial policy aimed at reconfiguring the industrial system of the country.

For a better understanding of the ranking of Italy in the European context, a series of data are provided below relative to public spending on culture and the arts in the major European economies. First and foremost, it is important to note that the statistical data relative to public spending for the arts and culture sector have suffered a number of limitations due to the lack of homogeneity in the definition of the concept of culture adopted at a national or local level, to the different methodologies applied for measuring the data, and the frequent delays in the communication of the same5. The sources referred to are a study conducted in November 2006 by the European Parliament on the funding of the cultural sector in Member States of the EU6, and the Council of Europe7.

As the graph below shows, although the reference years are not homogeneous due to the lack of information referred to previously, public spending on culture in Italy (both at a central government level and at the levels of the local, regional/provincial and municipal authorities) in proportion to the national GDP is lower than that of countries such as France, the United Kingdom and other Northern European countries.

Figure 2 – Public Spending on Culture as a % of the Gross Domestic Product: Comparison Between Italy and a Selection of Other European Countries, 2004 or Previous Years – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration of European Parliament (“Financing the Arts and Culture in the EU”) and Council of Europe data, 2006

4 Source: W. Santagata, “Libro Bianco sulla Creatività”, 2009.5 For example, very often the information relative to the “government spending on culture” is limited to the data of the Ministry for Culture,

and does not take into account that of other Ministries that may have cost centers more or less closely related to the culture sector.6 Please consult: European Parliament, Policy Department Structural and Cohesion Policies (Culture and Education), “Financing the arts

and culture in the European Union”, November 2006.7 Please consult: Council of Europe/ERICarts, “Compendium of cultural policies and trends in Europe”, 2009.


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The analysis of the tables of sectoral interdependencies (illustrated in Chapter 5) showed that investment in the cultural sector can bring about important benefits for Italy in terms of generation of wealth and employment. In fact:

- an increase of 100 Euros in the GDP in the cultural sector generates, through inter-industrial relationships (indirect impact) and the increase in demand (induced impact), an increase of 249 Euros in the GDP of the economic system (multiplier of 2.49);

- every work unit (full equivalent time job) created in the cultural sector generates, through inter-industrial relationships (indirect impact) and the increase in demand (induced impact), an increase of 1.65 total work units in the economic system (multiplier of 1.65);

The effects are particularly significant if the manufacturing sector alone is considered: for every 100 Euros of GDP produced in the cultural sector 62 Euros of GDP are generated in the manufacturing industry and for each work unit created in the cultural sector 0.13 work units are generated in the manufacturing industry.

It appears evident, therefore, that possible cuts in Culture funding in Italy do not only damage social growth and the possibility for citizens and tourists to enjoy valuable products and services, but also have negative repercussions on the growth of the entire economy: by way of example, applying the above multipliers, a reduction of 500 million Euros in the GDP of the cultural sector, attributable for instance to a cut in funding, would correspond to 1.2 billion Euros less in national GDP, more than 300 million of which in the manufacturing sector alone.

Furthermore, the cultural and creative sector has grown faster than the rest of the economy in the last 10 years:

- according to UNCTAD, the world exports of cultural and creative goods has registered an annual growth rate of 8.7% between 1996 and 2005;

- according to NESTA - National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts, between 1997 and 2007, UK creative industries registered an annual growth rate of 5% (vis-à-vis 3% of the whole economy). NESTA expects UK creative industries to grow by 4% a year until 2013 (forecasts prepared in 2009, and hence after the crisis).

2. Simplifying the Rules for the Free Circulation and Sale of Works of Art

A number of restrictions are currently enforced in our country with regard to the free circulation of works of art coming from abroad. This situation not only involves time-consuming bureaucratic procedures for the operators in the cultural and artistic sector, but also has high costs, and increases the burdens on the superintendences. While on the one hand, the legislation in force provides that the temporary import certificate is valid for 5 years and must be renewed, otherwise the property will be “nationalized”; on the other, a certificate of free circulation is necessary to re-export the work of art outside country.

Proposal no. 2

Provide a “passport” for works of art entering and leaving the country, as other European countries do, like France and the UK: a certificate of this kind would not be subject to time limits of any kind and would enable collectors and art merchants to export works without having to repeat bureaucratic procedures or risk, after 5 years, if the certificate is not renewed, having their assets “nationalized”.

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The excessive protectionism afforded by the laws, and the absence of a “passport” for private works of art places serious limitations on both merchants and private citizens.

The superintendents often deny permission to export works of art because they declare them part of the national heritage, so that works purchased at auction by foreign collectors cannot leave the country, even when considered minor. The superintendents are required to determine whether a work, more than fifty years old, is of “minor” value and may therefore leave Italy as part of a private collection abroad, or if – on the contrary – it may not leave the country because it is worthy of remaining part of the collective heritage: consent or dissent are decided on the basis of parameters that date from 1974 when they were published in a circular by the Ministry for Public Education (at that time, the Ministry for the Cultural Heritage had not yet been created).

3. Promotion of Artistic and Productive “Made in Italy” Excellence on Foreign Markets

Itinerant exhibitions of works of art – like the tour of Verrocchio’s David in the United States (Washington and Atlanta, between 2003 and 2004) or the presentation of Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation in Tokyo (2007) – enjoy increasing success at the international level. Since these initiatives are exceptional opportunities of visibility for Italy, it would be advisable to accompany them, always or at least whenever possible, with initiatives serving to promote the culture, crafts and industrial excellence that famously characterized “Made in Italy” products.

Figure 3 – Italian Masterpieces “on Tour” Abroad: a Few Examples of Success – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti elaboration of data from “The Art Newspaper”, Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities, and other sources, 2010


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Proposal no. 3

- Promote so-called “traveling exhibitions” to a greater extent, for example lending even single works of art abroad (including lesser known ones currently stored in the warehouses of museums where people cannot enjoy them), and creating specific events for them outside of Italy: this would enable us to increase “cultural understanding” and give people who do not have the possibility to visit our country the opportunity to experience Italian culture; moreover, “traveling exhibitions” could be arranged on a “reciprocal” basis with other countries, whenever possible.

- Provide modes of economic compensation to those who grant their works of art on loan for exhibitions abroad.

- Combine art exhibitions outside of Italy with the presentation of key industrial sectors (there are, for example, strong synergisms with the Fashion and Food sectors), as well as the technologies for cultural assets produced in our country (road shows, business-to-business meetings, etc.), with the aim to promoting possible trade collaboration: itinerant exhibitions should be seen as an opportunity to present the image of Italian creativity and history abroad.

If the itinerant initiatives of masterpieces allow the world to appreciate the artistic excellence of Italy (also offering visibility to minor and “niche” works as in the case of the 15th century “Triptych of the Maestro di Beffi” from the Museum of L’Aquila, seen by 3,000 visitors during its exhibition in Washington in 2009), similar occasions should be combined with more attention to the industrial excellence that the country is also able to offer.

The concept of “Made in Italy” should be interpreted in a broader sense, to include Italian art and culture as well, as both are closely linked to our productive capability and technology: it is no coincidence that the intent of the entire “Florens 2010” project is to highlight the close ties that exist between economy, labor, art and culture.

We seem to lack the full awareness today that it is through the concept of “Made in Italy” that we can promote a lifestyle which always contemplates the valorization, conservation, enjoyment and even the production of cultural assets. There are therefore countless opportunities to “present” Italian-ness from the emotional and commercial standpoint: not only exhibitions of works or performances of Art/Fashion/Design, but complete shows enriched, for example, by high definition processing, laser applications, technological restoration methods and other applications of unquestionable interest for the public at large.

Possible partners for the realization of such initiatives could include, among others, the network of Italian Cultural Institutions in the world, and the International Art Museum Exposition Exchange (Borsa Internazionale delle Mostre), promoted by Confindustria and operational as of 2011.

The International Art Museum Exposition Exchange

The Borsa Internazionale delle Mostre (International Art Museum Exposition Exchange) is the foundation created by Confindustria Servizi Innovativi e Tecnologici, Federturismo Confindustria and Confcultura, the confederated industrial association of enterprises that manage services for the valorization, enjoyment and promotion of the cultural heritage.

Through this Museum Exposition Exchange, the largest offering in the world of cultural and artistic assets, owned by Italy, can meet the areas of demand anywhere in the world, as expressed by the organizers of exhibitions and important art shows and the operators of cultural tourism. In consideration of the size of the Italian offering, the International Exchange is bound to become the greatest event devoted to the sector, unique in all the world for the size and importance of its offering.

The first edition of the Exchange, which will be organized annually and will be itinerant, providing the art cities the opportunity to host an event with important local repercussions, has been scheduled for 2011. In 2015 there will be a special edition in Milan on the occasion of the EXPO.

4. Technological Developments in the Cultural Sector

Over 2 billion people worldwide are on line (22 million of them in Italy). Thanks to a rapid series of technological developments, Internet has become – in a relatively short period of time – one of the main channels of information, advertising, distribution and socialization.

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Far from being immune to the innovative advances that involve every industrial sector, and the effects of the trends that are gaining ground worldwide (from the advent of the social networks to the explosion of what is known as mobile internet), the culture sector can now make use of a vast array of instruments and technologies that open new opportunities for communication and the generation of new content.

Although many great national cultural institutions have already moved in this direction, it seems advisable to give more emphasis to the technology and digitalization of the entire Italian cultural sector, starting from the museums (including the medium and small ones).

In order to be effective, communication of the cultural offering in a modern key, must always rely on three fundamental elements:

- the digital distribution of the assets, in order to get in direct contact with the end users;

- the construction of relationships through mechanisms of interaction and the collection of feedback;

- the adoption of an open-minded attitude toward experimentation.

Proposal no. 4

- To promote the introduction of ICT technologies in Italian museums and provide incentives for companies that produce multimedia applications for the cultural sector and museum systems: This would make the production of content and initiatives of advertising and marketing of museums, archeological areas, etc., more effective and attractive.

- To invest in training the personnel active in the Italian cultural sector to use the new technologies for the cultural and environmental assets by offering lifelong learning initiatives.

We have many examples abroad of realities that have found ways to take the best advantage of the opportunities offered by the new technologies, creating cases of success and opening the way to future development. For example the main international museums have inaugurated personalized profiles on the main social networks (YouTube, Facebook, etc.) or developed mobile applications that permit reproduction of the main works of art on exhibition – on payment, like that of the Tate Modern Museum of London, or free of charge, as in the case of the Louvre in Paris. Moreover, “remote” access is often accompanied by on-site applications, such as the offer to the visitor of maps, programs and audio guides in electronic format that they can download on their smartphones by means of digital kiosks and wi-fi access points scattered throughout the museum (one example is the Museum of Modern Art – MoMA in New York).

The boxes that follow describe a few experiences of particular interest, and new applications promoted in Italy to facilitate the enjoyment of the cultural offering by the public.

The Uffizi, Between Tradition and Innovation

During 2010 the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence launched the application “Uffizi Touch”, the first solution in the world that enables viewers to admire all the art works of the museum in high definition, in a natural and personal way, within an interactive digital “frame”, developed by the Centrica company of Florence

Source: www.uffizitouch.it


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Art and Technology: 5 Examples of Win-Win Situations

1. Prado Museum in Madrid / Google Earth

The prestigious Prado Museum of Madrid has made 14 digital reproductions at very high resolution of its most famous masterpieces, including works by Velazquez, Rembrandt, Goya, Raffaello, Titian, and has made them available in Google Earth. The familiar interface of this program enables the user to move easily in the works, and to enlarge individual details like the artists’ brushstrokes.

2. Natural History Museum of New York / Twitter

Almost all the cultural institutions have by now grasped the importance of social media like Facebook and Twitter to create opportunities for interaction with their audience. Rarely, however, has institutional communication left room for such original, amusing ideas: this is the case of the Museum of Natural History in New York, which has chosen the enormous whale hanging from the ceiling in the atrium as its spokesperson on Twitter: the disrespectful cetacean has a habit of making snide remarks about the visitors or humans in general.

3. Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York / Flickr

An example of digital crowd-sourcing of promotional activities is the initiative “It’s time we MET”, of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In 2009 the museum launched a contest that invited the visitors to photograph their experiences in the museum and share them on the photo sharing website Flickr. After a strict selection, the most significant photos were used in the new institutional marketing campaign.

4. Brooklyn Museum of New York / Foursquare

Foursquare is a service of geolocalization via smartphone that combines elements of socialization and gaming: users can “check-in” at specific sites to share their position with their friends and earn virtual prizes. The Brooklyn Museum exploits this mechanism to build customer loyalty, offering discounts and other advantages to users who check-in at the museum repeatedly.

5. Musée de la Poste of Paris / Netvibes

The Musée de la Poste in Paris has adopted a novel approach to digital communication: in addition to its traditional site, the museum also lives on the Netvibes platform, a service of customized homepages that is very popular in France. The modular character of Netvibes enables every user to choose the elements to view or hide, and allows anyone to suggest new content to incorporate in the site.

The Frontiers of Innovation in the Cultural Field in Italy

The Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities (MiBAC) has mapped the most important archeological sites and state museums through the Street View service of the Google search engine, that enables users to walk virtually inside the main monuments and archeological sites of Italy. The first was Pompei, followed by the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and so on, extending to all the main archeological sites in the country.

The Google Earth technology also contains the reconstruction of ancient Rome as it appeared at the time of the Emperor Constantine: without leaving your own desk, you can move among over 6,000 3D reproductions of historical buildings, accompanied by informative captions in 9 languages. For the most famous buildings, like the Colosseum or the Basilica of Massenzio, detailed reproductions of the interiors are also available.

Another project that the MiBAC is developing concerns heightened reality with Layar, the first augmented reality application that enables the user to customize it based on the service to be provided: the first project, also in this case, will involve the archeological area of Rome (starting from the Colosseum) with the reconstruction of ancient Rome and the entire Roman Forum complex made visible and superimposed on the reality. This technology will enable a smartphone user to see a perfect reconstruction of the entire archeological area in all its ancient glory, directly on the mobile phone screen simply by pointing the viewfinder toward the area of interest.

Source: MiBAC, 2010

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5. Florence as the World Reference Center for Digitalization

Digital technologies are experiencing increasing development in applications for the cultural and creative sector, and are having significant impacts on industry and employment. In 2010 the European Union undertook a study on the best way to promote the digitalization of the cultural heritage, in order to help the sector enter the virtual world and make the contents accessible to everyone via internet.

A Fully Digitalized Library

In November 2009 the General Direction for the Organization, General Affairs, Innovation, Budget and Personnel of the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities proposed to render all the services and cultural resources digital by 2012, in the sphere of a program of innovation for the cultural heritage.

In 2010 an agreement was signed for the digitalization of about a million books coming from the national libraries of Rome and Florence, with Google Books. published before 1870, which are therefore free of copyrights and come from the national libraries of Rome and Florence, via Google Books, with the possibility of consulting them on-line at no cost from any part of the world. These books, that were published before 1870, and are therefore free of copyrights, are now accessible on-line at no cost from any part of the world.

Source: MiBAC, 2010

Proposal no. 5

Florence could propose to become the world capital of digitalization (multimedia production, ICT, telecommunications, etc.). The city could also capitalize on the experience deriving from the activities of the newly created Technological District of Cultural Resources (focused on the areas of restoration and conservation, ICT and technologies for the cultural heritage and management of the services), one of the initiatives through which Florence intends to requalify the urban and entrepreneurial environment to attract creative people.

The development of this sector within the Florentine entrepreneurial fabric seems particularly appropriate to accompany the development of specific chains linked to the cultural and environmental heritage, of which an example is offered in the figure below.

Figure 4 – Some of the Typical Activities of the Cultural Heritage Chain – Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from the Ministry for Cultural Assets and Activities and the Region of Tuscany, 2010


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Research carried out in 2008 on the technological enterprises in different provinces of Tuscany8, found that the highest concentration of such companies is located in the province of Florence, with a clear prevalence of activities specialized in the production of software, consultant services and related activities. At the same time, the technological companies in the province of Florence generate 40% of the regional turnover (1.5 billion Euro), followed by Siena and Arezzo, and the enterprises in the province of Florence employ 32% of the workforce (total 8,275), followed by Pisa and Siena.

The strong roots in the province of Florence of specializations in the ICT field can therefore support the development of activities linked to the digitalization of cultural assets, facilitating the parallel emergence of new “creative” professions, also in the sphere of the Technological District of Cultural Assets (which is now developing).

6. Creation of a Database of Best Practices for Museum Management

To date, the absence of complete and exhaustive recognition of the main cultural initiatives of reference is a serious shortcoming at both the national and international level.

Proposal no. 6

Produce a sort of “clearing house” of the best practices in the field of cultural activities, for example a database that the experts can consult when they have a problem, to find similar experiences, links, contacts, etc..

The American Institute of Museum & Library Services – IMLS is a good example of what can be done in this area.

The IMLS Best Practice Database

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is the federal government agency in the U.S. that supports the activity of 123,000 libraries and 17,500 national museums, by making grants, coordinating initiatives with state and local organizations, promoting exchanges of ideas, best practices, the development of learning and innovation, supporting of professional development.

In the view of the IMLS, museums and libraries are a technological infrastructure and a privileged educational site fostering the social cohesion of the local community. Thanks to the intersection of these two dimensions, its goal is to provide the users with modes of access to information, data and experiences that overcome the limits of information overload and thus transform information into knowledge.

In the sphere of its mission, the IMLS has developed a database of best practices regarding the management of museums and libraries. The database can be accessed through the IMLS website. Its system of validation of the best practices is based on merit, and it follows the same logics as the assignment of funding. Since all the grants made are public, the ranking of projects judged “worthwhile” by the IMLS is transparent, visible and accessible to all through the website, and searches can be made also on the basis of the type of project (conservation, educational, technology, etc.). Moreover, a program officer is assigned to every project and can be contacted to ascertain specific aspects of the best practice of reference.

Source: Interview with Anne Radice, former Director, The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), 2010

8 The survey classified the companies according to the ATECO 2007 codes, including the following sectors: manufacture of computers and electronic products, telecommunications, production of software, consultation and relative activities, activities of information services and other IT services. The sample analyzed included 577 Tuscan enterprises, 203 of which in Florence.

“Poles of Creativity” in Florence

The municipal administration of Florence has a series of initiatives under way for the recovery of abandoned areas, including unused industrial sites, in the city, and turn them into poles of attraction for creative talent. An example is the restoration of the “Murate district”, where the former city jail was located, within a project of recovery and transformation into public housing, shops and social spaces, initiated in 2004.

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7. Assessment of Customer Satisfaction Concerning the Supply of Culture

The Italian museum system does not appear to be aligned with the main metrics for assessing customer satisfaction, above all due to the still poor diffusion of technological tools. This impedes optimum alignment between supply and demand in the culture sector: therefore it would seem worthwhile creating and diffusing on a national level a simple and uniform standard for measuring satisfaction of “consumers” of cultural services.

Proposal no. 7

To create, for Italian museums, a simple and user-friendly standard to assess visitor satisfaction: this would provide comparable statistics on a national level and the best practice database could be updated automatically.

For the realization of proposals 6 and 7, preliminary talks with the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities are already underway.

8. Initiatives to Support Patronage in the Artistic and Cultural Sector

In an economic scenario where there is a strong possibility that state funds for financing the cultural and artistic sector will suffer cuts in many European countries, the role of private patronage (represented by companies, entrepreneurs and banking foundations) appears more than ever to be of fundamental importance in assisting the traditional role of central and local Governments.

The results from the survey on the cultural and creative sector conducted on a national level highlighted that more than 8 out of 10 Italians are in favor of introducing further forms of incentives on a fiscal level to promote donations and sponsorship of cultural events by private individuals9.

Moving onto the international comparison, it is not surprising to learn that in terms of the “source” of financing for the cultural sector, citizens in Latin countries (Italy, Spain and France, with approximately 13% of the responses given) declare themselves in favor of a strong State role, much more so than in Germany and the United Kingdom (6%) or the USA (approximately 3%) where orientation towards the financing of cultural activities exclusively by private individuals interests 13.5% of the individuals interviewed.

However, contrary to what happens in the United States and many other European countries, in Italy only businesses can benefit from a full deduction of amounts paid, while private individuals may only detract 19% of their donation from their gross tax.

Proposal no. 8

- To plan an ad hoc law to boost sponsorship of restoration works by private individuals, making it possible to deduct the entire value of the restored work from taxes. In countries such as the USA, exemption from taxation is used as a lever to promote investment in cultural heritage (also with testamentary bequests to museums and foundations).

- To earmark incentives for the valorization of works of art and private collections

- In the field of real estate, to introduce tax facilitations for the restoration of buildings designated to house museums, libraries, cultural centers, etc., making it possible to salvage disused areas/historical buildings and enrich cultural heritage.

9 These findings appear coherent with a survey on the phenomenon of donations in Italy carried out in 2009 by MiBAC and the Associ-azione Civita, according to which male Italians – if they were able to deduct half of the money given from their taxes – would be more inclined to significantly increase the amount given: from a minimum of 33 Euros to a maximum of 109 Euros, almost 50% more than they donate at present. The research, conducted on 1,000 people aged between 25 and 64 years of age, also highlighted the number of people willing to make a donation towards art and culture is higher than that of people showing a preference for the environment (5.6% as op-posed to 5.1%). Furthermore, 1 Italian out of 3 states that they are prepared to donate a sum of money in favor of museums as they would like to contribute to the conservation of Italy’s artistic-cultural heritage. Source: Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities - Associazione Civita, “Donare si può. Gli Italiani e il mecenatismo culturale diffuso”(“Giving is possible. Italians and widespread cultural patronage”), December 2009.


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9. Support to Public-Private Partnerships in the Cultural Sector

It appears appropriate to increase collaboration between Public and private sector (citizens, companies, no-profit organizations, banking and non-banking foundations, etc.) in the cultural heritage sector.

Proposal no. 9

- To promote public-private partnership initiatives, by encouraging the donation of works of art or private collections in view of fiscal benefits.

- To evaluate the possible transition of the great Italian museums into public-private foundations, as has already occurred for the Museo delle Antichità Egizie (Egytian Museum) of Turin, the Fondazione per la Valorizzazione Archeologica del sito di Aquileia (Foundation for Archeological Valorization of the Aquileia Site) and the Museo Maxxi in Rome.

- To strengthen the role of private foundations and project financing in the cultural field.

In Italy there are numerous private foundations which contribute to safeguarding the cultural and environmental heritage system. An example is provided by FAI – Fondo Per l’Ambiente Italiano (Italian Environment Fund), the national non-profit foundation which, since 1975, has been salvaging, restoring and opening up to the public important sites belonging to the Italian naturalistic and artistic heritage: today there are 27 monuments (villas and houses of artistic interest, castles, monasterial complexes, gardens etc.) in Italy which have been entrusted to FAI or by donation or by concession. The conservation and restoration activities carried out by FAI in Italy are made possible thanks to funds collected by Institutions, individuals and enterprises and, as stated in their Annual Report 2009, for each 100 Euros collected approximately 70 Euros are designated to the organization’s institutional mission.

The case of the private committees of Venice is also worth a mention: in seeking funds for the international Venice restoration campaign, 24 private committees, both Italian and foreign, came together in the Associazione dei Comitati Privati Internazionali per la salvaguardia di Venezia (Association of International Private Committees for safeguarding Venice) with two aims: to promote, with UNESCO patronage, the restoration and maintenance of the artistic and cultural heritage of Venice, and the safeguarding of the quality of life in the city within a sustainable development. The resources collected by the association are completely designated to conservation and restoration activities: the operations financed and promoted to date have led to approximately 1,000 interventions being carried out on the historical-artistic heritage of Venice since 1966.

This proposal does not intend to shape excessive privatization of the cultural and environmental heritage sector, but rather to faster relationships between public and private players in a positive manner, as is already happening in some of the big Italian museums which have become Public-Private Foundations.

10. Improvement in Statistical Classification for Monitoring Craft Activities

At a statistical level it has been underlined how data relative to craftsmanship comes under the “Industry” aggregate, because in Italy classification of artisanal enterprises is made on the basis of company size rather than on qualitative parameters10.

10 The definition of “artisanal entrepreneur” and “artisanal enterprise” are provided in Law no. 443 dated 8th August 1985 (known as the “Outline Law on Craftsmanship”) This law also specifies the limits on size (art. 4) based on which a company can be classified as artisanal.

Public-Private Management of Museums in Italy

The Museo delle Antichità Egizie di

Torino Foundation, officially constituted on October 6 2004, represents the first experiment by the State to establish a tool for museum management involving the private sector.

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The absence of standardization in the methods of classification, and, hence, surveying of the activities associated with the so-called “High-level Craftsmanship”, makes it impossible to have an overall view of the real entity of this department and its weight on the overall industrial system.

Proposal no. 10

To Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) should evaluate a distinction between the so-called “High-level craftsmanship” and the artisanal sectors in the a strict sense, thus promoting an improvement of sector discipline in Italy.

11. Improved Valorization of Arts and Crafts

As well as correctly identifying the perimeter of action for artisanal production, we should be trying to prevent or limit the progressive disappearance of activities which, by their nature or sector of belonging, are exposed to such a risk.

Proposal no. 11

To institute recognition for “endangered” arts and crafts (as has been done, for example, in Japan for “sword crafts”, Korea, France, etc.) in order to valorize arts and crafts professionals and excellence which are in danger of disappearing.

The results of the survey conducted by The European House-Ambrosetti amongst the components of the Technical Working Group of Cultural Institutes and Universities with regards to the cultural and creative scene in Florence11 highlight that Artistic Craft deserves a prominent place in the main creative professions which in future should be more developed in the Florentine area. In particular, the capacity to bring together manual abilities, tradition and craftsmanship skills with new technology was often underlined as a fundamental characteristic for further developing of the Florentine arts and crafts in the future. In general it has emerged that the training of professionals who are able to develop and use ICT technology in favor of the cultural context should be a priority.

The other professions mentioned with greater frequency in the course of the empirical survey are, in order: Managers of cultural heritage (in connection to this please refer to Proposal no. 13), Architects, Designers and Fashion Designers.

Some of these professionals already hold the greatest degree of influence in the Florentine cultural scene.

11 The survey was carried out by handing out quality-quantitative questionnaires to members of the Technical Table of Cultural Associations and University between May and September, 2010. The sample used (the management of 38 organizations, both from the public and private sector) may be considered representative of the cultural sector for the city of Florence and the surrounding region.


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Figure 4 – Perception of the Influence Different Professions have on the Florentine Cultural Scene (1 = minimum influence; 10 = maximum influence) – Source: survey conducted by The European House-Ambrosetti amongst the participants in the Working Group of Cultural Institutes and Universities of “Florens 2010”, September 2010

At the same time this deals, as in the case of restorers, with existing professions which are in danger of disappearing due to the absence of natural renewal between the old and new generations. Consequently, transmission of knowledge via training and dialog with the world of work represent a central element for the very survival of the Florentine cultural heritage.

Hypothesis for an International School of Apprenticeship in Crafts of Excellence in Florence

CNA Firenze (the Florentine Confederation for the Craft Sector and Small and Medium Enterprise) has recently proposed the “Imparare Facendo” (“Learn while Making”) project aimed at finding out the main constituent characteristics of the Florentine art and craft workshop and regenerating its productive and economic function: this represents a solid and essential starting point for the active safeguarding of cultural heritage concerning arts and crafts in order to counteract the effects produced by the global economic crisis experienced over the last two years. The project envisages the creation of an “International School of Apprenticeships in Crafts of Excellence” with a seat in the CNA Firenze and operative seats in the Craft Workshops of Excellence or “Craft Workshop Schools” in the city. These will admit EU and non-EU apprentices between 16 and 25 years of age. At the end of the training course (each course will last 16 months) each Apprentice will be awarded a “Certificate of Craftsmanship of Excellence” in the specific sector of training. This certificate will be valid throughout the EU.

12. Greater Accessibility to Culture for Young People

Children and teenagers are increasingly more able to mobilize the family as a whole, even when it comes to consumption in a cultural sphere (for example, take into consideration the list of most seen films12). For museums to become more attractive to families, they must be able to offer transversal content which intercepts science, art and literature: in other words, offer contents which are interesting and simultaneously engaging for adults, young children and teenagers.

12 Among the Top 20 most viewed films at the cinema in Italy in 2008, no less than 15 films were made for an audience of teenagers or chil-dren (cartoon, teen-movies and family entertainment films) Source: The European House-Ambrosetti re-elaboration of data from SIAE, “Annuario dello Spettacolo 2009”.

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Proposal no. 12

- To render museums, art galleries, libraries, etc. more attractive to children in order to activate a powerful multiplier of visitors (as proven by the experience provided by Children’s Museums).

- To strengthen education in Italian primary schools on topics such as drawing, art, music, environment, etc. giving more time and attention to creativity and the “ability to make” while investing on the quality of teachers: investing more on the importance of the culture of creativity constitutes also a valid pre-requisite for diffusing the culture of entrepreneurship and doing.

An example of success concerns the so-called Children’s Museums, the first of which was founded in Brooklyn in 1899. The one in Indianapolis is currently considered the biggest in the world13.

In Europe, the first structure dedicated entirely to children was the Cité des Enfants, established in Paris in 1988 in the Villette, la Cité des Sciences et des Industries. The biggest and most important however is the Eureka! museum (4,500 m2), built in 1992 in Halifax (Yorkshire, United Kingdom), which welcomes over 300,000 visitors a year and has won various awards in the United Kingdom in the Design, Architecture and Tourism sectors.

In Italy Children’s Museums are a relatively recent concept: the main ones are in Genoa (La Città dei Bambini), Rome (Explora - il Museo dei Bambini) and Naples (L’Officina dei Piccoli, part of the Città della Scienza). Museums dedicated to children are being planned in other Italian cities.

A Success Story: the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (USA)

Founded in 1925 and renovated in the ‘70s, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is today the biggest museum in the world dedicated to families and children (15,000 m² of museum exhibits), and represents the biggest tourist attraction in the State of Indiana.

With over 1 million visitors each year and an economic impact of over 75 million dollars, the Children’s Museum has a bigger impact on the economy than the two main professional sport teams in the State (the Indiana Pacers in the NBA and the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL).

The museum’s mission can best be summarized in its capacity to “create extraordinary learning experiences that have the power to transform the lives of children and families” in the same way, the Institute’s Vision consists in the desire to “be recognized as the world leader of all museums and cultural institutions dedicated to children and families”.

This museum, “tailor-made for children”, offers a valid example of how it is possible to offer transversal contents, intercepting science, art and literature and managing to interest and simultaneously engage adults, children and teenagers as well as continually changing through the use of temporary exhibitions (such as, for example, exhibitions on dinosaurs, ancient Egypt and the history of steam trains): for this purpose a dedicated staff draws up an annual plan for measuring and evaluating visitor involvement and the learning path made by families who have visited the museum.

Source: interview with Jeff Patchen (Chairman & CEO, Children’s Museum of Indianapolis) and www.childrensmuseum.org, 2010

13 In the United States, the most important Children’s Museums in terms of size and popularity are those in Indianapolis, Boston, Houston, Manhattan, Philadelphia and Seattle. They are grouped together by the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) which brings together 300 Children’s Museum and a total of 470 members from 49 American States and 29 countries. The ACM estimates that in the next 4-6 years 80 new children’s museum will be opened around the world.


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13. Florence’s Specialization in the Management of Cultural Heritage

The Working Group of Cultural Institutes and Universities activated for “Florens 2010” recognized in specialization training in the cultural heritage management sector an important opportunity for the Florentine region.

Proposal no. 13

To institute in Florence a School for Training on Cultural Heritage Management in order to make the city a center of reference in this kind of specialization.

To the question, “In you opinion can the management of cultural heritage become a training specialization in the Florentine area?”, 96% of those interviewed in the Working Group of Cultural Associations and Universities answered yes. In general, approximately a third of those interviewed (32% of the affirmative answers) agrees on the natural predisposition of Florence to become a center of reference in the field of specialization for cultural heritage management, thanks to the number of monuments and traditions concentrated in Florence and throughout Tuscany. 28% of the “yes” answers underline how there are still widespread professional skills which could favor such a transition present in the city.

Figure 5 – Reasons to support specialization training in the Florentine region for cultural heritage management – Source: survey conducted by The European House-Ambrosetti amongst the participants in the Working Group of Cultural Institutes and Universities of “Florens 2010”, September 2010

8.3. CONCLUSIONS

The analyses carried out in the sphere of “Florens 2010” have made it possible to outline a wide-ranging framework on the positioning of the Italian cultural supply at both a local level (regions) and an international level (the main foreign realities which “compete” with Italy in offering cultural products). At the same time they have shown the importance the cultural and environmental heritage system has on the overall economy of the country. Since the artistic-historical and environmental assets found in Italy do not suffice to guarantee positions of income for Italy, the real key element which will always make the difference is represented by the continual development of a vivacious and rich fabric of large and small enterprises which in various ways are involved the cultural and creative sector.

The events of the “International Week of Cultural and Environmental Heritage” and the debate fueled by the “International Cultural and Environmental Heritage Forum” at Palazzo Vecchio in Florence will contribute to disseminate around the Institutions, the entrepreneurial system and the citizens themselves, the invitation to “believe” and to invest in this exceptional asset for the country, because only through close and effective collaboration between Institutions, Industry and Private Individuals will it be possible

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for Italy to activate a virtuous cycle capable of producing important ripple effects on the development of the manufacturing sector, the artisanal sector and the creative sectors in general.

If this is quickly and effectively recognized by the players involved, through adequate political industrial action in the region, the indications which emerged from the “Florens 2010” project can constitute a first step towards progressive strengthening of the cultural sector in Italy and in the various local realities which show great potential to be exploited in this area: a necessity which is even more urgent when the current historical moment Italy finds itself in is taken into consideration.

What we hope therefore is that, in coherence with the “Florens 2010” mission, the Observatory on the national Cultural and Environmental system launched by “Florens 2010” should become a permanent fixture so that it can continue to carry out its activities of monitoring of the main themes and challenges linked to the future of the cultural sector in Italy and the world. The future edition of this initiative in 2012 in Florence will therefore represent an opportunity to review which of these recommendations on policy have been taken up by the competent parties (and with what results) as well as where, on the contrary, it is necessary to intervene with renewed fervor.


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Annex – Examples of the Excellences of Florence’s Cultural and Creative System

ANNEX – EXAMPLES OF THE EXCELLENCES OF FLORENCE’S CULTURAL

AND CREATIVE SYSTEM

INDEX

- Accademia delle Belle Arti di Firenze (Florence Academy of Fine Arts)

- Accademia dei Georgofili (Academy of Agriculturalists)

- Accademia della Crusca (Academy for the Promotion of the Italian Language)

- Associazione Dimore Storiche Italiane – Sezione Toscana (Tuscan branch of the Association of Historical Italian Mansions)

- Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze - BNCF (Florence Main National Library)

- The British Institute of Florence

- Centro per l’Arte Contemporanea “Luigi Pecci” di Prato (“Luigi Pecci” Contemporary Art Center, Prato)

- Conservatorio di Musica “Luigi Cherubini” di Firenze (“Luigi Cherubini” Music Conservatory)

- Regional Department for Cultural Heritage and Landscape of Tuscany

- Fondazione Circolo Rosselli e Circolo di Cultura Politica Fratelli Rosselli (Circolo Rosselli Foundation and Rosselli

Brothers Political Culture Club)

- Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi (Palazzo Strozzi Foundation)

- Gabinetto scientifico letterario G.P.Vieusseux (G.P. Vieusseux Scientific and Literary Society)

- Galleria d’Arte Moderna di Palazzo Pitti (Pitti Modern Art Gallery)

- Galleria dell’Accademia (Accademia Gallery)

- Galleria degli Uffizi (Uffizi Gallery)

- Istituto Italiano di Scienze Umane - SUM (Italian Institute of Human Sciences)

- Istituto per la Conservazione e la Valorizzazione dei Beni Culturali - ICVBC (Institute for the Conservation and

Valorization of the Cultural Heritage)

- Istituto di Fisica Applicata “Nello Carrara” - IFAC (“Nello Carrara” Institute of Applied Physics)

- Istituto Lorenzo de’ Medici (Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute)

- Istituto Universitario Europeo (European University Institute)

- Musei Civici Fiorentini (Florentine City Museums)

- Museo Galileo - Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza (Galileo Museum – Institute and Museum of Science History)

- Museo Nazionale del Bargello (Bargello National Museum)

- Museo Marino Marini (Marino Marini Museum)

- Museo Stibbert (Stibbert Museum)

- Opificio delle Pietre Dure di Firenze

- Pitti Immagine

- Polimoda

- Syracuse University in Florence - SUF

- Superintendence for the Archeological Heritage of Tuscany

- Superintendence for the Architectural, Scenic, Historic, Artistic and Ethnoanthropological Heritage of the provinces

of Florence1, Pistoia and Prato

- Targetti

- Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (Theater of the Maggio Musicale, Florence)

- University of Florence

- Università Internazionale dell’Arte - UIA (International Art University)

1 With the exclusion of the city of Florence, for the aspects concerning the historical, artistic and ethnoanthropological heritage.

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BRIEF HISTORY

The importance of the Accademia di Belle Arti of Florence resides in its history and the personalities who were part of this institution over the centuries: from Michelangelo to Vasari, from Bronzino to Giambologna, from Benvenuto Cellini to Giovanni Fattori.

The origins of the Accademia delle Belle Arti di Firenze go back to the earliest organizations of guilds in the city; the Compagnia di San Luca (St. Luke’s Company) or painters’ guild founded in 1339 can be considered the original nucleus from which, in 1562, under the protection of Cosimo I de’ Medici, the Vasariana Accademia del Disegno (Vasari Academy of Art) developed, universally recognized as one of the first European institutions that placed among its duties, alongside the confraternity of eminent artists who were appointed to govern and safeguard the cultural heritage of Tuscany, also that of teaching the arts and sciences, thus originating the modern concept of an Academy.

The vast European modernization of this Florentine institution was promoted by the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Pietro Leopoldo I of Lorraine who, in 1784, reorganized the Academy, giving it the character of an institution for free public artistic instruction that would combine the principles of the Enlightenment with neo-Classical precepts, expressing the desire to promote the education of “excellent artists” and facilitate a revival of interest in Tuscan artistic craftsmanship. In addition to its teaching facilities, the Academy was equipped with a picture gallery, a collection of statues, original plaster casts and copies, and a well-endowed library with a vast collection of rare editions and prints.

Between the 18th and the 19th century the Academy was a guide and example for the arts, not only in Tuscany; in the 20th century it was, for a lengthy period, governed by a law enacted in 1923 that, as part of the Gentile reform, gave a new order to artistic instruction. The Architectural branch of the Academy was detached in 1927 and Special Courses were established in 1970.

PRIMARY ACTIVITIES AND EXCELLENCES OF THE INSTITUTION

At the present time, with the creation of its Courses of Specialization and the consequent distinction between the Diploma of the 1st and 2nd level, the Accademia delle Belle Arti di Firenze is oriented according to a university type course of studies: Painting, Decoration, Graphic Arts, Sculpture and Set Design.

ACCADEMIA DELLE BELLE ARTI DI FIRENZE

(FLORENCE ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS)

www.accademia.firenze.it

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BRIEF HISTORY

The Accademia dei Georgofili was founded in Florence in 1753 by the reform priest Ubaldo Montelatici, with the aim of «continuing and regulating experiences and observations, to conduct the Tuscan art of agriculture in the most advantageous manner».

The government of the Lorraine Grand Duchy quickly vested it with the character of a public institution (the first in the world), assigning it important duties. With Italian Unity, the Accademia dei Georgofili, which by then had expanded its interests beyond the Tuscan region, was formally nationalized. In 1897 it was recognized as a State Institution.

In 1932 it was transformed into a “Non-Profit Organization”, also obtaining the use free of charge of its current location in a public building.

The word “Georgofili” derived from educated Greek, frequently used after the 16th century: it combines the terms “georgos” and “filos”, and can be understood as meaning “for the love of agriculture” or “friends of agriculture” or “for the good of agriculture”.

The coat of arms of the Academy bears the symbols of agricultural activity dedicated to the goddess Cerere (an ear of wheat, an olive branch, a bunch of grapes) and those of economic activity and trade dedicated to the god Mercury (caduceus: entwined with serpents and surmounted with wings). Even the motto “Prosperitati publicae augendae” stresses that the activity of the Georgofili has always been oriented toward the public interest.


The Accademia dei Georgofili is the oldest institution of its kind to promote agriculture, the environment, food production, in the interest of progress in knowledge and the development of technical-economic activities for social growth. Adapting its organization, methods and working instruments to the times, it has always maintained its role and the goals enunciated in its articles of association.

The work of the Academy reflects its awareness of the vital importance of agriculture, which has always been rightly considered a primary sector, not only for the priority in time of its productive activities, but also because it has always been and will always be the main source of the food we eat. Moreover, it was the model for industrial development (to which it also furnished raw materials, labor and capital) and is a fundamental factor of equilibrium for the biosphere of which man is an integral part and on which our very survival depends.

The Academy has accompanied the growth of agrarian sciences in the broadest significance of the term. Keeping pace with the evolving times, it continues to deal with the new problems that arise and all the relationships between mankind and the natural environment. It carries out studies and research projects, using the most modern methods, to promote concrete initiatives. The results are published and discussed in special “Public Meetings”, then collected in the annual volume of the Acts.

In undertaking the study of any problem, the Academy freely avails itself of the most highly qualified scholars and experts, wherever they may be, even if they are employed by other public and private organizations. For the study of specific topics it also establishes special centers and advisory committees.

Moreover, with a view to expanding its activities and collaboration throughout the entire country, the Georgofili have established geographical branches.

Its publications now include the «Rivista di storia dell’agricoltura» (Review of Agricultural History) and the «Informazioni dai Georgofili» (Georgofili News), monographic publications on specific subjects, annotated publications of ancient manuscripts and various catalogues.

The Library, Phototheque and Archive offer scholars a documentary heritage of unrivaled value, which is the continuous subject of historical studies by scholars in different fields. Parts of this heritage are often the centerpieces of exhibitions organized periodically on specific subjects.

Among the activities in which the Academy is involved are other initiatives such as training courses and update seminars.

The Georgofili have been and are an extraordinary instrument for comparing and circulating ideas, in a global view, contributing to maintain the high prestige of our culture, always in full respect of the motto “Prosperitati publicae augendae”.

ACCADEMIA DEI GEORGOFILI

(ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURALISTS)

www.georgofili.it

218


ACCADEMIA DELLA CRUSCA

(ACADEMY FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE)

www.accademiadellacrusca.it

BRIEF HISTORY

The Accademia della Crusca (Literally, The Bran Academy) is the oldest linguistic academy in Europe; it was founded by a group of Florentine scholars who, between 1570 and 1580, held spirited, often playful meetings (which were then called “cruscate”) to discuss topics pertaining to language and literature. In 1582 the group of founders (Giovan Battista Deti, Anton Francesco Grazzini, Bernardo Canigiani, Bernardo Zanchini and Bastiano de’ Rossi) was joined by Lionardo Salviati, a respected philologist and scholar of the language, who gave the Academy a real research program and established its symbolism, based on the analogy of good language like the finest flour that is separated from the bran: its emblem thus became the “frullone” or vibrating sieve used to separate the flour from the husks, a machine that at the time was considered a major technological innovation. The institution took as its motto a verse from - “il più bel fior ne coglie” (she gathers the fairest flower) – and adopted a rich symbolism, all referring to grain, wheat and bread. Over the centuries the Academy has had over 1,200 Italian and foreign members, including Galileo Galilei, Redi, Muratori, Voltaire, the Grand Dukes of Tuscany Pietro Leopoldo and Leopoldo II, Metastasio, Manzoni, Capponi, Leopardi, Tommaseo, Ascoli, Carducci, De Amicis, D’Annunzio, Barbi and Luzi. Currently the Academy consists of 49 academic members including ordinary, emeritus, Italian correspondent and foreign correspondent members. Since May 2008 its president has been Nicoletta Maraschio, the first women to hold this office in the over four centuries of life of the Academy.The main enterprise of the members is the Vocabulary, published in five editions from 1612 to 1923: the work gave a decisive contribution to the codification and spread of the Italian language and was the first example of a modern dictionary in Europe. The lexicographic activity, which was interrupted in 1923, was resumed in Sixties and is now continuous, as regards the Tesoro della Lingua Italiana delle Origini (TLIO) (Treasury of the Italian Language of the Origins), the Opera del Vocabolario Italiano (Work of the Italian Vocabulary), by the Institute of the CNR (National Research Council) which has its headquarters at the Academy (published on the Internet as a work in progress: www.vocabolario.org).The Academy is currently quartered in Florence, at the Medici Villa of Castello. Built on an older nucleus going back to the 12th century, in 1477 it became the residence of Lorenzo and Giovanni di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici, cousins of Lorenzo il Magnifico, and later of their descendents, the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. After passing to the Lorraines, it reached the Savoys who, in 1919, donated it to the Italian state. At its headquarters, the Academy preserves a rich collection of works of art, including the famous “pale” (shovels), 154 paintings on wood in the shape of miller’s shovels depicting the emblems of the academicians.


Today the Accademia della Crusca is the most important scientific research center devoted to the study and promotion of Italian; its specific goal is to acquire and spread historical knowledge of the Italian language among the Italian population (also through its service of linguistic consultancy) and develop a critical awareness of its current evolution in the framework of the interlinguistic exchanges occurring in the contemporary world. It engages in international relations with universities and research institutes, organizes meetings, seminars and conferences on Italian, performs an active role in the field of European linguistic policy (in particular with its project “La Piazza delle Lingue” (The Language Plaza), in its 4th edition in 2010, devoted to Italian as spoken by others). The Accademia della Crusca also maintains constant relations with the educational system that is the bond between the world of research and the world of learning. In recent years, this activity, implemented through the magazine “La Crusca per Voi” (Your Crusca) (founded in 1990 by G.Nencioni and currently directed by F.Sabatini), has expanded its structure, finding valid support in the Ministry of Public Education and the Regional School Directorate for Tuscany. Together they have organized courses for teachers, geared to exploring certain topics relative to the study of the structure of Italian and development of linguistic skills. Starting from the academic year 2005-2006 the project “Insegnare italiano” (Teaching Italian) got under way, and has already led to the production of four sets of DVDs containing recordings of the lessons and teaching materials developed during the meetings (in 2006 and 2007: Models for the study of the language; 2007-2008: Lexicology between grammar and dictionaries; 2008-2009: Teaching Italian as the native language and as the second language; 2009-2010: Teaching Italian in the multilanguage classroom). These last two projects were organized as part of the program of linguistic integration of immigrants, starting from the public school system. The materials have been distributed in various other regions with special initiatives linked to local experiences. The Academy’s Historical Archive, accessible to the public, is named after the academic Severina Parodi, who first organized it systematically with important studies, and it also makes available a large specialized library with over 120,000 volumes devoted to the study of the Italian language and general linguistics, with a vast collection of classical texts (literary, philosophical, juridical, scientific, art-historical), as well as a rich section of dictionaries and grammars, much of which has been digitalized and can be consulted on the web, and specialized Italian and foreign magazines. Its book collection has also been enriched through the acquisition of the personal libraries of such scholars as Alberto Chiari, Gabriella Giacomelli, Bruno Migliorini, Francesco Pagliai, Pietro Pancrazi and Giovanni Nencioni. The library is part of the Integrated Documentary System of the Florentine Area (SDIAF) and the “Books on the Web” service of interlibrary loans promoted by the Region among the library networks of Tuscany. The Historical Archive also contains the “papers” published by the Academy (from 1582) and documents relative to the preparation of the five editions of the Vocabulary: diaries, minutes, academic lessons, collections of letters and documents, and records of literary competitions. Among the manuscripts are documents autographed by Lionardo Salviati, Voltaire, Monti, Manzoni, Leopardi, Giusti, Tommaseo, Carducci, De Amicis. It is flanked by the Modern Archive, with the collected autograph papers and correspondence of personalities in the literary and linguistic fields in the 20th century, like Flaminio Pellegrini, Giorgio Pasquali, Pietro Pancrazi, Francesco Pagliai, Bruno Migliorini, Alberto Chiari, Gianfranco Contini, Franca Brambilla Ageno and Gabriella Giacomelli. The Academy has an active publishing business: it edits the critical edition of significant texts of Italian literary and linguistic tradition, publishes the results of original studies on the history and structure of Italian and, in addition to “La Crusca per voi” with the publishing company “Le Lettere”, has also produced three specialized magazines: «Studi di filologia italiana» (Studies of Italian Philology), «Studi di grammatica italiana» (Studies of Italian Grammar) and «Studi di lessicografia italiana» (Studies of Italian Lexicography).The website of the Academy is a portal entirely devoted to the Italian Language: it performs the function of collecting, selecting and making available to the general public and specialists, a large quantity of qualified information on the subject of linguistics. The content is organized in various sections and the information is accessible for free consultation and via search engines that permit the user to locate specific date quickly and accurately. The website offers a number of multimedia projects produced by the Academy in recent years, including those that give complete digital access to certain sections of the Library and, in particular, to the five editions of the Academy’s Vocabulary (www.lessicografia.it). The section “Language on line” maintains a continuous dialogue with the users, who can submit their linguistic queries and receive news about neologisms. An editorial board of linguists formulates adequate responses that, depending on their relevance, are sent personally to the person requesting them or published in the section “Linguistic Consultation” that currently contains over 250 articles. Since its opening, in 2002, the website has had over 4 million visitors for a total of about 100 million contacts.In 2003, a few exponents of the world of culture and economics, with a view to supporting the scientific, cultural and educational activity of the Crusca, founded the non-profit association Amici dell’Accademia della Crusca (Friends of the Crusca Academy).

219


ASSOCIAZIONE DIMORE STORICHE ITALIANE - SEZ. TOSCANA

(TUSCAN BRANCH OF THE ASSOCIATION OF HISTORICAL

ITALIAN MANSIONS)

www.adsi.it - www.adsitoscana.it

BRIEF HISTORY

The Associazione Dimore Storiche Italiane (ADSI) is a non-profit organization founded in 1977, by a group of private citizens, prompted by their great enthusiasm and professional capability. They were the owners of buildings designated for protection on the basis of their artistic and historical interest, aware of the immense value that these remnants of the past represent for our history, as well as of the cost of proper care and timely maintenance of these buildings, and they created an organization to represent them. The organization is interested in art, natural beauty, the environmental heritage and buildings of historical and artistic interest, including buildings that were constructed as homes or later used as homes (such as houses and palaces, villas, towers and castles, parks and gardens and even farmhouses): unique monuments whose safeguard is an element of collective interest. There is a widespread feeling that the cultural heritage is an economic resource for the country and should therefore be properly managed. The ADSI belongs to the Union of European Historic Houses Associations (UEHHA), which groups all the European associations of this kind.

The Italian association has over 4,600 members, the owners of many architectural and scenic “marvels” in our country. It is divided into Regional branches in 18 Italian regions.

The Tuscan branch of the Association (established in June 1978) has its offices in Florence and has enrolled about 1,000 members.


The association maintains close contact with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, the Superintendences and the regional and local authorities to facilitate and promote, whenever possible, the protection and valorization of private estates.

To illustrate these relations more thoroughly, we can indicate, above all, the regulations contained in Law no. 512 of August 1982, those enacted with Presidential Decree no. 131 of 1986 and the terms of the ICI law of 1993: these are measures that provide fiscal facilitations for the owners of protected properties. These facilitations enable them, from a juridical and fiscal viewpoint, to manage protected property owned by private citizens and testify to the interest of the public administration and political powers to valorize the private property heritage, not only in terms of mere limitations on their use, but by offering active safeguards for private interests. The ADSI has the merit of providing a worthy representative of the interests of its members toward the government.

Every year, several branches of the ADSI organize the event “Cortili e giardini aperti” (Open Houses and Gardens), in cities like Rome, Milan, Florence, Bologna, Palermo and Lecce: thousands of people are able to visit dozens of historical private palaces and gardens. The ADSI also schedules many other cultural initiatives in various parts of the country. For Tuscany, we can mention the important conferences held respectively in Lucca, Pisa, Pistoia and Siena on the historical houses and the art of living in those cities, with the publication of important illustrated volumes containing the articles and studies of 140 scholars.

220


BIBLIOTECA NAZIONALE CENTRALE DI FIRENZE (BNCF)

(FLORENCE MAIN NATIONAL LIBRARY)

www.bncf.firenze.sbn.it

BRIEF HISTORY

The Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze (BNCF) is the Italian national book archive and guarantees its safeguard, valorization and expansion, documenting the possession and ensuring the circulation of documents.

The library disposes of a legacy of 6,000,000 printed volumes, 120,000 published periodicals of which 15,000 still in circulation, 4,000 precious incunabula, 25,000 manuscripts, 29,000 editions from the 16th century and over 1,000,000 autographs.

The shelves of its book deposits currently measure 120 linear kilometers, with an annual increase of about 2 km.

In 2008 users of the library numbered 200,680 (scholars and visitors), while there were 78,313,414 accesses to its website.

This archive, that documents the national identity, makes the BNCF one of the most important Italian libraries, and the only one capable of fully representing the unfolding of the country’s cultural life.

The National Library of Florence was founded in 1714 for the universal benefit of the city, thanks to an inheritance left by the scholar Antonio Magliabechi, and was opened to the public in 1747; in 1861 it was unified with the great Palatine Library of the Lorraine grand dukes and given the name of National Library, with the addition in 1885 of the adjective “Central”.

Since 1870 the library receives, by law, a copy of everything that is published in Italy.

Originally, the library was housed in rooms that were part of the Uffizi complex; in 1935 it moved to its current site built, starting in 1911, to a project by the architect Cesare Bazzani, and later expanded by the architect V.Mazzei. The building is one of the rare examples of library construction, and is part of the monumental area of the Santa Croce complex.


Among the institutional duties of the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale is the publication of the Bibliografia Nazionale Italiana (BNI) (Italian National Bibliography) which, as in every country in the world, is the official notice of what is printed in Italy, and is certainly one of the most important scientific instruments necessary to the librarian profession.

The BNCF provides an irreplaceable cultural service for the local users and scholars from all over the world; among its features:

- it is the headquarters for automation of librarian services;

- it promotes and coordinates the definition of standards and procedures for cataloguing, conservation, restoration and the use of documents;

- it performs a primary role in projects for research and development on the subject of digitalization of the cultural heritage. For example, the project “Digital Storage” proposes to experiment on a large scale with a storage infrastructure for permanent, reliable, secure management and conservation of digital resources. The “Digital Storage” project intends to offer a service of long-term access to digital resources through the creation of an infrastructure that can grow according to the needs and economic resources available, and that can be reused in all those contexts which require the conservation of digital resources;

- it participates in the main national and international projects on the subject of libraries;

- it is a center of excellence for book restoration and for the study and application of new technologies for cataloguing books;

- based on the new law on legal deposit, it has acquired an even more important and difficult position in consideration of its obligation to ensure permanent preservation also of all digital publications;

- to fulfill its task of valorizing and making its legacy accessible, it organizes conferences, presentations of volumes and bibliographic exhibitions that attract visitors from all over the world.

221


THE BRITISH INSTITUTE OF FLORENCE

www.britishinstitute.it

BRIEF HISTORY

The British Institute of Florence, founded in 1917 to promote cultural exchanges between Italy and the English-speaking world was endowed with the Royal Charter in 1923, and was the first British cultural institution to operate outside the United Kingdom. Later, it was taken as the model for the birth of the British Council in 1934.

In the early years after its foundation, the British Institute held conferences, published a periodical (“La Vita Britannica” – British Life), and began to build its own library. The goals of the Institute, defined in the Charter of 1923, were to promote reciprocal knowledge between Italian citizens and those of the Commonwealth countries by maintaining a library in Florence that would illustrate both cultures and promote the study of the two languages.

During the Twenties and Thirties, the British Institute developed its teaching mission and, following an agreement with the University of Florence, became responsible for teaching English at the university level, so that it trained an entire generation of future teachers in Italian schools. After the end of World War II, the Institute continued to develop its courses, in particular starting a course in art history, and in general maintaining respect of its initial intents.

The Institute operates in two historical buildings in downtown Florence: the Linguistic Center is located in Palazzo Strozzino, while the Library and Cultural Center are housed in Palazzo Lanfredini on the south bank of the Arno river.


Today the British Institute offers a vast program of courses of English language, Italian language and art history, and organizes many cultural events of various kinds.

The Institute offers courses of Italian at all levels, from beginners to advanced: the main goals on which its teaching activities are focused are to enable the student to improve and gradually obtain mastery of Italian.

Its English courses go from the beginning to the advanced level, and include courses of Business English, courses of preparation for the Cambridge ESOL examinations and intensive summer courses.

The courses of art history are held in English and concentrate on Italian art in the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods. The classes of drawing from life are organized at a historical Florentine studio, the “Charles H. Cecil Studios” school of fine arts.

The Harold Acton Library holds one of the largest collection of books in English in continental Europe: 50,000 volumes published between the 16th and the 21st century, with about 500 new titles every year. The Library also schedules numerous cultural events throughout the year, thus representing a vital point of contact and exchange between the English and Italian communities, both long-term residents and students or visitors.

222


CENTRO PER L’ARTE CONTEMPORANEA “LUIGI PECCI” DI PRATO

(“LUIGI PECCI” CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER, PRATO)

www.centropecci.it

BRIEF HISTORY

The Centro per l’arte contemporanea “Luigi Pecci” of Prato is the first Italian museum with a site built ex novo to present, collect, document and promote the developments of the most advanced artistic research. Located on the main artery between Florence and Pistoia, near the east Prato exit, it testifies to the entrepreneurial, dynamic character typical of an industrial city, attentive to research and innovation in both the economic and cultural sphere. Donated to the city in 1988 by a “Cavaliere del Lavoro”, Enrico Pecci, in memory of his son Luigi, who perished tragically in his youth, it was founded with the contribution of the City of Prato, several local companies, public institutions and private citizens.


The Center is active and has international relations through extensive programming of temporary exhibitions, teaching activities and brokerage, documentation and information about contemporary art, entertainment and multimedia events. It also presents an important permanent collection, consisting of works by the greatest contemporary artists, which testify to its activities of exhibition and research: the collection of Prato’s museum includes important works, above all from the Eighties and, in its complexity, it offers the maximum visibility to the trends and developments of the artistic language in our time.

The richness of the collection and the lack of a permanent exhibition space in the original building, designed by Italo Gamberini, prompted the Board of Directors of the Center to plan for a possible expansion of the existing structure, and the Pecci family commission the architect Maurice Nio to design it. The new challenge launched by the Center and by the Pecci family was favorably accepted by the City of Prato and the Region of Tuscany that are financing its construction.

Through continuous exhibition of the collection and updating of the services, when the works to be carried out (without interrupting the museum’s exhibition activities) between 2010 and 2012 are completed, the museum will be able to consolidate its role as the regional contemporary art museum and reconfirm its character of excellence and uniqueness on the national and international art scene.

The architectural expansion designed by Maurice Nio will satisfy a number of fundamental requisites: it will double the exhibition space available and permit a fuller presentation of the permanent pieces alongside the temporary exhibitions, facilitating the division of space and alternation of exhibition projects, improving the visit route, providing the city with services of reception, classroms, as well as the areas for trade and refreshments that are by now an integral part of the cultural offering of any contemporary museum. When it can offer simultaneously completely renewed services to the public and various exhibition spaces organically arranged, the Center can strengthen the image of a city and a region in which, in addition to the long-standing cultural traditions and great artistic civilizations of the past, there is room as well for significant examples and multiple developments of contemporary art.

223


CONSERVATORIO DI MUSICA “LUIGI CHERUBINI” DI FIRENZE

(“LUIGI CHERUBINI” MUSIC CONSERVATORY)

www.conservatorio.firenze.it

BRIEF HISTORY

There is no question that Florence, cradle of the melodrama and art city by definition, has always had music schools, starting at least from the 14th century, the period in which the Ars Nova flourished. For a long time these schools were private and existed thanks to the personal initiative of some renowned artist or through the interest of patrons of the arts, without ever acquiring a public function.Under the French government, toward the end of the 18th and early 19th century, the first music schools were established, but we have little information about their size and organization. However, among the various Academies existing in Florence (like the Accademia Fiorentina, the Accademia della Crusca and the Accademia degli Apatici), regular courses of instruction were established, though these apparently did not include music. We know a little more about the Accademia delle Belle Arti, that existed already in 1811 and was divided into three classes, one of which was devoted to music and “declamation”: the music schools, with their teachers, were a branch of the class of “Music and Declamation”, and taught counterpoint, singing, piano, violin, declamation and theatrical art.A Grand Ducal decree of August 6, 1849 converted the music school of the Accademia delle Belle Arti into a Musical Institution in its own right, calling on Giovanni Pacini to direct it, as he was a noted composer at the time, famous for his excellent operas (he authored 90 theatrical works, including “Sappho” and “Medea”).King Vittorio Emanuele II, with a decree dated March 15, 1860, abolished the old schools, separating them definitively from the Accademia delle Belle Arti and transforming them into the “Regio Istituto Musicale di Firenze” (Royal Music Institute of Florence). The Director was Luigi Ferdinando Casamorata, one of the most illustrious personalities, with Abramo Basevi, of the Florentine musical life of the period.In 1910 the Music Institute was named after Luigi Cherubini in honor of the great master of Florentine origin.

Later, under the direction of Arnaldo Bonaventura, the Royal Decree of December 31, 1923 transformed the Institute into “Regio Conservatorio di Musica” (Royal Conservatory of Music).The library was created out of the fund of the old school, from the archive of the Grand Duke’s court of Tuscany (Pitti Fund) and various donations (Baron Ricasoli, Casamorata, Basevi, Prince Corsini, etc.). The Basevi fund is particularly important as it consists of bibliographical material from various periods.


The current educational offering of the “L.Cherubini” Conservatory consists of the traditional courses of the Old Order, the experimental courses of the Three-Year and Two-Year courses of specialization, the courses for qualification foreseen by Ministry Decree no. 137/07. Basically all the courses foreseen by the current regulations are comprised in the traditional diploma courses, the three-year and two-year academic diplomas and the two-year course of qualification.The function of the “L.Cherubini”, the only conservatory in the Region of Tuscany, is to provide a high quality public service with the broadest educational offering possible. In addition to the complete training courses in all the instruments of the symphonic orchestra, there are courses of music and new technologies, Jazz, Accordion, Saxophone and ancient music (recorder, harpsichord, viola da gamba), as well as courses in singing, vocal chamber music, composition, orchestra conducting, choir direction and band instrumentation, piano accompaniment and music teaching, with a faculty of 107 teachers. The three-year and two-year academic diploma courses, available at the Florence Conservatory from the academic year 2003-2004, have already produced 273 graduates from 2006 to the present, 60 in the three-year course and 213 in the two-year course (excluding 39 final examinations that will be held in February 2010, the last session of the academic year 2008-2009), with the highest ratio among Italian conservatories, between students enrolled and graduates. Another important figure refers to the number of enrollments in Advanced Training for the academic year 2009-2010 which has 239 students, 124 in the three-year course and 115 in the two-year course. All this against a total of 552 students enrolled in the Old Order with an average of 40-60 graduates every year. The quality of the training is also confirmed by the many competitions won by the students, including the two prestigious “Premio delle Arti” (Arts Awards), won in 2009 by students of the “L.Cherubini”, out of the 16 foreseen by the Ministry. The activities of production of the three orchestras involve all the “schools” of the Conservatory and the students at all levels, in collaboration with the choir and singing schools for dozens of concerts in a very vast repertoire, from Baroque to contemporary music, including pieces written by the students of the school of composition, and productions of the departments of Music and New Technologies, Jazz and Ancient Music. The students perform in concerts, as soloists and in chamber groups in internal and external recitals, in the schools, museums, other conservatories and prestigious festivals. There are also numerous book presentations on musical subjects, and dozens of seminars are organized with prestigious guests.The Conservatory of Florence boasts one of the most important centers in Italy for research on the restoration of audio supports, the MARTLAB, which operates in the “Multimedia Structure” and is financed by the Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze Bank and other sponsors. The Library of the Conservatory, a real treasure composed of about 100,000 ancient volumes of music, has already experienced its own rebirth, with the restoration and reopening of the reading room, and the digitalization, since 2005, of extremely important works the details of which are available in SBN Musica, and the current complete digital cataloguing, financed by the Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze Bank, the Region of Tuscany, the Galleria dell’Accademia and Villa I Tatti - Harvard University. The “MARTLAB” and “Firenze Biblioteca Digitale Musicale per il Mondo” (Florence Digital Musical Library for the World) projects were admitted to national cofinancing for the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009.The agreement with the Galleria dell’Accademia was renewed for the free loan of the prestigious collection of ancient musical instruments with which the Conservatorio has created a museum of international interest.In these years, the Conservatory has stipulated dozens of agreements and collaborations at all institutional levels, such as, just to mention a few: with the Ministry for the University, the Region of Tuscany, the Province and City of Florence, with the Universities of Florence and Pisa, with the Accademia di Belle Arti and ISIA of Florence, with the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Galleria dell’Accademia and Villa I Tatti-Harvard University, as well as 18 bilateral Erasmus agreements with prestigious European conservatories. With ISIA and the Accademia di Belle Arti, the Conservatory has stipulated an agreement for “La Città delle Arti” (The City of the Arts), the first step toward the Polytechnic Institute of the Arts, contemplated by the reform laws, and it is also a founding member of the National Orchestra of the Conservatories, of which several students from the Conservatory are part. 2010, is a particular year for the “L.Cherubini” Conservatory: it is the 250th anniversary of the birth of the great composer for whom it is named, and for the occasion the Academic Council has approved a series of concerts, with performances of unknown music by the Master, conserved in the Library, and an important international conference (October 2010) sponsored by the University of Florence. The Conservatory of Florence, in addition to being accredited in the Region of Tuscany, is the only one it Italy to be certified ISO 9001 2008.

224


DIREZIONE REGIONALE PER I BENI CULTURALI E PAESAGGISTICI DELLA TOSCANA(REGIONAL DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE AND

LANDSCAPE OF TUSCANY)

www.toscana.beniculturali.it

BRIEF HISTORYThe Ministry for the Cultural and Environmental Heritage was established by Giovanni Spadolini (with Legislative Decree no. 657 on December 14, 1974, converted into law no. 5 on January 29, 1975), which was assigned the task of managing the country’s cultural and environmental heritage to ensure its coordinated protection on the internal and national level. It took over the duties and functions that had previously been handled by the Ministry for Public Education (Antiquity and Fine Arts, Academies and Libraries), the Ministry of the Interior (State Archives) and the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (State Discotheque, book publishing and spread of culture).In 1998, with Legislative Decree no. 368 of October 20, the new Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali (MiBAC) (Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities) was created, with duties that included the promotion of sports (transferred in 2006 to the new Ministry for Youth Policies and Sports Activities), the management of sports facilities and the promotion of all forms of entertainment: from cinema to theater, to dance, music and itinerant shows. The Ministry organization, regulated by Presidential Decree no. 233 of November 26, 2007 – amended with Presidential Decree no. 91 on July 2, 2009 – is divided into four departments, as follows:- Central Administration (General Secretariat; 8 General Directorates, each vested with specific subjects relative to the sector);- Central consultant bodies (Higher Council for the Cultural and Scenic Heritage; Technical-scientific committees);- Central Institutes (Central Institute for the Catalogue and Documentation; Central Institute for the Unified Catalogue of Italian Libraries and

Bibliographic Information; Opificio delle Pietre Dure (Museum of Semi-Precious Stone Inlays); Central Institute for Demo-ethno-anthropology; Central Institute for the Restoration and Conservation of the Documentary and Literary Heritage; Central Institute for the Archives; Central Institute for Audio and Audiovisual Assets);

- Institutes with special independence (the special superintendence for the archeological heritage of Naples and Pompeii; the special superintendences for the historical, artistic and ethno-anthropological heritage and museums of the cities of Venice, Naples, Rome, Florence; the higher institute for conservation and restoration; the Central National Libraries of Florence and Rome; the Center for books and reading, the Central State Archive).

The Peripheral Administration is divided into Regional Directorates for the Cultural Heritage and Landscape, Superintendences (for the archeological heritage; for the architectural and scenic heritage; for the historical, artistic and ethno-anthropological heritages), Archive Superintendences, State Archives, State Libraries, Museums.The reorganization of MiBAC performed in 2009 was based on measures of greater rationalization, efficiency and economical operation of the Public Administration, and introduces significant innovations targeted on exalting the actions to safeguard, valorize and exploit the public cultural heritage, and at the same time provide central focus on safeguarding the landscape in the more general context of the fine arts. One the main new aspects is the creation of the General Directorate for the Valorization of the Cultural Heritage, to achieve more effective promotion and development of this sector, spreading the knowledge of culture in the national and international field, ensuring the best possible conditions of use and enjoyment by the public of the heritage for all citizens.The Secretary General of the Ministry coordinates the Regional Directorates for the Cultural Heritage and Landscape, offices of general executive level in the regions established in all the Regions with ordinary by-laws, as well as in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Sardinia, with Legislative Decree no. 3 of January 8, 2004, which have their offices in the capital cities of each region.

PRIMARY ACTIVITIES AND EXCELLENCES OF THE INSTITUTIONThe Regional Directorates exercise powers of management, orientation, coordination, control over the activities of the peripheral structures of the Ministry in the Regions (superintendences, archives, libraries and museums) and provide an institutional reference point for relations between the Ministry and the peripheral structures, the regions and local governments and the other institutions operating in the country. The Regional Directorate is concerned with three fundamental aspects: the safeguard and promotion of the cultural heritage, its economic and financial management, its coordination at the organizational level. In particular, among the duties of the Regional Directorate are the following: - promotion and the organization – also in collaboration with the regions, universities and cultural institutions – of activities of study, research, cultural

and educational initiatives on the subject of safeguarding the landscape, culture and quality of architecture and urban design;- coordinating the activity of cataloguing the cultural heritage;- promotion in the schools, by agreement with the Ministry of Education, the University and Research (MIUR), of knowledge of the cultural

heritage;- monitoring the production of works of art in public buildings;- assignment, either directly or by concession, of the activities and public services of valorization of the cultural heritage;- performance of the function of contracting for works of conservation using government funds on existing properties in the regional territories;- enacting provisions for inspection and declaration of interest for the purpose of identifying those public and private properties of artistic,

historical, archeological, ethno-anthropological, archivist interest that are part of the cultural heritage and that, if publicly owned, can be enjoyed by the general public;

- authorization for works of removal, demolition, movement, dismembering of cultural properties;- imposing measures to protect the buildings of cultural interest;- authorization for the transfer by sale of cultural properties;- the declaration of exceptional public interest relative to scenic properties and, by agreement with the region, the definition of methods for the joint

development of landscaping plans;- the proposal of actions to include in the programs of public works and budgets of expenditure;- the expression of opinions for which the Ministry is competent, in the assignment of services in the regional and intersectorial sphere;- management of the human and instrumental resources of the offices of the Ministry in the regional sector;- management of relations with the labor unions and negotiation of the collective labor agreements at the regional level.Development of culture, scientific research, safeguarding the landscape and historical and artistic heritage of the nation are among the fundamental principles of the Italian constitution.

225


FONDAZIONE CIRCOLO ROSSELLI E CIRCOLO DI CULTURA POLITICA FRATELLI ROSSELLI

(CIRCOLO ROSSELLI FOUNDATION AND ROSSELLI BROTHERS POLITICAL CULTURE CLUB)www.rosselli.org

BRIEF HISTORY

The Fondazione Circolo Rosselli and the Circolo di Cultura Politica Fratelli Rosselli are among the oldest and at the same time most active cultural institutions of Italy. Their name is inextricably linked to the city of Florence. Their origins go back to 1920, when a group of young men, including the brothers Carlo and Nello Rosselli, Piero Calamandrei, Ernesto Rossi and the brothers Alfredo and Nello Niccoli, led by Gaetano Salvemini, founded the Circolo di Cultura (1920-1924) (Culture Club), in Florence. During the period of Fascist violence that followed the Matteotti murder, the Circolo di Cultura was also devastated on December 31, 1924, and its material destroyed. A few days later, on January 5, 1925, the Prefecture issued an order closing the club. The anti-Fascist struggle began then, and the men of the Circolo di Cultura were in the front line, with the publication of the first clandestine anti-Fascist newspaper “Non Mollare” (Don’t Give Up) and the foundation of the movement Giustizia e Libertà (Justice and Liberty), by Carlo Rosselli, philosopher of Liberal Socialism, leading to the killing of the two brothers, Carlo and Nello on June 9, 1937, and the establishment of the Partito d’Azione (Action Party).

It was the Florentine Partito d’Azione, headed by Tristano Codignola, that re-established the Circolo di Cultura in October 1944, as soon as the city was liberated, calling it Circolo di Cultura Politica Fratelli Rosselli (CFR) (the Rosselli Brothers Political Culture Club). The Circolo Rosselli became active under Piero Calamandrei, who had been one of the founders of the Circolo di Cultura. Since then its activities have been uninterrupted, coherent and continuous, and it has renewed its membership over and over with the arrival of qualified young energies. Its initiatives cover a wide range of interests at the level not only of the city and region, but also at the national and even international level. In 1989 the Circolo Rosselli organized a conference with Giovanni Falcone on the battle against organized crime.

The current president of the club is Prof. Riccardo Pratesi, and it has about a hundred members.


In 1990 the Circolo Rosselli Foundation was created (chartered as a non-profit organization by Presidential Decree), and is now presided over by Valdo Spini, who flanked, strengthened and expanded the traditional cultural and conference activities of the club with numerous initiatives and the magazine ‘’Quaderni del Circolo Rosselli’’ (Notebooks of the Rosselli Club): a series of publications issued quarterly, each on a specific theme, with highly qualified contributions, initiated in 1981, it is a valuable instrument for spreading information about the topics of discussion of the Foundation and Club. The “Notebooks” are thirty years old now and 107 issues have been published, as well as 3 supplements.

The social aims of the Foundation are to promote meetings, conferences, readings, conversations and discussions on the fundamental problems that encounter our interest today. To this end, the Foundation cooperates with other clubs and foundations throughout Italy and abroad.

The Foundation also organizes art shows and has performed sociological surveys.

Recently, the director of the “Quaderni del Circolo Rosselli”, Valdo Spini, was elected president of the Coordinamento Riviste Italiane di Cultura (CRIC) (Coordinators of Italian Cultural Magazines).

Every two years, the Club and Foundation organize a debate on Scientific Research named after Luigi Amaducci, a great scientist who died a few years ago and was one of the officers of the club.

The Fondazione Circolo Rosselli has had important representatives of politics, economy and culture among its speakers, as well as many professors and Italian as well as foreign scholars. The President Emeritus of the Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi allowed the Fondazione Rosselli to preview his “Dialoghi con il Presidente” (Dialogues with the President), a book dedicated to the present and former students of the university schools of excellence of Pisa, accompanied by his recorded television message.

Between 2008 and 2009 alone, the Foundation held over 40 conferences and seminars.

226


FONDAZIONE PALAZZO STROZZI(PALAZZO STROZZI FOUNDATION)

www.palazzostrozzi.org

BRIEF HISTORY

The Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, created in July 2006, was founded to transform the 15th century palace, located in the heart of Florence, into a modern cultural platform of experimentation: its purpose is to create a place of debates and discussions, to have an international approach in cultural production and to open the palace to the city, the residents and all those who love Florence.

The Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi is an innovation in the governance of Italian cultural institutions. Led by an authoritative Board of Directors, it is based on the collaboration between the public and private sectors. three public organizations and an association of private partners including several of the most important Italian businesses organizations.


Today Palazzo Strozzi, directed by James Bradburne, is an attractive, busy location and an active cultural center, open year round. Palazzo Strozzi hosts two important annual exhibitions, but it is also the dynamic Centro di Cultura Contemporanea Strozzina (CCCS) (Strozzina Contemporary Culture Center) and houses a permanent exhibition on the history of the Palazzo. The Palazzo is always open with a bar/café managed by Caffè Giacosa and with the Agora|z Mandragora Design and Bookshop, and the magnificent courtyard is regularly used for concerts, fashion shows and installations by the greatest contemporary artists.

The exhibitions organized at Palazzo Strozzi offer a wide range of activities, with special events for families and children, interactive experiences, workshops and special publications (in Italian and English). Great attention is given to “visible listening”, that is, the recognition that culture is made up of many voices and it is important to render them visible: this approach is recognizable everywhere, from the signs to the video information in the courtyard, even to the captions within the exhibition.

From the outset, the Foundation decided that the cellars of the palace, recently restored and historically known as “la Strozzina”, should become the main stage of Palazzo Strozzi for contemporary culture, with the goal of attracting a younger public and hosting a series of events, activities and exhibitions representing the entire spectrum of contemporary creative activities. The projects relative to the Strozzina place the accent on four strategies: promoting repeated use rather than concentration on single visits, developing a mix of activities that reflect contemporary reality, targeted on a younger public with a well-defined platform of collaboration.

Starting in November 2007, the Centro di Cultura Contemporanea Strozzina (CCCS), under the general direction of Franziska Nori, has formulated a program covering several years, based on local and international networks, that develops exhibitions on themes and interdisciplinary events on different aspects of contemporary culture.

Independent curators and international institutions are invited to propose exhibitions, cycles of videos and films, workshops, performances and conferences with the goal of exploring the chosen themes. The CCCS develops cultural projects relative to the matters of social relevance that underlie our contemporary reality. The public becomes the focus through a direct and continuous relationship with the Center. The cumulative ticket costs 5 Euro, and is valid for a month, to encourage repeated visits to the exhibitions and participation in the weekly conferences, performances and workshops offered during the year.

Placing art in a Renaissance architectural setting like that of Palazzo Strozzi is a challenge that the Foundation interprets as a stimulus to prepare each new event or project in constant search of new possibilities of communication and artistic presentation: the need to identify Palazzo Strozzi as an independent cultural site can be summarized in the statement “more than just exhibitions”.

227


GABINETTO SCIENTIFICO LETTERARIO G.P. VIEUSSEUX

(G.P. VIEUSSEUX SCIENTIFIC AND LITERARY SOCIETY)

www.vieusseux.fi.it

BRIEF HISTORY

Founded in Florence in 1819 by Giovan Pietro Vieusseux, a merchant of Swiss origins, in the 19th century the Gabinetto Scientifico Letterario G.P. Vieusseux was one of the main bridges between Italian and European culture, and one of the most active centers for the Italian Risorgimento (Resurrection).

It was founded as a reading room, where the most important magazines of Europe were made available to the public of residents and foreign visitors, in rooms that were open to conversation and the exchange of ideas. Alongside the Gabinetto, a circulating library was organized, where it was possible to borrow the latest books in Italian, French and English.

Giacomo Leopardi and Alessandro Manzoni were regular visitors to the Gabinetto Vieusseux during their stays in Florence; among its many foreign members were Stendhal, Arthur Schopenhauer, James F. Cooper, William M. Thackeray, Fëdor Dostoevskij, Mark Twain, Emile Zola, André Gide, Rudyard Kipling, Aldous Huxley and David H. Lawrence.

Until 1919 it was supported by the heirs of Vieusseux as a private enterprise, and in 1925 the Gabinetto became a Non-profit organization, with a Board of Directors presided over, by proxy, by the Mayor of Florence.


The Institute – with registered office in Palazzo Strozzi – promotes conferences, seminars, exhibitions, studies and publications throughout the year (since 1995 it has resumed publication of the magazine “Antologia Vieusseux” (Vieusseux Anthology), issued every four months and founded by Bonsanti in 1966).

The activities of the Gabinetto Vieusseux are developed in six sectors (in addition to the management sector), established over the years to meet the needs of management and development of the tangible and ideal heritage of the Institute. In particular:

- the Library, which is one of the oldest of the six sectors, and has the task of preserving and rendering accessible to a public with a wide range of interests and differing degrees of specialization, a legacy of 460,000 books and magazines in several languages that has few equivalents in Europe, also performing an activity of investigation of the characteristics of the collection and its use by visitors during the 19th and 20th century. The activity of the library, for experience and technical-scientific competence, is also a valuable reference in the biblio-economic and bibliographic sector;

- The Romance Center promotes studies and initiatives, based on the documentation held by the Institute, with conferences, seminars, exhibitions and publications on the European civilization of the 19th century, especially as regards the acquisition and publication of data about the different experiences that characterized the Gabinetto Vieusseux. The activity of research and publication extends for many aspects to the problems of modern civilization, relative to the meeting of different cultures; in this sphere, the program “Vieusseux-Asia” is organized by the Romance Center, following the acquisition of the Oriental Library (8,000 volumes) and Photographic Archive (100,000 pictures) of Fosco Maraini. The Center also provides consultation and support to research;

- The “Alessandro Bonsanti” Contemporary Archive, houses and preserves significant documents from the 20th century, consisting mainly of the archives and libraries of authors and personalities, among the most representative of Italian culture. With over 150 funds that it currently preserves, it is the largest Italian center of this kind for conservation and consultation. In consideration of the quantity of documents (over 5,000,000 papers and 90,000 volumes), the Contemporary Archive has its own location in Palazzo Corsini Suarez;

- The Historical Archive contains the institutional documents of the Institute since its foundation, in 1819, and until the present: from the first Letter Copies and Ledgers of Members to documentation of the managements of Eugenio Montale and Alessandro Bonsanti; it also preserves many 19th century aggregate collections;

- The Cultural Events sector valorizes the traditions and potential of the Gabinetto Vieusseux as a place of meeting and discussion, by promoting conferences, round tables, often in collaboration with other organizations, and by favoring communication of the results of the other sectors’ activities and editing its magazine. Particular attention is currently devoted to the adoption of new systems and new methods of communication and publication;

- The Service of Conservation and Restoration, which was created after the flood in 1966 that damaged much of the Gabinetto’s legacy, especially the older part, of books and archives, works to recover and restore the volumes, according to priorities of action determined by their intrinsic value, the strategies of the Library and the programs of study and research planned by the Institute. Its task is to prepare the actions necessary for the physical protection of the Gabinetto Vieusseux’s legacy. The experience acquired has made it, over the years, one of the most accredited international workshops.

The work of these sectors, in the different areas of specialization, focuses around the common goal of ensuring the use by the public of the books, documents and the traditions that make the Gabinetto Vieusseux one of the most meaningful sites, for its interdisciplinary characteristics, of Italian and European culture.

228


GALLERIA D’ARTE MODERNA DI PALAZZO PITTI

(PITTI MODERN ART GALLERY)

www.polomuseale.firenze.it/gam/

BRIEF HISTORY

The Galleria d’Arte Moderna (GAM) has been part of the museum complex of Palazzo Pitti since 1924, when it was housed on the second floor, where it is still located, in the rooms vacated by the royal family, which lived there until 1922.

It was the realization of a project desired since the earliest period of Italian unity: to give the city, normally projected toward the artistic tradition of its glorious past, a museum that would collect the more recent artistic production and, at the same time act as a stimulus to maintain creativity alive in Florence and Tuscany.

Ten years before the Gallery could find a suitable venue, the state and city signed an agreement, which is still valid, to bring to a single museum the respective works, entrusted to the management of a government-appointed director, flanked by a state-city committee to decide policies of new acquisitions and purchases.


The new museum, on the strength of its well-structured and farsighted identity, was able to find a home and grow in the 30 rooms that it currently occupies, in the section restructured by the Lorraine Grand Dukes, in the measured elegance of Neoclassicism and the slightly more eloquent decor of early Romanticism. A visitor to what were once the private apartments of the Lorraines explores the rooms of the museum while enjoying views of the Boboli Gardens on one side and Florence on the other, and feels like a guest of the court, in the elegance of a palace that, between the 18th and 19th century, was on the outskirts of the city but was never provincial. The furnishings contribute to this effect, all belonging to the grand ducal dynasty, well suited to the different rooms, that comply with the primary function of exhibiting collections of painting and sculpture, formed from the end of the 18th century on.

The visit develops along a chronological and thematic sequence, that impressively illustrates the aspects of Neoclassicism in Tuscany, especially international at the time of the Napoleonic court; romantic paintings of the historical genre, with themes devoted to the country’s history, often seen as having an exemplary function for justification of the Risorgimento; Risorgimento subjects in the strict sense, to which painters of different styles adhere, all ready to grasp the importance and historical novelty of the time; the portraiture in celebration of middle-class society, which was rising to the fore during the 19th century; landscape painting, on the different levels of sensitivity to nature common to Romanticism; genre painting, which enjoyed great success toward the end of a 19th century that had exhausted its heroic phase. Running through all the different genres to some extent, but marked by its own, unmistakable innovative imprint, the art of the Macchiaioli is the most conspicuous nucleus, in number and quality, of the Gallery, which has linked its own fame and history to this particular movement. But the collections of the Gallery go well beyond this, up to the mid-20th century when the museum’s policy and the changing artistic conditions locally ended the “promoting” stage of the Pitti museum, and its collections and aspects became historical.

The current lack of space means that the last rooms exhibit an anthological selection that is representative, however, of Tuscan art in the first two decades of the 20th century. The museum hopes to acquire soon 15 rooms on the upper floor, which will enable it to provide a more exhaustive rendering of the 20th century itinerary. But already today the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, with its masterpieces in the fabric of a multifaceted figurative history, complex yet seductively eloquent, invites visitors, Florentine or not, to spend a little time in a place where they can find “luxe, calme, volupté”.

229


GALLERIA DEGLI UFFIZI

(UFFIZI GALLERY)

www.polomuseale.firenze.it/musei/uffizi/

BRIEF HISTORY

It is one of the most famous museums in the world for its extraordinary collections of paintings and ancient statues; its collections of paintings from the14th century and the Renaissance contain some of the greatest art masterpieces of all times.

The Galleria degli Uffizi is located in a building constructed by Cosimo I de’ Medici which stood alongside his residence in Palazzo Vecchio and housed the Magistrature delle Arti fiorentine (The offices of the Florentine guilds).

On the first floor, starting in the Eighties of the 16th century, his heir, Francesco I, decided to hang a series of portraits of illustrious personalities from history as well as contemporaries, and created the first nucleus of the present museum, located in the octagonal tribunal to which the first corridor gave access. Here, Francesco kept his works of art and the most precious and astonishing natural rarities. Rooms were later built next to it for the collection of scientific instruments and the Medici weaponry.


In the centuries that followed, the Medicis and, later, the Lorraines increased the art collections kept there until they had created one of the most important museums in the world, with collections of ancient statues, drawings and paintings, including works by Giotto, Simone Martini, Piero della Francesca, Beato Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Sandro Botticelli, Mantegna, Correggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello, Michelangelo, Caravaggio. There are also significant collections of paintings by German, Dutch and Flemish artists such as: Dürer, Rembrandt and Rubens.

The Botticelli Room is one of the most famous of the Galleria degli Uffizi because it contains some of the masterpieces of the Renaissance painted in the last decades of the 15th century: among the 15 works by Sandro Botticelli the most famous are “La Primavera” (Spring) and “La Nascita di Venere” (Birth of Venus), the first large paintings not of religious subjects of the Italian Renaissance, that testify to the cultural atmosphere of Florence at the time of Lorenzo il Magnifico. Mindful of the richness of numerous other masterpieces belonging to the Uffizi collections, it is also worth mentioning the rooms of the Duecento (13th century) and Giotto, the Lippi Room (where we can also admire the famous “Double portraits of the Dukes of Urbino” by Piero della Francesca), the Leonardo da Vinci Room (“Il battesimo di Cristo”, “L’Annunciazione”, “L’adorazione dei Magi”), (The Baptism of Christ, the Annunciation, the Adoration of the Magi), the room devoted to Michelangelo and the Florentines (with the famous “Tondo Doni”, one of the most famous paintings of the Gallery, painted by a young Michelangelo).

The complex, designed by Vasari, also houses the Contini Bonacossi Collection and the celebrated Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe degli Uffizi (the Gallery of Drawings and Prints of the Uffizi).

The Corridoio Vasariano (1565) (Vasari Corridor) connects the building of the Uffizi with Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti. It contains important collections of paintings from the 17th century and the famous collection of painters’ self-portraits.

230


GALLERIA DELL’ACCADEMIA

(ACCADEMIA GALLERY)

www.uffizi.firenze.it/musei/accademia/

BRIEF HISTORY

In 1784 the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Pietro Leopoldo founded the Accademia di Belle Arti, a school which was to teach the arts, combining prestigious institutions such as the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno and was located in the ancient buildings of the San Matteo Hospital and the Convento of San Niccolò di Cafaggio.

The Accademia di Belle Arti, the Galleria dell’Accademia was also founded as a museum for the works of art owned by the art school, which could serve at the same time as models for the training of new artists.

The Gallery grew and acquired many ancient paintings from the churches and convents suppressed by the Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo at the end of the 19th century and then by Napoleon in 1810, as well as a section of modern art.

In 1873 the statue of David by Michelangelo Buonarroti, was moved to the Gallery from Piazza della Signoria, and installed in a special exhibition area designed by Emilio De Fabris, known as the Tribuna.

Between the 19th century and the early years of the 20th, the Gallery, which by then had a separate management from that of the Accademia di Belle Arti, was subject to reordering, and some of its ancient paintings were transferred to other museums in the city, while the section of modern art was moved to its new premises at Palazzo Pitti.


In addition to the famous statue of “David”, over the years the Galleria dell’Accademia acquired other masterpieces by Michelangelo, like the statue of “San Matteo” (acquired by the museum in 1906), and, since 1909, the four giant sculptures of the “Prigioni” (Prisons), from the Buontalenti grotto in Boboli Gardens.

Among the works that have been at the gallery since its foundation is the sculpture group of the “Rape of the Sabine” by Giambologna, now on view in the Colossus Room.

In more recent years, attempts have been made to reinstate the original bond with the Accademia di Belle Arti, by exhibiting a large collection of plaster casts by Lorenzo Bartolini and other artists from the 19th century linked to the art school, and the Museo degli strumenti musicali (Museum of Musical Instruments) was also opened there, with a collection of the most important musical instruments belonging to the “Luigi Cherubini” Conservatory of Florence, which initially was also one of the sections of the ancient Accademia di Belle Arti.

The collection of fondi oro (gold background) paintings on wood from the 14th, 15th and 16th century, has also been expanded, and occupies new exhibition rooms where it is possible to exhibit polyptychs and large altar pieces.

231


ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI SCIENZE UMANE (SUM)

(ITALIAN INSTITUTE OF HUMAN SCIENCES)

www.sumitalia.it

BRIEF HISTORY

The Istituto Italiano di Scienze Umane (SUM) is a public university devoted to higher education and research in the human and social sciences. Its headquarters are in Florence (Palazzo Strozzi) and Naples (Palazzo Cavalcanti). It consists of a network structure in which schools of higher education participate, from the Universities of Bologna, Florence, Rome “La Sapienza”, Milan-Bicocca, Naples “Federico II”, Naples “L’Orientale”, Naples “Suor Orsola Benincasa”, and Siena.

The institute is the site of courses for research doctorates with characteristics of advanced quality, and programs of post-doctoral training. The doctorate courses are managed in cooperation with the universities of the network.

In addition to the Regular Professors of the SUM, many professors from other Italian, European and American universities contribute their courses on contract in the different fields. The institute is headed by the Director (Aldo Schiavone), the Board of Directors, the Faculty Board and the Council of Guarantee composed of the Rectors of the eight universities in the network, under the presidency of Umberto Eco.

The SUM operates with financing from the Ministry, and with the support of public and private organizations. For the support of its activities, the SUM is flanked by a private foundation (with offices in Milan) which engages in fundraising and promoting the cultural debate in the field of human and social sciences to define an innovative system of relations between public and private, research and business.


Currently, the SUM offers 22 three-year doctorate course at the different schools of the universities in the network. The training is based on the broadest interdisciplinary openness and cooperation among different spheres of study and different research methods.

The Institute now has a total of about 200 students, 134 of whom are there on scholarships. The full complement consists of over 300 students, with over 200 on scholarships. Of the 16 doctorate courses active in 2008, 3 are in Florence, 7 in Naples, 2 in Bologna, 1 in Rome, 1 in Milan and 2 in Siena

The training activities, which are particularly intense in the first two years, are distributed over two semesters. The seminars are held by the specialists deemed most qualified on the international scene: the professors are required to hold extensive discussions with the students on the content of their lessons. The seminars are held in Italian, English and French, and can be attended by other Italian or foreign doctoral students. The students, whether or not on scholarships, are offered accommodations at the school for the entire duration of the course, so that they can attend full time and create an environment of study and work in which different cultural experiences and the research of the students can interact in positive ways. The costs of the research performed by the students are also amply financed, with periods of study abroad (during the time when the ordinary activities at the school are suspended).

The academic year opens with a week of activities common to all doctorates, representing a reflection on the concept and meaning of human and social sciences - epistemology, pathways, methods – and specificities: it is an event that is also an opportunity for the new students to meet the professors and coordinators of the SUM, with their fellow students.

Every student is assigned a tutor, chosen among specialists of recognized skill in the international field. The students present periodical reports on the state of progress in their research and written reports on the classes attended.The SUM awards two-year scholarships to young scholars already in possession of the doctorate, to enable them to terminate a research program. The students work full time on their research program, which is expected to conclude with the publication of an original monograph. Their activities, guided by highly qualified international tutors, are followed by a committee within the Institute, with periodical reports and meetings.

The Institute, in cooperation with the University of Florence, and the Region of Tuscany, and with the contribution of the Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze and Confindustria, manages a Master course devoted to the management of participative processes in the sphere of local territorial policies. The course is intended mainly for executives and officers of the municipal, provincial and regional administrations, and exponents of local associations. The initiative arises from the awareness that government policies for the territory are receiving increasing attention from public opinion and that there is a “demand of participation” of the local communities that must therefore build the conditions that will enable them to develop innovative forms of involvement for the citizens.

Moreover, with its professors, and with the contribution of international teams, the institute develops a number of research programs of particular interest. Among the most significant are: the project on the “Quality of democracy”, directed by Leonardo Morlino, who develops a theoretical and methodological framework for the measurement of democratic quality in its general aspects and specific dimensions, in order to create a permanent observatory on the quality of the European democracies, and the project “Corpus Scriptorum Iuris Romani”, directed by Aldo Schiavone, on which legal historians and philologists are cooperating, with the view of publishing the texts of the Roman jurists, so as to recompose, as far as possible, the original profile of each work and the personality of each author.

The institute publishes a series of books through “Il Mulino” as the privileged, but not only publisher for the results of the research projects of students and professors; volumes drawn from conferences and cultural initiatives. The series is divided, for now, into three different sections: “Studies”, “Dialogues”, “Lessons at Palazzo Strozzi”. Other sections are being planned. Up to now, 10 volumes have been published and another 7 are currently being prepared.

Finally, the Institute performs many activities in cooperation with universities and other European and American institutions, including the New York University and Georgetown University. It participates in a program of Community Mobility (Marie Curie) in juridical history with the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, the London School of Economics and the Max Planck Institut. The Institute promoted the creation of a European Doctoral program in Human and Social Sciences, with the participation of the Central European University of Budapest, l’École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales e l’École Pratique des Hautes Études of Paris and the Humboldt Universität of Berlin. The appointment as Director of the European doctoral program, which is made by rotation among the presidents of the member institutions, was assigned to the Director of the Italian Institute of Human Sciences for the years 2009-2011. In collaboration with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs it has developed a course of training in Italian culture for the students and professors of the University of Baghdad and supports other training initiatives in Iraq.

232


ISTITUTO PER LA CONSERVAZIONE E

LA VALORIZZAZIONE DEI BENI CULTURALI (ICVBC)

(INSTITUTE FOR THE CONSERVATION AND VALORIZATION

OF THE CULTURAL HERITAGE)www.icvbc.cnr.it

BRIEF HISTORY

Created in July 2001, the Istituto per la Conservazione e la Valorizzazione dei Beni Culturali (ICVBC) derives from the unification of three Centers for the Study of the Causes of Deterioration and Methods of Conservation of Works of Art of the National Research Council (CNR), established starting in 1971. Since the majority of its current researchers belong to the former centers, which had their headquarters in Milan (the former “Gino Bozza” Center directed by Giovanna Alessandrini), in Florence (the former Center directed by Franco Piacenti) and in Rome (the former “Marcello Paribeni” Center directed by Gino Moncada Lo Giudice), the current profile of the ICVBC has inherited the operating and study traditions that characterized those centers.

They are mainly interested in the conservation of the heritage in the open, especially as regards architectural monuments (Florence, Milan) and archeological ruins (Rome), dealing with the problems from a scientific viewpoint and proposing and testing new technological solutions.

The prevalent activities of research are those of synthesis, the study and experimentation of new products for the conservation of structures in stone (Florence and Milan), diagnostic studies on the state of conservation of the monuments (Milan), research relative to archeological excavations (Rome) and studies on the environment and on control of the microclimate in exhibition sites (Rome). The former centers of study have now become the offices of the Institute (Florence), the Rome Branch and the Milan Branch.

The institutional goals of the Institute for the Conservation and Valorization of the Cultural Heritage are as follows:

Characterization of the materials composing the works of art and their alterations and deterioration;- Experimentation with new technologies and materials for the conservation of the cultural heritage;- Development of innovative criteria of design and implementation of conservative activities;- Development of innovative projects of valorization of the cultural heritage.-


The ICVBC has its own distinctive profile on the scene of Italian institutes operating in the sector of the Cultural Heritage, and works for both the CNR and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities. This is important in order to prevent needless duplication or sterile overlapping and to develop an activity of integration with the activities of other institutions in the sector.

There are three Institutes of the CNR in the area of the cultural heritage: in order of establishment we can indicate the ITABC - Istituto Tecnologie Applicate ai Beni Culturali (Institute of Technologies Applied to the Cultural Heritage) (operating since 1998) directed by Salvatore Garaffo, with its headquarters in Rome, the ICVBC - Istituto per la Conservazione e la Valorizzazione de Beni Culturali (operating since 2001) directed by Piero Frediani with headquarters in Florence and branches in Milan and Rome, the IBAM - Istituto per i Beni Archeologici e Monumentali (Institute for the Archeological and Monumental Heritage) (operating since 2003) directed by Francesco D’Andria, with headquarters in Lecce and branches in Potenza and Catania.

The ICVBC has its own characteristic line in emphasizing aspects of the conservation of the cultural heritage (while also maintaining the aim of valorization) studying problems relative to the conservation of the cultural heritage exhibited in the open and the scientific-technological aspects of the problem of conservation, the development of products for the protection and conservation of the cultural heritage and valorization of cultural sites.

The great institutes of the Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali, the Istituto Centrale Superiore del Restauro in Rome (ICR) and the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence (OPD), have clearly distinguished institutional aims from those of the ICVBC, focusing their direct activity or coordination of actions on restoration as such. Where these institutions also perform scientific and technological research, the excellent relations of cooperation with the ICVBC ensure the development of joint actions with roles of reciprocal integration.

Having established the primary activity of the Institute (research largely concentrated on studies of the scientific and technological aspects of conservation), a distinctive activity is concerned with developing procedures and instruments for the assessment of the state of conservation of the cultural heritage. This activity is performed both directly through the institute’s own researchers and those of its two branches, and by coordinating study groups of other CNR institutes and Italian universities that share its interest in this subject and recognize its importance and priority.

The focus is mainly on elements in the open, particularly those of natural and artificial stone, but also metals (bronze), decorated plaster, stained glass, etc. Due to the fact that it is in the open, directly exposed to environmental pollution and the aggressive atmosphere of urban sites, this portion of the cultural heritage is subject to the maximum risk of deterioration.

The ICVBC collaborates in the development of procedures for monitoring them in situ, ascertaining their state of conservation and the process of deterioration of structures and monuments, to determine the efficiency of the treatments used to protect them.

This fulfills a high priority need of the offices in charge of safeguarding the cultural heritage, the superintendences which, on the basis of the data measured by the monitors, can elaborate functional plans of programmed maintenance. The development of such programs requires the interaction of CNR research institutes and the university, with institutes for the protection of the cultural heritage, in view of a shared programming policy, with a declared orientation toward the conservation of our cultural heritage.

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ISTITUTO DI FISICA APPLICATA “NELLO CARRARA” (IFAC)

(“NELLO CARRARA” INSTITUTE OF APPLIED PHYSICS)

www.ifac.cnr.it

BRIEF HISTORYThe Istituto di Fisica Applicata “Nello Carrara” is part of the National Council of Research (CNR), the main public organization in Italy for the pursuit of objectives of research and innovation.

The IFAC was founded in 2002, but its origins go back much earlier, to 1946 when it was called the Microwave Center, and the work of Nello Carrara, a pioneer in the science of microwaves. At that time the scientific interest of the institute grew in various branches of physical sciences, through the scientific contribution of other scientists, like Giuliano Toraldo di Francia, including optoelectronics, quantum electronics, earth sciences and information sciences. A reform of the CNR in 2002 provided the conditions for the aggregation of the Institute of Research on Electromagnetic Waves, named for “Nello Carrara” with the Institute of Quantum Electronics, both of which derived from the earlier Microwave Center, with the current “Nello Carrara” Institute of Applied Physics.

The primary aim of the institute is the performance of research on the frontier at the international level and, at the same time, the development of new technologies and methods for effective transfer to the economic system.

PRIMARY ACTIVITIES AND EXCELLENCES OF THE INSTITUTIONThe approaches pursued are those of theoretical, experimental and applied research, with a strong ability to develop new techniques and prototypes of new instruments.

The main lines of research revolve around a common center of physical methods for scientific investigation. They are fundamentally based on the general methods of optoelectronics, spectroscopy and ICT. The main lines of research concern Lasers, Micro optics, Sensors, Remote detectors, Microwaves and ICT. These physical methods are then employed to investigate novel applications in several branches of interdisciplinary sciences, such as phototonic devices for telecommunications, space, balloon and airborne instrumentation for observations of the Earth, digital solutions for information access, bio-photonics for therapy and surgery, laser processing for industrial production, optical sensors for environmental control, laser techniques and diagnostic methods for archaeometry and the conservation of the cultural heritage.

The IFAC also contributes to cosmological studies with the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare Italiano (Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics) with projects on cosmic background radiation with microwaves, and astrophysical research on antimatter and dark matter: The IFAC has been involved in various projects of the Italian Space Agency and the European Space Agency, in the FLEX, KLIMA, CAMELOT and MARSCHALS projects of the Frame Program of the European Community focused on climate change, with the development of payloads, tests and data processing. In FP6 it contributed to various projects like NEMO, ENOC and EFONGA on the development of micro optics, CLINICIP and CAREMAN on biosensors for health care, DfA@e-inclusion on access for all to the ICT; in FP7 it is coordinating the E-Dean network regarding access to information, and is contributing to projects like Photonics4Life on biophototonics.

The IFAC is also contributing to programs of research and innovation at the national and regional level, coordinating several projects regarding optoelectronic and phototonic technologies transferred to industries and small and medium enterprises active in the sectors of biomedical products, aerospace instrumentation, manufacturing production and conservation of the cultural heritage. With this institute it fulfills its goals of contributing effectively to the needs of society based on knowledge, also developing significant innovation in various technological fields.

Among these, the IFAC has given important contributions to science and technology for the cultural heritage. Since the early Nineties, the institute has performed research on the environmental factors of the deterioration of materials:

from 1994 to 1998 it participated in the European ERA network (Environmental Research for Art Conservation);- from 1995 to 2002 it performed research in the Cultural Heritage research projects of the CNR, developing optical diagnostics and laser - technologies;

from 2001 to 2004 it participated in the European project FP5 LiDo Light Dosimeter on the effects of light on the deterioration of paintings- from 2002 to 2004 it coordinated the project Regional Optical Worksites, a network of 23 institutes, universities and high-tech and service - enterprises;

from 2003 to 2006 it coordinated COST G7 Artworks Conservation by Laser, a European network of cooperation with 36 organizations in 24 - countries;

from 2007 to 2010 it collaborated with COST D42 Chemical interactions artifacts & environment, on climatic effects;- from 2007 to 2009 it participated in the European project FP6 AUTHENTICO (Authentication methodologies of metal artifacts), for objective - authentication in the prevention of counterfeiting;

from 2008 to 2010 it participated in the European project FP6 POP ART (Preservation of Plastic Artifacts) on the problems of conservation of - modern art;

from 2010 to 2013 it is a partner of CHARISMA, the only European infrastructure for the sector of the cultural heritage, with the responsibility of - technologies for laser cleaning;

at the regional level, in 2010 it is coordinating relations with the enterprises of the START project, a network of institutes, universities and - superintendences, participating in the project TDT Bio Art on the analysis of biodeteriogens and is coordinator of TEMART, a network with INFN, UNIFI, Opificio delle Pietre Dure with high-tech enterprises and services engaged in the integrated development of innovative products and services for the characterization and conservation of the cultural heritage.

Among its successes recognized in the international field, the IFAC can claim the development of optical sensors for the analysis of pigments, digital solutions for the archive, hyperspectral images of paintings, various optical and radiofrequency diagnostic techniques for conservation, LIDAR instruments for remote analysis, Laser instruments for the authentication of metals and new laser methods and systems for cleaning stone, metals and mural paintings, products (manufactured by EL.EN. Spa) that are widely appreciated throughout the world, used in the restoration of masterpieces of enormous historical and artistic value.

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ISTITUTO LORENZO DE’ MEDICI

(LORENZO DE’ MEDICI INSTITUTE)

www.lorenzodemedici.it

BRIEF HISTORY

The Istituto Lorenzo de’ Medici, founded in 1973, is one of the first international academic institutions in Europe. Over the years it has extended its theoretical and practical programs to many artistic, humanistic and economic disciplines, becoming one of the most important references for international students in Italy, with an annual attendance of 2,300/2,500. After enlarging its headquarters in Florence, it has opened three branches in Rome, Tuscania and Venice. Since 2006, the institute, with the Marist College of New York, offers B.A., B.S. and Master’s degrees recognized by the American Middle States accreditation system.

The mission of the Istituto Lorenzo de’ Medici is to help students from all over the world to realize their creative potential through an education linked to direct experience in the world of their future profession. The institute prompts its students to experience Empowerment as a parallel possibility for organizing their lives and entering the system.


The institute currently has more than 200 qualified instructors for 450 courses in fine arts, humanistic disciplines, design, archeology, restoration, graphic arts, cinematography, fashion, applied arts and show business, political and social science.

The institute is divided into four departments: School of Arts and Sciences (Art History, Communication, Cinema and TV, International Business, Political Science and International Studies), School of Applied Arts (Painting, Drawing and Mixed Media, Photography, Sculpture and Ceramics, Graphic Arts, Dance, Music and Theater, Restoration and Conservation, Archeology), School of Design (Interior Design, Graphic Design, Fashion Design, Jewelry Design) and School of Italian Language (Collective and individual courses, Courses for teachers, CILS and CELI certification).

The institute is affiliated with the University of Florence DAMS (Department of Art, Music and Show Business), the Department of Ancient Sciences, the Department of Social Sciences and over 200 universities throughout the world.

The institute organizes, with its students, events, conferences and seminars concerning their course programs:

Conferences- : Science and Consciousness, Empowerment, The Source of Creativity, Tax Credit and Tax Shelters, New Way for Art Distribution, etc.;

Annual Exhibitions- : Art is in the street, The Art of Recycling, Second End Second Life, Fashion Show, Venice Biennale;

Annual Music Festival- : Sounds and Landscapes – Tuscania

Annual Film Festival- : Silver Sign, FilmSpray;

Restoration of paintings and plastic- : activities in Italy (various experiences in public and private spheres, including: Giotto’s birthplace in Vicchio del Mugello, Museo degli Uffizi, Tabernacles, Cappelle Medicee (Medici Chapels), Palazzo Martelli, Poccetti Chapel, Scuola di Sanità Militare (Military Health School), Rocca Imperiale castle in Calabria, etc.) and abroad (fresco in the church of St. Francis in New Delhi, temples in Nepal, Pablo Nerd’s home in Santiago del Chile, churches in South America, Mohair on Easter Island – this experience on Easter Island concerns not only restoration but also the training of local restoration crews);

Archeology- : in cooperation with the Department of Ancient Sciences of the University of Florence: Archeological Park of Accesa Lake (Massa Marittima), various necropolises in Tuscania (VT).

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ISTITUTO UNIVERSITARIO EUROPEO

(EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE)

www.eui.eu

BRIEF HISTORY

The Istituto Universitario Europeo (IUE - European University Institute) is an international institution for research and post-graduate

instruction created in 1972 by the six Founding Member Countries of the European Community, to promote cultural and scientific development in the sector of social, juridical and humanistic sciences, with a European view.

It was in 1955, during the works of the Messina conference, that the proposal was first made to establish an institution that would contribute to the construction of Europe in the area of education and research. It was not until seventeen years later, with the signature of the agreement to create the European University Institute, that the idea finally took shape, and Florence was chosen at the site of the new European institute of post-graduate studies. At this time, 19 of the 27 Members of the European Union have signed the agreement relative to the creation of a European University Institute, and negotiations are in progress for the other 8 members to join. According to the original agreement, only countries that are members of the European Union can formally join the IUE; the other European countries and countries that are in the process of joining the EU may sign, respectively, agreements of association or agreements of pre-association. To date, the IUE has signed agreements of pre-association with Hungary and Turkey, and agreements of association with Switzerland and Norway.

The IUE has close ties with the European Union Commission. Part of its financing comes from the EU, though its management is entirely deferred to the associated countries.

The main body for governance of the IUE is the High Council, consisting of representatives of the member countries. The High Council appoints the President and Secretary General of the IUE. The President directs the Institute and presides over the Academic Council, composed of the professors and responsible for all matters regarding instruction and research.

The IUE occupies a dozen historical buildings on Fiesole hill, on the outskirts of Florence.


At the present time the Institute is occupied by 1,000 people and offers one of the broadest programs in the world of doctorates and post-

doctoral studies in social sciences. Researchers are admitted on the basis of a strict selection process, and follow their own doctoral programs in the four departments of the institute (Economic Science, History and Civilization, Juridical Science, Political and Social Science). Since the Eighties, a number of scholarships have been established for post-doctoral research.

In the early Nineties, the “Robert Schuman” Advanced Studies Center was established for post-doctoral research in support of the formulation of policies, with an interdisciplinary, European outlook.

In 2006, in cooperation with the European Commission, the “Max Weber” program was launched to strengthen the post-doctoral dimension of the IUE.

Moreover, following the signing of a deposit agreement in 1984, the EU institutions appointed the IUE to manage the Historical Archives of the European Union, whose mission is to collect, archive and make available to the public the historical documents of the EU.

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MUSEI CIVICI FIORENTINI

(FLORENTINE CITY MUSEUMS)

www.museicivicifiorentini.it

BRIEF HISTORY

The Musei Civici Fiorentini comprise a wealth and variety of collections, most of which are housed in ancient buildings: The Museo di Palazzo Vecchio (Museum of Palazzo Vecchio), the Museo di Santa Maria Novella (Museum of Santa Maria Novella), the Fondazione Salvatore Romano (Salvatore Romano Foundation) at the Cenacolo di Santo Spirito (Santo Spirito Convent refectory), the Museo Stefano Bardini (Stefano Bardini Museum), reopened in the Oltrarno district in April 2009 after 10 years of restoration and reorganization).


In addition to these museums which are now open to the public, there is Forte Belvedere, with the Alberto Della Ragione collection and the Novecento Collection (currently not accessible to the public), the Rinaldo Carnielo Gallery (closed awaiting a reorganization project) and the Museo “Firenze com’era” (Museum of Florence As It Was) that will be incorporated into the future Museum of the City, which will have its founding nucleus in Palazzo Vecchio.

In addition to the museums there are also the churches ”with their paintings, statues, church furnishings and all the art and religious objects they contain” acquired on a concession for use according to the provisions of the notarized Guerri document of April 29, 1868, following the suppression of the religious entities signed by Minister Siccardi in 1866. These include: Santa Maria Novella with its monumental cloisters, Santa Maria del Carmine with the Cappella Brancacci, San Firenze, Santissima Annunziata and Santo Spirito.

Then there are many other religious buildings over which the Musei Civici Fiorentini have in various ways acquired control over the centuries, relative to the legacies of mobile art objects, such as San Salvatore al Monte, San Giovannino degli Scolopi, the chapel of San Romano in Settignano, Santa Maria del Pellegrino, San Giuseppino.

They contribute to the legacy of works of art for which the Musei Civici Fiorentini have the responsibility for the conservation and valorization, along with the many collections that the city receives on donation from collectors, artists and institutions, part of which is exhibited in the existing museums and part on deposit with other organizations.

The Musei Civici Fiorentini have the task of conserving and valorizing the city’s legacy of art, making it available to the public in the broadest and most democratic manner possible; they are a public service, with cultural and social functions, a right of the citizens.

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MUSEO GALILEO - ISTITUTO E

MUSEO DI STORIA DELLA SCIENZA

(GALILEO MUSEUM – INSTITUTE AND MUSEUM OF SCIENCE HISTORY)

www.museogalileo.it

BRIEF HISTORY

Museo Galileo is the new name of the Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza (Institute and Museum of the History of Science) founded in 1927. It is located in Palazzo Castellani, a medieval building located in the heart of Florence, on the Arno river, next to the Uffizi Gallery and near the city’s most important historical and artistic monuments.

The Museo Galileo is one of the most important institutions at the international level for scientific museography, in the production of initiatives for the spread of scientific culture and in activities of documentation and research, thanks also to its cooperation with major international institutes.

The Museo Galileo has a staff of 25 employees and the same number of people have contracts for individual projects.


The first and second floors have been completely renovated and house the permanent exhibition: an extraordinary collection of scientific instruments, known worldwide, that belonged to the Medici and Lorraine families. The museum’s collection is composed of over 5,000 objects, including the only two original Galileo telescopes that have come down to us.

The third and fourth floor are occupied by the offices and an important research library with about 130,000 works of historical-scientific interest. In addition to the 5,000 works of ancient collections, there are conspicuous 19th and 20th century collections and the contemporary collection, expanded every year with about 1,800 new acquisitions. There are also a number of archive collections from the 18th to the 20th century, and an interesting photographic archive. The library is world famous and provides fundamental support to scholars of the history of science from all over.

The ground floor is occupied by the ticket office, the bookshop, rooms for didactic workshops and technical rooms; while the magnificent basement, equipped with the most modern information equipment, is used for conferences and temporary exhibitions.

The new site at Piazza Mentana contains the Multimedia Workshop responsible for the production of film documents, interactive applications for educational activities and documentation of the Galileo Museum. These activities refer to the collections of the museum as well as special exhibitions or other events. The workshop has produced and provides constant updating of an vast website visited every year by millions of users who take advantage of its many services.

One of the many activities of the organization is the organization of exhibitions, many of which have achieved worldwide success, such as its “Gli Ingegneri del Rinascimento” (Renaissance Engineers), organized in Paris, Florence, New York, London, Tokyo and Taranto), “La mente di Leonardo” (Leonardo’s Mind), first organized in Florence, then in Tokyo, Debrecen, San José and Roma), “Galileo. Immagini dell’universo dall’antichità al telescopio” (Galileo: Images of the universe from antiquity to the telescope), organized in Florence in 2009.

In the last 20 years, the institute has also published over 200 volumes on scientific subjects, and two periodicals: “Nuncius” and “Galilaeana”.

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MUSEI MARINO MARINI

(MARINO MARINI MUSEUM)

www.museomarinomarini.it

BRIEF HISTORY

The Museo Marino Marini was founded in accordance with the wishes of Marino and Marina Marini, who in the late Sixties chose the church of San Pancrazio in Florence as the ideal site for the large donation of works that the artist, shortly before his death, made to the city of Florence.

The church was restructured, after centuries, and reassigned to a public function through the work of the architects Lorenzo Papi and Bruno Sacchi who were able to provide a masterful interpretation of Marina’s ideas, as she herself declared many times, creating an arrangement designed in the image of that fascinating world of Marino Marini, one of the most significant personalities of figurative culture in the 20th century.

It is spacious and luminous, with many viewpoints that ensure a complete reading of the artist’s works, highlighting the themes dearest to him, from the Cavalieri (Horsemen) to the Pomone (Pomonas), from the Miracoli (Miracles) to the Giocolieri (Jugglers) and Danzatori (Dancers), as well as the portraits, of course. 183 works of sculpture, paintings, drawings and engravings are on view at the museum, all produced between 1916 and 1977, and donated at different times by Marino Marini and his wife. In 1980 the artist donated the first nucleus of works to the city of Florence, consisting of 22 sculptures, 31 paintings, 30 drawings and 30 engravings. Later, in 1988, his widow donated 42 other works to the city, in order to make the museum’s collection more complete and representative of all his works. In the meantime, the collection grew by another 26 works donated by Mrs. Marini, Mrs. Del Vecchio, from the Jesi legacy and recently from the donation of Mrs. Freccia. The museum contains exclusively works by Marino Marini, all exhibited on the four levels of the San Pancrazio structure.


From 1988 to the present, the museum has held exhibitions, meetings, concerts and cultural activities linked to the public and artistic life of the city and the works of Marino Marini. Under the presidency of Carlo Sisi, starting in 1999, the museum’s activity has intensified.

In the last three years, under the artistic direction of Alberto Salvadori, the attention devoted to contemporary research, as well as the constant work of information and valorization of Marino Marini’s work, have enabled the foundation to keep the presence of one of the great masters of the 20th century in the public eye and provide the city of Florence with a valuable stage for contemporary themes.

In general, the exhibition space of the Museo Marino Marini has been intended, since its opening, to offer the public a wide range of services: a bookshop and an educational section. It is an idea that, even at the time of its founding, was perfectly in line with what other museums regularly practice.

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MUSEO NAZIONALE DEL BARGELLO

(BARGELLO NATIONAL MUSEUM)

www.firenzemusei.it/bargello

BRIEF HISTORY

The Museo Nazionale del Bargello is located in what was once the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo (The Palace of the Captain of the People). The original nucleus, which goes back to 1255, was built, Vasari says, to drawings by a man named Lapo, father of Arnolfo di Cambio, and corresponds to the block that faces on via del Proconsole: it is the most ancient seat of government of the city.

At the end of the 13th century, and until 1502 the Palazzo was the official residence of the Podestà, the magistrate who ruled the city and who was required, by tradition, to be a foreigner. Around 1287 the “verone” was built, a beautiful terrace facing on the courtyard where the Podestà often assembled the representatives of the guilds. The tower, older than the rest of the building, contained the bell known as “La Montanina”, that was rung as a call to arms for the Florentines in case of war or siege.

In 1502 the palace became the seat of the Council of Justice and police headquarters, whose chief was the “Bargello”.

In 1786, when the Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo abolished the death penalty, the instruments of torture were burned in the courtyard. The prisons remained in use until 1857, when they were transferred to the former convent of Le Murate; after that time a vast restoration project got under way, under the direction of the architect Francesco Mazzei.


The discovery, in July 1840, of the most ancient portrait of Dante Alighieri on one wall of the Bargello chapel was decisive for the recovery of the Bargello and its future utilization. In 1865, on the occasion of the sixth centennial of the poet’s birth, the new National Museum was inaugurated with an exhibition devoted to Dante, and another on the history of the applied arts starting from the Middle Ages: both events furnished the museum with the opportunity to acquire the deposit of extraordinary works from the Uffizi (weapons, bronzes, ceramics, Renaissance sculptures and medals), from Palazzo Vecchio (weapons and statues from the Salone dei Cinquecento), from the State Archive (seals), from the Mint (coins), from suppressed convents (sculptures, gold objects and Della Robbia terracottas). But the final designation of the Bargello as a museum of sculpture came in 1886, when the city celebrated the fifth centenary of the birth of Donatello, consecrating it as the most important museum of Italian Renaissance sculpture. Two years later, the museum was the recipient of the generous donation of Gothic and Renaissance objects by the French antiquarian Louis Carrand (bronzes, enamels, ceramics, gold objects, ivories, weapons, fabrics), followed in 1894 by that of Costantino Ressman, ambassador and weapons collector. In 1907, Giulio Franchetti donated his collection of textiles, with samples that go from the 6th to the 18th century. Other donations followed and, still today, along with acquisitions by the government, the contributions of private citizens and associations continue to add to the collections.

Among the works kept at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello there are sculptures by Michelangelo (like his “Bacchus” and the marble medallion of the Madonna with child and San Giovannino), works by Jacopo Sansovino, Benvenuto Cellini, Giambologna, Andrea Verrocchio and, above all, Donatello (like his famous bronze “David” and the “Marzocco”, emblem of the city of Florence).

The ceramic collection of the Bargello – which covers almost the entire history of Italian ceramics – owes a great deal to the Medici collections, in particular that of Cosimo I, who particularly appreciated the art of ceramics and porcelain. There is also a good representation of works in glazed terracotta by Giovanni and Andrea della Robbia.

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MUSEO STIBBERT

(STIBBERT MUSEUM)

www.museostibbert.it

BRIEF HISTORY

The Museo Stibbert is one of the most interesting and unexpected places in Florence. In a museum-house designed by its owner, the collector and patron of the arts, Frederick Stibbert (1838-1906), arranged and displayed, in settings that are often exciting and rich in detail, the extraordinary collections that he left, on his death, to the city: in particular, his famous collection of weapons, but also art objects of the daily life of European, Islamic and Oriental civilizations, particularly Japanese objects. The Museo Stibbert is evidence of the taste and intelligence of one man, and at the same time represents a synthesis of the highest cultural values of the 20th century: interest in the past, exaltation of art and fascination with exotic things.

Born in 1838 to a high English officer and a Florentine heiress, Frederick Stibbert devoted his time and fortune to the collection of significant histori-cal objects, first weapons, the forms, innovations and effectiveness of which were the basis for heroic legends, as well as the victories of armies, the power of states and, thus, civilization. The cultural climate of Florence, with its enthusiastic celebration of ancient glories, and in which a large English colony was active, was particularly suited to the interests of Stibbert, who never failed to participate in its historical re-enactments. But his interests went well beyond the limits of the city and its culture: fascinated by different, distant cultures, from the Middle East to the then mysterious Japan, he compared their different modes of doing battle and living with ours, deriving modern and still valid intuitions. Agents operating all over the world en-abled him to select the most beautiful, curious or interesting objects; a group of Florentine craftsmen at his service restored the most significant pieces and gave them new life. In 1906, at his death, he left the city of Florence more than 36,000 pieces, almost all of excellent quality, already arranged according to educational and evocative itineraries in the house he designed and built for that purpose.


The villa that Stibbert owned in at the bottom of the Florentine hills, which he transformed into a neo-Gothic castle, with vast rooms on the ground floor, is ideal for displaying his collections in the sequence and settings he personally designed. They merge into the opulent private apartments, furnished and decorated according to the 19th century tastes, that assigned a definite style to every room: the ballroom is neo-Renaissance, the sitting rooms are rococo, the bedrooms in Imperial style. The same eclectic taste, the same curiosity about the past and exotic things characterizes the park around the villa. Woods, pavilions, statues, faux ruins and a small Egyptian temple mark or determine naturalistic-evocative itineraries that only appear random: it is a romantic view of the garden that is just another of the novel ideas introduced by Stibbert to the Florentine cultural environment of the time.

The Stibbert museum-house is particularly famous for its Armory, for the costumes and the other collections it houses. The type of collecting, and especially of weapons, that inspired F.Stibbert is the English model, in a vision that ranges from East to West, from India to Japan, from the Muslim world to Europe. His aim is educational: the collections should tell the story of weaponry and above all of customs, in the broadest sense.

In a great hall in Gothic taste, built especially to house them, 15th century knights, dressed in their characteristic armor, are depicted in an imposing cavalcade, in which the poses of the warriors and horses imitate the great equestrian monuments of real historical figures like Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy or the Emperor Massimiliano of Austria. In a hall embellished with moorish decorations, another small army, dressed in opulent fabrics and metallic chain link, testifies to another conception of weaponry typical of the Islamic world, which extended from northern Africa through central Asia to India. The section devoted to Japan is no less impressive, with its fantastic, colorful warriors and the extreme elegance of the dress and furnishings. In addition to the armor, weapons and harness worn by the horses, the collection includes bronzes, costumes, lacquered objects: with its richness and the quality of the pieces, it is one of the most important collections in the world outside of Japan.

While the weapons of the different populations testify to the victories and defeats that mark and determine history, the daily or artistic objects that accompany them serve to restore the meaning and life of their cultures. Stibbert collected everything, but above all everything that pertained to people and formed their image, revealed their values, like clothing. He acquired important paintings, but preferred paintings, even by unknown artists, that illustrated the history of costume, the weapons worn and the garments conceived of as armor. The tapestries that decorate the walls of the villa were chosen for their subject with the same illustrative criterion. Among the items of apparel we find some that are truly exceptional, such as clothes and accessories from the 16th century and the complete costume worn by Napoleon for his crowning as king of Italy. The collection of 17th century impressed and painted leathers that Stibbert uses to decorate the walls of his house-museum, especially his private apartments, is one of the richest in the world. Furniture, ceramics, textiles, vestments and last, but not least, books: his library is, without a doubt, one of the largest of the time for the subjects of weaponry and costume, and F.Stibbert added his own personal “Storia del Costume civile e militare” (History of Civilian and Military Costume), a synthesis of his work as a collector and the sense of his entire life.

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OPIFICIO DELLE PIETRE DURE DI FIRENZE

www.opificiodellepietredure.it

BRIEF HISTORY

The Opificio delle Pietre Dure (OPD) became a national institution in 1975, by merging two different organizations, both of which had long been active in the field of artistic production and the conservation of works of art in Florence: the renowned, ancient Opificio, founded in 1588 as a court factory and transformed into a restoration institute toward the end of the 19th century, and the Gabinetto Restauri (Restoration Workshop) founded by Ugo Procacci as part of the Superintendence in 1932, which expanded greatly in its new location at the Fortezza da Basso following the flooding of Florence in 1966. Currently the Opificio is one of the Central Institutes of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities.


The activities of the Opificio refer to three main sectors: conservation proper, through the 11 specialized sectors of restoration and about 60 restorers, carried out directly or indirectly, that is, with the consultation, design and management of the works; research, both pure and applied to cases in the process of being restored, often also through collaboration and consultation at the national and international level; teaching, through the School of Advanced Training and an intensive activity of internships and exchanges with similar Italian and international institutions. In detail:

Restoration workshops- : activities of restoration, conservation and consultation on the cultural heritage, divided into 11 restoration workshops with three separate locations: the historical headquarters on Via degli Alfani (bronzes and ancient weapons; ceramic and plastic materials; stone materials; gold work, mosaics and commissions in semi-precious stones), the Fortezza da Basso site (paintings on canvas and wood; paper and celluloid materials; murals, painted wood sculptures; textiles) and the flag room at Palazzo Vecchio (tapestries and carpets);

Diagnostics, analysis and research- : the activity connected with the scientific disciplines applied to the study and conservation of the cultural heritage is a significant and consolidated part of the work of the institute, and takes place in the Scientific Laboratory and in the service of climatology and preventive conservation;

School of Advanced Training- : the current school of restoration at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence began offering courses in 1978 and received official legal recognition in 1992. Since 1996 the program consists of a full five-year course which has the value of a master’s degree;

Documentation and archives- : the activity of documentation by the institute includes the library, the restoration archive and the historical archive, located on Via degli Alfani, and the photographic laboratory located at the Fortezza da Basso;

Service of cultural promotion- : the service handles institutional communications;

Service of applied informatics- : the service performs activities of consultation, design, management, maintenance and instruction relative to information technology and its applications in the field of conservation of the cultural heritage and related administrative activities.

In addition, the Museo dell’Opificio is a direct affiliate of the ancient artistic factory, characterized by the production of semi-precious stone inlays, that was officially founded in 1588 by Ferdinando I de’ Medici. The itinerary of the museum does not correspond to a collector’s view, but is more the reflection of the life and work of centuries of artistic production. The most prestigious creations, which were often gifts offered by the Florentine Grand Dukes, are preserved in castles and museums all over Europe, while the workshops of the ancient factory contains incomplete works or the results of later changes and disassemblies, and works that survived the losses of the 19th century and were finally collected in 1882 when the museum collection was created. The collection, that includes impressive, refined examples, is small but provides an idea of the historical itinerary of the production across three centuries. In addition, there is an important reserve of ancient marble and semi-precious stones illustrating the techniques used in the inlays. The museum was restructured, on a project by Adolfo Natalini, in 1995.

242


PITTI IMMAGINE

www.pittiimmagine.com

BRIEF HISTORY

Pitti Immagine is one of the world’s leading companies in the organization of fairs and events in the fashion sector. It is a joint stock company with its main office in Florence, affiliated with the most important organizations of the Italian textile and apparel industry and other large public and private organizations at the local and regional level. According to its by-laws, the profits are not distributed among the shareholders, but are reinvested in promotional and advertising activities.

The company has been in operation since the mid-Fifties with the mission of creating trade fairs and events for fashion viewed as production and consumption, design, esthetics and culture: a bridge between the world of industry and that of fashion design. With a solid background in trade – thanks to an accurate selection of participants and a constant scouting activity to discover the finest international novelties – the specificity of Pitti Immagine’s service is the strong interaction between marketing strategies, skilled organization and scheduling, and programs of promotion and advertising, with a real vocation for research and the promotion of young talent (through competitions, special events and exhibition sections).


Pitti Immagine currently organizes:

Pitti Immagine Uomo- (menswear and accessories);

Pitti W_ pre.collections- (women’s prèt a portér collections);

Pitti Immagine Bimbo- (apparel and accessories for children, expectant mothers and products for infants and toddlers);

Pitti Immagine Filati- (yarns for knitwear, collections of accessories for knitwear, style offices, specialized bookstores, machinery and IT systems);

Touch+Neozone+Cloudine- (women’s apparel and accessories for prèt-a-portér );

Taste- (the best in Italian wine and food);

ModaPrima- (fashion collections for large apparel chains);

Fragranze- (fragrances and essences for the body and the home).

On the international fair scene, the trade fairs organized by Pitti Immagine are the most complete and up-to-date picture of Italian and foreign high-range production. The exhibitors (over 2,500 enterprises) are selected by a special technical committee (composed of experts in the respective sectors, producers and dealers), which carefully evaluates the applications for admission of potential exhibitors, so as to guarantee that the event reflects the highest quality level and offers valuable know-how for its fairs and the events that are organized and undertaken.

The fairs are visited every year by about 120,000 international operators in the sector: the lion’s share goes to Pitti Uomo, with over 60,000 visitors. These are highly qualified and specialized (boutiques, department and specialty stores, buying groups, buying offices, importers, distributors), trade brokers (agents and representatives), the design world (consultants, styling studios) and media (journalists, advertising agencies and public relations agencies). After Italy, the largest number of visitors come from the EU countries, the U.S. and Southeast Asia; in recent years there has been a rapid increase in the number from eastern Europe, China and South America. In its work of promotion abroad, the company collaborates in close contact with the government promotional agency, ICE (the National Institute for Foreign Trade, which operates under the aegis of the Ministry for Productive Activities) and the regional governments.

Fashion shows and fashion projects, exhibitions and installations, performances and entertainment flank the fairs, enlarging on their traditional function. In this way the event, in addition to being a privileged meeting place at the international level for people in the trade, acquires a new role: it highlights the concept of fashion as contemporary culture. The reviews and special events become opportunities for research and analysis of the different cultural and esthetic themes and trends that the fashion product continuously creates and prompts, emphasizing the links between fashion and other forms of contemporary creativity: visual arts, architecture and design, photography, music, advertising, etc.

Pitti Immagine Discovery was launched in 1999 with the goal of focusing attention on the most interesting and stimulating contemporary creative languages. It is an absolutely original experience: a workshop for the experimentation of a company’s ability to act on a city and its cultural life.

In 2002 Pitti Immagine Discovery became a foundation, affiliated with Pitti Immagine and with the parent company Centro di Firenze per la Moda Italiana (Florence Center for Italian Fashion). Its task is to highlight the most innovative artistic phenomena from which fashion draws inspiration for design and for which it is, itself, often a source and stimulus of reflection and production. The Foundation is also characterized by an intense publishing activity. Its collaboration with some of the most important international cultural and artistic institutions moves in this direction.

Pitti Immagine, with the Pitti Discovery Foundation, contributes to the “European Fashion” project with a large part of its digital archive, built up over the years with photographic material and videos relative to the fairs (collections, layouts, competitions for young talents, visitors and personalities who represent the world of fashion in different ways), and fashion projects and fashion shows (collections, layouts, fashion designers, artistic collaborations, invitations and advertising material), as well as exhibitions and installations of art and contemporary fashion (works of art and apparel, architecture and layouts), books (covers, pictures, extracts of texts, etc.).

243


POLIMODA

www.polimoda.com

BRIEF HISTORYPolimoda is a training school for the fashion sector, recognized as one of the best European Fashion Schools.

With its headquarters in Florence, at Villa Strozzi, Polimoda was founded in 1986 as an initiative planned and financed by the Cities of Florence and Prato, their business associations and in cooperation with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) of New York.

Since March 2006, its President has been Ferruccio Ferragamo, chairman of the great multinational fashion corporation of the same name, and the project of development of the institute has been assigned, since January 2007, to the director Linda Loppa, who founded the celebrated Antwerp School.

PRIMARY ACTIVITIES AND EXCELLENCES OF THE INSTITUTIONThe institute offers a wide range of courses, with undergraduate studies, as well as graduate and master courses, and covers all aspects of the fashion sector, from design, to marketing, management, and advertising. Its contacts with the companies enables it to respond promptly and effectively to the professional demands of the market and, consequently, to create professionals ready to enter the job market.

Rooted in the heart of Italian fashion production, Polimoda is in constant touch with the business world and, thanks also to the organization of internships to complete the training programs, at the end of their studies the students quickly find jobs in companies of international prestige, such as Ferragamo, Gucci, La Perla, La Rinascente, Patrizia Pepe, Tod’s, and many others.

Over 1,000 students ever year (50% foreigners from all over the world) and 90% of the students find work within 6 months: these are the numbers of the institute, that stress the success of a teaching formula that permits it to train all the profiles that the fashion system needs, thanks to a faculty with prestigious business experience, and the flexibility of the training offering to respond effectively to the changing market.

244


SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY IN FLORENCE (SUF)

www.syr.fi.it

BRIEF HISTORY

Syracuse University was one of the first American universities to have a program of studies abroad. Education abroad is a long-standing tradition for this university: it was 1959 when the first 30 students from Syracuse University arrived by ship from New York to study in Florence at the little palace of Villa Rossa, purchased by the American university as the site of its Florentine program.

The innovative program of studies at the Syracuse University in Florence (SUF) was a huge success: the students learned the language in the country and the program became the reference model for the other foreign branches of the university.

In addition to Florence, Syracuse University now has international programs in Hong Kong, Londra, Madrid, Beijing, Santiago and Strasbourg. New centers in Africa are currently being developed: In addition, through international partnerships, summer programs or intensive courses, the students have the possibility to study abroad in 20 other countries.


In the last fifty years, the SUF has grown and evolved, however its goals are the same ones it started with: to enable its students to study Italian art and society in depth and the creation of a solid intercultural relationship with the city that offers them hospitality.

Today, the Syracuse University in Florence has about 300 students per semester, who come from more than 80 universities, and it has five departments: Art History, Architecture, Literature, Political and Economic Science, Italian.

In addition to the regular courses, the students are offered a wide variety of guided tours – in Florence and in the rest of Italy – and the opportunity to work and study off campus, to expand their knowledge of our culture and contacts with the Italians.

Villa Rossa, which has always been the main building of the Florence campus, is now occupied by the administration, a few classrooms, a bar and a computer lab. In the Eighties, the studies of architecture and art were added in Piazzale Donatello and in 2006, the Villino, which houses the library, the media lab, some classrooms and the faculty offices.

245


SOPRINTENDENZA PER I BENI

ARCHEOLOGICI DELLA TOSCANA

(SUPERINTENDENCE FOR THE ARCHEOLOGICAL

HERITAGE OF TUSCANY)

www.archeotoscana.beniculturali.it

BRIEF HISTORY

The Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici della Toscana was created, with the other main superintendences, with law no. 386 of June 27, 1907, as the Soprintendenza alle Antichità dell’Etruria e dell’Umbria (Superintendence for the Antiquities of Etruria and Umbria), in the sphere of a vast work of rationalization of protection for the cultural and environmental heritage that led, in 1939 to the passage of the two fundamental laws of safeguard, the no. 1089, for the “Safeguard of things of artistic or historical interest” for the archeological and historical-artistic properties, and the no.1497 for the “Protection of natural beauties” for the architectural properties and landscape.

Today, the institutional duties of the Superintendence concern the entire region of Tuscany, unlike the other superintendences for the artistic and historical heritage of the Region, which have provincial, and in some cases mixed, competence.

The Superintendence is directly responsible for the management of four National Archeological Museums, that of Florence (with its collections of Etruscan, Greek and Italian, as well as Egyptian objects, collected by the Tuscan Grand Dukes), that of Chiusi (with splendid Etruscan collections), that of Arezzo (housed in the Roman Amphitheater) and the Antiquarium of Cosa (adjacent to the archeological area), and is also in charge, with consequent scientific competence, of the National Archeological Museum of Siena.

The main priority of its institutional activity is to perform, directly or with supervision, all the archeological excavations and programs, or authorize all archeological research in the area, and control all discoveries, whether planned or fortuitous, in the area.

Therefore, since it is responsible for the Archeological Heritage of the State, that is, everything found since the first law of protection was passed, in 1909, the Superintendence is required to monitor the establishment and management of the provincial, city or private museums that exhibit or request permission to acquire, for permanent or temporary exhibitions, any material from recent excavations. Among the main ones are the Museo Guarnacci of Volterra, the Museo Etrusco of Cortona, the Museo Civico of Grosseto, the Museo Civico of Fiesole.


The breadth of the institutional duties of the Superintendence is vast, both because of the size of the regional territory and for the chronological extension and type of heritage to safeguard, which ranges from paleontology to archeology – traditionally the specific competence is considered to expire with the fall of the Roman Empire in the West – but there are actually no chronological limits to the main activity of excavation, as it implies the safeguard of everything found under ground, which belongs to the state. Therefore, the practice considers that the superintendence is responsible for the excavations and correct recovery of the materials found, which are then, by mutual agreement with the other superintendences that may be competent depending on the epoch, restored and assigned for exhibition or deposit – if they date from the Middle or Modern and Contemporary Age.

If, however, they are archeological findings, the superindendence is directly responsible for a large Center of Archeological Restoration, expanded to international level for the undertakings of a very high level achieved following the Florence flood of 1966: restoration of the Riace bronzes, the Cartoceto bronzes, the sarcophagus of the Spouses at the Louvre and, recently the sarcophagus of the Amazons, the Minerva from Arezzo, the Orator, etc.

The Laboratorio di Bioarcheologia (Bioarcheology Laboratory) is connected with the Restoration Center and is concerned with recovery from the soil, restoration and study of human and animal remains of every epoch.

Another very important sector connected with restoration is the Wet Wood Restoration Center, established to serve the Naval Shipyards of Pisa and developed now on its own in the sphere of experimentation and application of the most advanced techniques of restoration for findings that have been submerged for prolonged periods and attacked by microorganisms and brine. The Naval Shipyards of Pisa are responsible for organizing the Naval Museum of Pisa, which is currently being set up at the ancient Medici Arsenals in that city.

The function of safeguarding the territory is not limited, naturally, to preventive archeology, but also includes the maintenance of archeological areas and monuments that were excavated long ago and must be supervised continuously to ensure their correct enjoyment by the public. Among the most important are the great Etruscan cities and necropolises of Roselle, Vetulonia, Populonia, the burial sites of Montefortini and the Montagnola of Sesto Fiorentino, the Melone del Sodo 1 and 2 in Cortona, Accesa Lake in Massa Marittima, and others.

Most of these sites are directly managed by the Superintendence, which performs excavations, restoration and seasonal maintenance, while for others the cooperation with local organizations has served to ensure a more efficient management and valorization, tending toward improved conservation of the structures, combined with public enjoyment.

The authority of the superintendence extends to the underwater sites in the sea and internal waters, where a specialized group, directed by an archeologist, and a number of expert divers with various specializations, performs and controls excavations and recoveries under water, recently also experimenting parks and underwater tour sites; in this activity, the cooperation of specialized law enforcement corps (Carabinieri, Firefighters, Port Authority, Fiscal Police, etc.) is extremely important).

246


SOPRINTENDENZA PER I BENI ARCHITETTONICI, PAESAGGISTICI, STORICI, ARTISTICI ED ETNOANTROPOLOGICI PER LE PROVINCE DI FIRENZE, PISTOIA E PRATO

(SUPERINTENDENCE FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL, SCENIC, HISTORIC,

ARTISTIC AND ETHNOANTHROPOLOGICAL HERITAGE OF THE PROVINCES

OF FLORENCE, PISTOIA AND PRATO)

www.sbap-fi.beniculturali.it

BRIEF HISTORY

The Superintendence for the Architectural, Scenic, Historic, Artistic and Ethnoanthropological Heritage of the provinces of Florence (with the exclusion of the city, for authority for the historical, artistic and ethnoanthropological heritage), Pistoia and Prato is one of the peripheral offices of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities (MiBAC), which has the institutional duty of safeguarding the heritage in the territory monitored by it, and cooperating with the Region and local organizations for their valorization.

This activity is performed pursuant to the Code of Cultural Assets and the Landscape (Legislative Decree no. 42/2004) on the heritage considered of cultural interest (that is, placed under its control, including parks and historical gardens, government and regional property, and the property of public organizations and institutions, as well as private non-profit juridical entities.

As foreseen by the code, the superintendence also performs activities of control and vigilance on private property considered of artistic or historical interest, more than fifty years old and under private ownership, if declared of cultural interest, whose owners are duly notified in administrative form by decree of the Regional director.

Since it is a peripheral institution of the Ministry, the superintendence is based locally and performs its action of protecting cultural assets through the application of measures serving to prevent their deterioration, as well as activities of scientific research and the identification and cataloguing of the properties.

It is divided into a series of offices that represent the key sectors of the scientific activity serving to provide specific actions of protection, as well as to satisfy the requests of external users and facilitate their enjoyment by the public.


The range of activities of the superintendence includes a number of aspects: from the approval of restoration projects, to actions of conservation carried out with government funds, to supervision of actions of conservation and restoration of movable property and real estate declared of cultural interest, to cataloguing, as an instrument of basic safeguard for the awareness and conservation of the heritage, to notice of declaration of cultural interest.

Among the duties of the superintendence, pursuant to the provisions of the Code of Cultural Assets and the Landscape, is also valorization, performed by means of the promotion of exhibitions, publications, presentation of restorations, conferences and cultural events, and through activities of Educational Service with actions tending to valorize the cultural asset as a factor of growth of the country, and education about its artistic heritage as an element of personal growth and instruction.

Inclusion of the “ethnoanthropological” aspect among the spheres of activity of the superintendence is also an indication of renewed interest in the historical value of arts and crafts, but also in popular traditions, all of which are significant for the documentation of the life and identity of the collectivity, as expressions of the evolution of human skills and the goals attained by the various ethnoanthropological expressions.

The territory safeguarded by the Superintendence presents, in the capital cities of the provinces, an extraordinary concentration of historical and artistic evidence, particularly in Florence, where the city center is marked by the presence of the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Palazzo Vecchio, the basilicas of Santa Croce and Santa Maria Novella, as well as Palazzo Pitti (where the Superintendence has its offices), Palazzo Medici Riccardi and the Uffizi, declared a Human Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982.

However, despite the imposing majesty of the monuments founded by Arnolfo and the measure of the Brunelleschi and Alberti architectures, many other Italian cities could be mentioned for the equal importance of their urban contexts and the richness of the models exemplified. What really makes a territory unique is the anthropicized and stratified landscape that extends beyond these centers. Though lacking in exceptional natural beauty, what strikes us is just the interweaving of the countryside and mountains with the fields, roads and buildings that compose its landscape, to the point that – if it were not for some cases in which the disorderly sprawl of the cities during the 20th century has cause irreparable fractures – our cities seem to maintain the historical structure of the ancient fiefdoms they resemble.

In the same way, as far as the historical and artistic aspects are concerned, the prolonged spread of the figurative art documents of the Middle Ages to our own time, especially in the religious sphere, has enabled every center of the territory to become stratified with highly significant art documents. In these zones, we see a network of small museums of religious art that in many cases contain excellent examples of artistic expression, scattered through the provinces of the capital, and in those of Pistoia and Prato. The museum of religious art is really a necessity for the protection of works of art that risk being damaged or lost, but is also the reflection of a tightly woven network of figurative production of religious art that identifies our entire area. Each of these museums, in its specific character, testifies to local history and demands to be safeguarded as a distinctive sign of every community, and the superintendence, aware of the extraordinary wealth of its territory, is committed to protecting its identity, urging and encouraging every form of useful cooperation with the local administrations.

247


BRIEF HISTORY

The Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper”, the Michelangelo’s “David” and “Prisoners”, the Nôtre Dame Cathedral in Paris and the one in Reims, the Cathedrals of Catania and Pisa, the Bardi di Vernio Caphel in Florence, the Santa Chiara Cloisters in Naples, the San Marco Square in Venice, the Palace of the Papesses in Siena, the French Academy in Rome, the Wien Opera and the one in Singapore, the Domus Aurea, the National Gallery in Lubiana, the Cinema Museum in Turin, the Roman National Museum: they are only few of the operations of excellence on Cultural Heritage signed by TARGETTI, the Florentine company born in 1928 from a little store of chandeliers and grown until it has become the third European player in the business of interior and exterior architectural lighting.

PRIMARY ACTIVITIES AND EXCELLENCES OF THE COMPANY

Thanks to a constant investment in research and development, to a natural passion for the Arts and to a deep sense of social responsibility, TARGETTI has been focused since more than thirty years on the creation of extremely innovative solutions designed to ensure a lighting that combined conservation and fruition. Moving the attention from the “lighting product” to the “light project”, company’s experts handle the challenges of lighting for artistic and landscape masterpieces, always working very close to the persons responsible of the Artistic Heritage’s safeguard: this contributes to create networks of competences and acquaintances linked to different disciplines. Regarding to this complexity and this need to develop a deep culture of light, in 1998 TARGETTI created a Foundation (Foundation Targetti) that works as a real “light factory” where the focus is the interdisciplinary strongly cultural experimentation. The Foundation’s core business is the “Lighting Academy”, dedicated to all those who want to acquire specific knowledge in all the areas of the world of light and lighting (with courses focused on the Artistic Heritage’s lighting) and has become an international reference point for disseminating and promoting the Culture of Light. Furthermore, there are two initiatives regarding the research: the Targetti Light Art Collection (realized by famous artists and young talents and represents a collection of contemporary artworks that springs from the awareness that light is such a fascinating element that it cannot be limited by its technical-functional roles) and the Observatory on Architecture (a series of meeting and debates with the major contemporary architects on the international scene as, for example, Yona Friedman, Norman Foster, Bernard Tschumi, Peter Eisenman, Vito Acconti and Alvaro Siza).This continuous cultural updating, along with the relevant investment linked to the technology innovation and the production processes, enables the company to propose itself as a qualified speaker, able to share with the persons responsible of the cultural and artistic heritage a common language that is traduced not only in the satisfaction of a need of good lighting, but also in the development of integrated projects and long term partnerships. Two significant examples of this approach are: the realization of the lighting for Michelangelo’s “David” in 1985 (always renewed and adapted to the new design and lighting technologies) and the more recent operation, the one of the Eleonora di Agnolo Bronzino Chapel in Palazzo Vecchio (Florence), where were used new tools just developed from the Targetti’s Department of R&D that grant an excellent result.

TARGETTI

www.tagetti.it

248


TEATRO DEL MAGGIO MUSICALE FIORENTINO

THE THEATER OF THE MAGGIO MUSICALE FIORENTINO

www.maggiofiorentino.com

BRIEF HISTORY

The Theater of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is one of the most prestigious symphony-opera foundations in Italy and one of the most important theaters in Europe.

It is based at the Teatro Comunale (Municipal Theater, with over 2000 seats), and also makes used of the Piccolo Teatro (Little Theater), in the same building, and the Goldoni Theater, a jewel of the Lorraine period near Palazzo Pitti and recently restored; the new theater is currently under construction along the banks of the Arno river, in the centuries-old Cascine park. It will be called the Nuovo Teatro – Parco della Musica (New Theater – Music Park), and will have two halls with 1,800 and 1,200 seats, an outdoor amphitheater with 2,000 seats, that will be inaugurated on December 21, 2011, on the occasion of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of Italian Unity, and will certainly become one of the most attractive new elements of contemporary Florentine culture.

Its juridical nature is now that of a Private Foundation, with the participation and contribution of public bodies like the Italian government, the city of Florence and the Region of Tuscany, as well as private companies, the main banking institutions and economic groups, the most famous names in Italian fashion, and hundreds of ordinary citizens and music lovers (including its own employees – a unique case in Italy), who support their theater not only for the benefits they earn but also and above all for the certainty that they will always be able to enjoy the finest interpretations and entertainment on the international scene.


The activities of the Theater are year-long, with an intense, extended season of operas, ballets and concerts.

Among the activities of the theater, is the Festival of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, the oldest Italian music festival, founded in 1933, an international reference both for its great repertoire and for its contemporary productions, that takes place every year in the months of May and June.

For twenty-five years the main conductor has been Zubin Mehta, a world-famous artist who has shaped the Orchestra, founded in 1928 by Vittorio Gui, and conducted many of the most important productions, leading the theater with its complexes in all the main tours abroad, as in the extraordinary undertaking of “Turandot in the Forbidden City” in Beijing in 1998 and those that will take him again to the Far East in 2011, when the orchestra will tour China, Japan and India.

With its great symphonic orchestra, the chorus praised by the greatest masters, and which has given performances and made records also with other Italian and foreign complexes, the stable “MaggioDanza” ballet company, which performs locally and in other Italian theaters, and its highly specialized experts in organization, the Theater of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is one of the greatest enterprises of Florence and one of the largest cultural companies in Italy and Europe, with special advanced training courses and updates for young singers and musicians of different nationalities.

Its set workshops, capable of producing the most amazing, visionary ideas that make stage entertainment magical, also work for other theaters; their sets are in great demand by theaters all over the world, and they often work on coproductions abroad.

249


UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI FIRENZE

(UNIVERSITY OF FLORENCE)

www.unifi.it

BRIEF HISTORY

The University of Florence has its origins in the Studium Generale that the Florentine Republic established long ago in 1321 for the teaching of law (both civil and canon), literature and medicine. In 1364 the Studium became an imperial university. When the Medicis came to power in Tuscany, it was exiled to Pisa. After the 16th century, research and teaching remained alive in Florence in the many academies that flourished in the meantime. In 1859 a single structure was recreated: the Higher Institute of Practical Studies and Specialization that, in the Italian state, would be recognized as having the character of a university. In 1923 the Institute was officially given the name of University.

Today the University of Florence is one of the greatest organizations in Italy for research and higher education, with 2,300 instructors and researchers, of whom 1400 are studying for research doctorates, 750 are research fellows, and almost 100 are permanent researchers. The University also has 1,700 technical and administrative employees and 60,000 students (a fourth of them from outside the Region). The university grants almost 9,000 degrees every year and, in addition, the percentage of Florentine graduates who find employment after graduating from its three-year baccalaureates courses is higher than the national average.

In Florence, the university has many locations: its campus was entirely in the city center until a few decades ago, but now the university has spread to other parts of the city and even beyond, with the scientific departments located in Sesto Fiorentino, other facilities in Scandicci, Empoli Calenzano, and campuses in the provinces of Prato and Pistoia.


The University of Florence offers more than 150 3-year and 5-year baccalaureate courses in 12 departments: Agrarian Science, Architecture, Economics, Pharmacy, Law, Engineering, Literature and Philosophy, Medicine and Surgery, Psychology, Educational Science, Mathematics, Physics and Natural Science and Political Science.

Among the many activities of the 70 Departments, about 60 research facilities between interdepartmental and interuniversity centers, and 10 research, transfer and advanced training centers, it offers, for example, a Master in Multimedia (a one-year post-graduate course that furnishes the knowledge and instruments necessary to work in the sector of digital media with specialization in Interactive Environments – internet applications, multimedia installations for art and cultural assets – and post-production videos, computer graphics, special effects, as well as activities of the Ultrasound Laboratories and Non-Destructive Testing of the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications. The Department also organizes the annual EVA Workshop (Electronic Imaging & The Visual Arts), devoted to information technologies and art.

The prestigious Museo di Storia Naturale (Museum of Natural History) also belongs to the university. It was founded in 1775 by the Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo but its nucleus was the Botanical Gardens that went back all the way to 1545, and it is now, with its 8 million species, the most important nature museum in Italy and one of the largest at the international level. Divided in six sections, the museum houses findings of extraordinary scientific and naturalistic value, admirably combining nature, history, science and art. In particular, “La Specola” is the oldest scientific museum in Europe and contains the largest collection in the world of anatomical waxworks (produced between 1770 and 1850) and over 3,500,000 figures of animals (of which about 5,000 are on exhibition).

250


UNIVERSITÀ INTERNAZIONALE DELL’ARTE DI FIRENZE (UIA)

(INTERNATIONAL ART UNIVERSITY)

www.uiafirenze.com

BRIEF HISTORY

The Università Internazionale dell’Arte (UIA) was founded in Florence in 1968 when Carlo L.Ragghianti, responding with actions to the effects of the disastrous flood of 1966, wanted to create a “special” school at the university level with an international vocation.

The UIA quickly became a propulsive center of encounter on research methods that have continued to develop in time, contributing significantly to the discussion of problems and perspectives in the conservation and valorization of the Italian art heritage.

Through its study centers, workshops and courses, the UIA trains specialists and technical experts from every country who are interested in activities of conservation and the transmission of artistic assets, in a setting of cultural and social awareness.

The Università Internazionale dell’Arte of Florence has 120 students, of which 30% are foreign, and 150 instructors. Classes are structured with 10-15 students, with a majority of women between 18 and 25. Every year about 100-120 students graduate from the school.

The UIA of Florence was recognized on January 29, 1982, with a decree of the President of the Republic, as a non-profit organization and juridical entity. It is also one of the institutions qualified to perform professional training and is certified pursuant to standard UNI ENI ISO 9001:2008 for the design and provision of services of professional training in the spheres of cultural assets and restoration.

Paolo Giannarelli and Francesco Gurrieri are currently the President and Principal of the UIA. The Scientific Committee of the Institute is composed of some of the finest names in the Italian and Tuscan cultural and academic sector.


The UIA promotes and participates in European programs on the development of methods and pilot plans for the safeguard of the cultural heritage. On these lines, faithful to its principles and the aims for which it was founded, the UIA continues its work. It has programmed study centers, workshops, courses, specialized seminars and holds national and international conferences. Among the most significant events from this standpoint are many initiatives such as the restoration of the “Giardino Dipinto della Casa del Bracciale d’Oro a Pompei” (Painted Garden of the Gold Armband House in Pompei) the restoration of the frescoed chapels in the basilica of SS.Annunziata in Florence, the diagnostic investigations and studies on the paintings by Leonardo at the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence.

Lessons take the form of a continuous personal dialogue between the instructors and their students. In addition to lessons of theory, the students perform inspections, technical visits, exercises, attend seminars and lectures in workshops and worksites for the restoration of paintings and murals, by agreement with the Florentine organizations and superintendences.

The UIA has a library with 10,000 books, catalogues and periodicals.

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The Economy of Cultural Heritage and Landscape. A Systemic and Integrated Vision

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Transcript of The Economy of Cultural Heritage and Landscape. A Systemic and Integrated Vision