Bologna's Cultural Reopening: MAMbo Becomes Artist Hub, Morandi Museum Planned

Bologna's culture councillor Matteo Lepore outlines the city's post-lockdown cultural strategy in a May 2020 interview. Museums reopen May 19 with limited access and safety measures. The MAMbo will transform into the Nuovo Forno del Pane, a production and residency center for local artists, a first in Italy. A new international Giorgio Morandi museum is planned in a state-owned building the city aims to acquire. Lepore discarded the outsourcing of libraries, announcing new hires. A citizen questionnaire drew nearly 1,000 responses, prioritizing neighborhood cultural events. The Cineteca moved programming online via My Movies since April 21, with streaming continuing until cinemas reopen. Lepore warns the film industry will change permanently. Festivals like Terra di tutti, Itacà, and others may return but not all in 2020. Theatres need clear rules and subsidies; reopening with half capacity is unsustainable. Radio Città del Capo must be saved to avoid job losses. Lepore asked sponsors not to cut budgets. The city suspended rent for third-sector organizations until July and reduced waste taxes. Lepore calls for national reform of the entertainment code to end precarious work. Students are prioritized over tourists; a fund for affordable housing was approved. The People Mover will serve both. Lepore pledges dialogue with activist spaces like TPO, Làbas, and Crash, citing new municipal spaces made available through calls and co-design.