Private foundations increasingly drive cultural heritage in Italy's inner areas

In Italy's inner areas, the boundary between public and private is blurring, especially in culture. Private entities like foundations and companies are taking on public roles in managing archaeological sites, maintaining heritage, and generating public value. Examples include the Fondazione Archeologica Canosina, which won the Premio Francovich for combining scientific rigor with outreach, and the Fondazione Mont'e Prama. This trend challenges 20th-century distinctions between public and private, as private actors now produce collective benefits such as cultural memory and democratic development. The article argues that in small communities, the legal nature of an entity matters less than its goal of creating public value. It questions whether current regulatory frameworks, inherited from the 20th century, are adequate for a world where private initiative increasingly serves public interests.