Two great northern Italian cities rich in history, culture, art, nature and landscape are Italian Capital of Culture for the first time.
Green light for campaign to encourage an international public to discover these extraordinary cities
BERGAMO AND BRESCIA, Italy, Oct. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Italian Capital of Culture initiative launched in 2014 promotes the appreciation of Italian cultural heritage with projects and activities. For first time, two cities have come together as the Italian Capital of Culture in acknowledgement of the cultural vibrancy that emerged during the pandemic. This extraordinary project is supported by leading Italian companies – Intesa Sanpaolo and A2A as Main Partners, Brembo as System Partner – and institutional partners such as the Italian Culture Ministry and the Fondazione Cariplo.
Changing a territory through culture. The Bergamo and Brescia initiative will kick off a wide-ranging project to tackle contemporary challenges focused on culture, sustainability, enhancement of the artist heritage, welfare and innovation. Italian Capital of Culture 2023 has a packed programme of 100 major projects and another 500 initiatives, the work of many organisations through a network of joint planning.
It begins with a magnificent inaugural ceremony on the 21st and 22nd of January, 2023 and continues all year with events linked to music, theatre, art and much more. The Festival of Lights will get the ball rolling: Brescia (10-19 February) and Bergamo (17-26 February) will become open-air art galleries, featuring prestigious national and international artists.
The campaign to draw in an international public will unveil an unexpected face of Italy, breaking out of the "information bubble": Bergamo and Brescia are less well-known destinations than the main Italian cities popular with foreign visitors but art, centuries-old tradition, innovation, majestic natural landscapes, historical monuments, food, wine and much more can all be found there.
"Bergamo and Brescia Italian Capital of Culture 2023," said Bergamo's Mayor, Giorgio Gori, "is a joint approach to the challenge our two cities wanted to tackle at a historic time of great change. Culture, as well as being an essential lever for attracting tourism, is vital for the improvement of the life of our communities."
Brescia's Mayor, Emilio Del Bono, commented: "As Italian Capital of Culture 2023, Bergamo and Brescia are renewing their production system and cultural offer at all levels, cooperating with associations and businesses, preserving and augmenting the heritage, attracting tourists and creating new opportunities for development and training."
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