Forlì's Cultural Miracle: Gianfranco Brunelli on a Decade of Art Exhibitions

Key facts

• Forlì transformed from a town with little appeal into an art city in just over a decade.
• The 'Santa Alleanza' between the municipality and Fondazione Cassa dei Risparmi funded the San Domenico complex restoration.
• The volume 'Forlì. Dieci storie di grande arte. 2005-2015' covers the first ten years of exhibitions.
• Over one million visitors and more than two thousand works were brought to Forlì.
• Gianfranco Brunelli has been general director of all exhibitions since 2005.
• Brunelli also coordinates Intesa Sanpaolo's Progetto Cultura, which created the Gallerie d'Italia in Milan.
• The 2016 exhibition 'Piero della Francesca. Indagine su un mito' drew 130,000 visitors.
• The 2017 project is dedicated to Art Déco.
• Art Déco exhibitions aim to erase the distinction between major and minor arts.
• Italian Art Déco democratized art and emancipated women.
• Gio Ponti won a gold medal at the 1925 Paris Expo.
• Each exhibition costs about two million euros, with a return of 1.7 to 2.4 euros per euro invested.
• Around ninety scholars have contributed to the exhibitions over twelve years.