Fondazione Cariplo Invests €6 Million in Lombardy Cultural Heritage

Fondazione Cariplo has allocated approximately €6 million through its 'Beni Aperti' call to support 14 restoration and reuse projects for historic buildings across Lombardy and the provinces of Novara and Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. Selected from 58 applications submitted in July 2019, the projects aim to restore architectural heritage and establish new cultural activities and services within them. Beneficiaries include non-profit organizations, public entities, and ecclesiastical bodies. Key sites include the city walls of Bergamo Alta (a UNESCO World Heritage site), diocesan properties in Bergamo and Cremona to be transformed into cultural centers, a cinema in Lecco, the Teatro Coccia in Novara for performing arts training, Palazzo Te in Mantua for restoration and management renewal, Villa Erba in Cernobbio (former home of Luchino Visconti) for educational and cultural activities, the architect Maroni's house in Gardone Riviera near the Vittoriale degli Italiani (home of Gabriele d'Annunzio) to become a museum, and tourism reception systems in Argegno and Malegno. The foundation's president Giovanni Fosti emphasized culture as a crucial asset for Italy's competitive advantage and a driver of economic recovery post-pandemic. Additional 2020 initiatives include the 'Cultura di qualità' call (€3 million) for cultural seasons and festivals, and 'Crowd4Culture' (€400,000) supporting crowdfunding campaigns for heritage preservation.