Bergamo Italian Capital of Culture 2023

Did you know it? Bergamo is Italian Capital of Culture 2023!
Do you still need another reason to visit this Italian jewel? Just come!

What does “Italian Capital of Culture” means really?

The “Italian Capital of Culture” is a very important title and it’s conferred annually to a different Italian city by the Council of Ministers on the proposal of the Minister of Culture. The aim is to recognize and promote the elected city’s commitment to the promotion of culture and creativity.

The city elected as “Capital of Culture” has the opportunity to organize and host cultural and artistic events along the whole year to celebrate its cultural heritage and its current artistic   vitality.

This year two cities have been elected as Capital of Culture: Bergamo and Brescia.

Why two cities as Italian Capital of Culture 2023?

“The Bergamo Brescia Italian Capital of Culture 2023 project came into being as a sign of hope, pride and renewal. A necessary moment of beauty after the dramatic experience of the pandemic. (…) Bergamo Brescia Italian Capital of Culture 2023 bears witness to a possible renaissance through the conscious choice of culture” As stated on the official website.

Bergamo and Brescia are not only the cities of the pandemic, they have a unique artistic and architectural heritage. Bergamo with its historic monuments of the Upper Town, whose Venetian walls are Unesco heritage site and the Donizetti theater (which takes its name from the Bergamo composer Gaetano Donizetti). Brescia with the monastic complex of San Salvatore – Santa Giulia and the archeological area of the Capitolium.

What happens to Bergamo as Capital of culture 2023?

Bergamo together with Brescia will be hub of cultural events and cultural activities open to anyone. Art exhibitions, musical events and activities are going to involve the whole community leading to the discovery of the cultural, creative and naturalistic heritage of Bergamo.

In the occasion of the opening of Bergamo-Brescia Capital of Culture which took place the last two weekends of January 2023, a series of theatrical, musical and artistic events and performances took place involving the citizens of Bergamo themselves. Did you miss it the opening ceremony? Then watch the video below:

The theme around which the activities of Bergamo-Brescia Italian Capital of Culture are developed is that of the “enlightened city”.

“An expression that intends to encompass different meanings, such as tolerance, creativity, the development of scientific research and technologies, but also to represent the symbol of a beacon city, a point of reference and leadership.” (from the Capitalidellacultura website)”.

There are four main thematic areas of the Bergamo-Brescia 2023 project:

• Culture as a cure
  A clear reference to the shared memory of the pandemic, with a look of hope towards the future.
• The natural city
  To stimulate a constructive reflection on the relationship between urban and natural areas as well as to make modern cities greener and more sustainable.
• The city of hidden treasures
  To enhance and redesign the relationship with the cultural heritage of both cities
• The city invents
  A series of projects that sees companies, artistic and cultural association tell the great inventive, planning and manufacturing capacity of the manufacturing sector characteristic of this area.

Personally, I find this project very interesting and ambitious. I truly hope that the four points mentioned above (especially that of “the natural city”), will not remain only good resolution on the paper, but will take shape over the years.

Events during Bergamo-Brescia Capital of Culture 2023

You can find all info about the events of Bergamo-Brescia Capital of Culture 2023 visiting the official website. A long series of events will take place for all kind of “tastes”. I warmly suggest to keep an eye on the events page and, in case it’s required, to book the invents you like.

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See you soon,
Valentina