Rome's Failure as a Cultural Capital: A Critique by Fabio Severino
Fabio Severino, a senior advisor at Oltre Venture, argues that despite its rich historical background, Rome falls short of being a genuine cultural city when compared to international centers such as Paris, London, New York, Berlin, Seoul, and Rio, as well as Italian locales like Matera, Turin, and Milan. He characterizes a cultural city as one that encourages artistic production and nurtures the cultural economy. Although Rome boasts a 72 sq km UNESCO World Heritage site and 25,000 cultural attractions, its municipal superintendency does little to promote contemporary culture. Since the late 1970s, local administrations have prioritized fleeting events over a unified vision, overlooking opportunities like the Auditorium and MAXXI. Severino's commentary appears in Artribune Magazine #30.
Key facts
- Fabio Severino is senior advisor at investment fund Oltre Venture.
- Severino defines a cultural city as one that encourages production, attracts artists, facilitates exchange, supports cultural economy, and lowers access barriers.
- Rome has a 72 sq km historic center declared UNESCO World Heritage with 25,000 points of cultural interest.
- Rome is the only Italian city with a municipal superintendency for archaeology and museums.
- Roman administrations since the late 1970s have attempted policies for contemporary culture but achieved only 'eventism'.
- Nearly ten successive assessors have started from scratch, lacking a city project or vision.
- Missed opportunities include Auditorium, MACRO, MAXXI, and the 'Nuvola' convention center by Massimiliano Fuksas.
- Private initiatives in street art, music, contemporary art, and publishing have emerged but lack public support.
Entities
Artists
- Massimiliano Fuksas
Institutions
- Oltre Venture
- Artribune
- UNESCO
- Auditorium
- MACRO
- MAXXI
- Nuvola convention center
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Paris
- London
- New York
- Berlin
- Seoul
- Rio
- Matera
- Turin
- Milan
- EUR