Capital of Culture

• Bergamo and Brescia are two cities that decided to unite in a single Italian Capital of Culture, boosted by an extraordinary revival after the pandemic.
• Two territories that are the custodians of tradition and innovation, entrepreneurial flair and a uniquely important cultural heritage.
• Bergamo Brescia Italian Capital of Culture 2023 is also supported by Intesa Sanpaolo and A2A as the Main Partners, Brembo as System Partner and Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane and SACBO as Area Partners.
• The Ministry of Culture, Fondazione Cariplo, Fondazione della Comunità Bresciana and Fondazione della Comunità Bergamasca are institutional partners.

• BERGAMO, Italy and BRESCIA, Italy, June 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A long summer of pop will celebrate Italian Capital of Culture 2023: hundreds of events in Bergamo and Brescia to fill the summer days and nights with life, music and colour.
• The future is a duty", where 20 artists will perform from 27 June to 9 July in a visionary show.
• Thousands of local artists will take part in Festa della Music in Bergamo from 21 June and Brescia from 24 June.
• Bergamo Brescia Italian Capital of Culture 2023 is supported by main partners Intesa Sanpaolo and A2A, system partner Brembo and area partner Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane and SACBO.

• There is a growing interest in the value of arts and culture in supporting health and wellbeing.
• For example, the government’s Know Your Neighbourhood Fund, aimed at tackling loneliness, has earmarked £5 million to expand arts, culture and heritage activities across 27 target areas.
• At the Centre for Cultural Value, we have spent the past two years exploring research to learn about the impact of culture on health and wellbeing.
• This has resulted in an apparent postcode lottery for what does and doesn’t get commissioned by the NHS.

Scaling understanding

• One answer lies in developing a better understanding over a longer term.
• Previous studies show that the creative and cultural sectors can be powerful drivers of innovation, job creation and economic growth.
• However, alongside our partners at The Audience Agency, we will focus on drawing out arguably the more difficult-to-quantify social impacts.

Capturing complexity: the next steps

• Capturing and conveying the nuanced value of culture in health and wellbeing is complex, but not impossible.
• This partly means shifting away from short-term funding models, where small pots of money are available for time-limited projects.
• They can also provide powerful moments of joy, connection and wonder – at a time when people need them most.

• Open from 10 April 2023, the route is destined to become a sustainable legacy for the territory between Bergamo and Brescia.
• A slow, two-way path links two symbolic UNESCO sites: the Santa Giulia Monumental Complex in Brescia and the ancient part of Berg amo, Città Alta, with its Venetian Walls.
• To help walkers, new signage and a host of hospitality and accommodation facilities are available around the route.
• The Ministry of Culture, Fondazione Cariplo, Fondazione della Comunità Bresciana and Fondazione della Comunità Bergamasca are institutional partners.