FRANCO Festival 2025: First Edition of Regeneration Culture Festival in Bologna

The first edition of FRANCO Festival, dedicated to culture-driven urban regeneration, took place at the former Cartiera di Marzabotto in Lama di Reno, Bologna. Over two days, the event brought together designers, communities, and institutions through talks, awards, and artistic performances. Highlights included a talk on rehabilitating former asylums and prisons curated by BAM! Strategie Culturali, and a session on financing cultural regeneration in the Apennines, using a Monopoly metaphor by Martina Bacigalupi. Awards were given to winners of the Premio NEB Emilia-Romagna 2025 – Rigenerare con la cultura: Manualetto di Studio Doiz APS won for consolidated projects, and Sottoponte di Cinqueminuti APS for new projects. Special mentions went to Confiscata, sgangherata, vissuta by Libera Bologna and Danzando con Salus by Eta Beta. The artistic program, curated by Parsec APS, included the exhibition Field Diary with works by Iside Calcagnile, Caterina Gobbi, and Irene Cassarini, and a generative live performance Dröm by Cassarini. Organizers Martina Lodi and Ambra Lombardi of ART-ER stated the festival is part of the ongoing FRANCO forum, which aims to network and develop policies for urban regeneration. The Cartiera, already undergoing renewal with PNRR funds, will become a hub with coworking, residencies, bar, auditorium, exhibition spaces, and sports areas.