Ancona bids to be Italian Capital of Culture 2028: a project between port, acropolis and Adriatic Sea

Ancona has submitted its candidacy dossier for the title of Italian Capital of Culture 2028 to the Ministry of Culture. The project bears the title Ancona. This Now, an expression inspired by the words of Ancona poet Francesco Scarabicchi. The document’s approach proposes a relationship between historical memory and the present, with the aim of placing culture at the center of a process of urban and social transformation of the city. In this perspective, the sea assumes a structural role, indicated as a common matrix of the planned projects.

The dossier develops a vision articulated in four project macro-areas: This Sea, Via Maestra, Now Park and Cultural Sea. The four directions are conceived in relation to the geographical and historical conformation of the city. The plan includes over eighty original and site-specific projects, entrusted to figures from the Italian and international cultural scene. Among the names involved are Oscar-winning set designer Dante Ferretti, director Abel Ferrara, scholars and curators such as Francesco De Melis, Enrico Maria Dal Pozzolo, Marco Ansaldo, Gabriele Simongini, Rachele Dubbini, Giuliana Giusti and Gabriele Tinti, along with artists and musicians including Dardust and Quiet Ensemble.

The macro-areaQuesto Mare focuses on the revitalization of the port area and the historical relationship between Ancona and the sea. The project considers the port as a cultural and scenic space. Planned initiatives include a cinematic narrative of theArch of Trajan entrusted to Abel Ferrara, as well as the creation of a Visual and Sound Archive of the Sea curated by Francesco De Melis. Cultural planning also includes links with cities on the Adriatic shore such as Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar and Venice, which have joined the dossier. This also includes the relaunch of the Adrjo digital platform of the Port Authority of the Adriatic Sea System.

The Mole Vanvitelliana assumes a central function in the program. The complex is listed as one of the main cultural hubs of the bid and is expected to host the Museum of Adriatic Sea Civilization, directed by Dante Ferretti. Alongside the museum is planned a series of exhibition and research initiatives including the Trilogy of the 1900s curated by GabrieleSimongini. Other projects include the Center for Contemporary Talent, conceived in line with regional legislation dedicated to cultural and creative industries, and Design Sea Week implemented with the involvement of Confindustria.

The second route, Via Maestra, follows the axis of the historic center to thecity’s acropolis, dedicated to the figure of the humanist Ciriaco d’Ancona, active in the 15th century. A Prize for Intercultural Dialogue developed in cooperation with the Permanent Secretariat of the Adriatic Ionian Initiative is linked to his memory. Via Maestra also coincides with the city’s network of museums, including the National Archaeological Museum of Marche and the Pinacoteca Civica. Starting in 2026, these institutions will test the Ministry of Culture’s guidelines for urban museum networks.

Study exhibitions and research projects promoted by the National Archaeological Museum of the Marches, the Superintendence and the University of Ferrara are planned within this framework. The Pinacoteca Civica will host a series of exhibitions dedicated to different themes: the Adriatic Renaissance and Lorenzo Lotto, curated byEnrico Maria Dal Pozzolo; a reconstruction of the representation of Ancona between Grand Tour and Turner curated by Giovanna Capitelli, with digital contributions from the Università Politecnica delle Marche; and a path dedicated to female art and culture linked to the symbol of Venus, the deity to whom the Greco-Roman temple of the ancient acropolis was dedicated.

The Via Maestra area also includes narrative projects related to the international dimension of the city. In the Chamber of Commerce headquarters along the Loggia dei Mercanti, the figure of Cinzio Benincasa, ambassador to the court of Matthias Corvinus in Budapest in the 15th century, will be explored in depth. The relationship with the Hungarian capital is also linked to a project on Lorenzo Lotto: in 2027 the National Museum of Budapest will in fact host an exhibition dedicated to the artist. In parallel, the dossier enhances Ancona’s position as a gateway to the East, a historical junction of exchanges with the Mediterranean, the Balkans and the Adriatic-Ionian area. The same context includes the link with the Marche Apennines and historical productions such as Fabriano paper.

The Museo di Ateneo of the Università Politecnica delle Marche participates in the program with a museographic project dedicated to the history of the university’s scientific research. The initiative proposes a model of university museum oriented toward dissemination and dialogue with the public. The dossier also includes in-depth linguistic activities on the Ancona dialect developed by Ca’ Foscari University of Venice under the guidance of Giuliana Giusti, with initiatives also aimed at schools.

The third macro-area, Adesso Park, relates natural heritage and cultural production. The center of the project is Cardeto Park, overlooking the sea and ideally connected to Conero Park. The Conero area is currently engaged in the path of candidacy as a Geopark under the auspices of UNESCO. Within the Cardeto Park, where the Jewish Cemetery founded in the 15th century is also located, 2028 will coincide with the 600th anniversary of the site’s founding. Immersive poetry gardens dedicated to Franco Scataglini and Francesco Scarabicchi are planned in this context. Cultural itineraries are a central element of the proposal. Ancona intends to join the system of Council of Europe-certified Routes, including Destination Napoleon and Atrium, integrating them with thematic routes related to Greco-Roman, Byzantine, Renaissance and Vanvitellian history.

The fourth macro-area, Mare Culturale, proposes the transformation of the sea into a platform for contemporary artistic production. The program includes digital and performing arts coordinated by entities recognized by the Ministry of Culture through the National Live Performing Arts Fund. The main implementers include Marche Teatro and Fondazione Muse, which is responsible for the city’s opera season.

The project also involves several festivals active in the area, including Adriatico Mediterraneo, Popsophia and Pensiero Plurale. Adriatico Mediterraneo also includes a new project dedicated to geopolitics directed by journalist Marco Ansaldo. The artistic program includes site-specific interventions and the participation of artists such as Dardust, Subsonica and the Quiet Ensemble collective. Part of the project involves the use of digital technologies. Videomapping and audiovisual installations will affect iconic monuments of the city such as Trajan’s Arch and the Passetto. The stated goal is to develop a hub dedicated to audiovisual production, gaming and digital creativity, with the support of Rainbow, Marche Polytechnic University and the Fondazione Marche Cultura - Marche Film Commission.

The dossier also devotes attention to issues of accessibility and cultural welfare. A central role is assigned to the Omero State Tactile Museum, indicated as an international reference for museum accessibility. Digital technologies are designed in collaboration with the Marche Polytechnic University, while cultural welfare policies are aligned with recent measures introduced by the Ministry of Culture. On the economic side, the project includes an urban regeneration plan and investments in excess of 50 million euros. To these resources are added 70 million euros allocated by the Office of the Extraordinary Commissioner for the reconstruction of the 2016 earthquake, earmarked for strategic interventions in the city. Should the title be awarded, the cultural program will have a budget of about 7 million euros, which will be managed by a steering committee led by the city and implemented by Marche Teatro, chaired by Valerio Vico and directed by Giuseppe Dipasquale.

The bid is promoted by the City of Ancona with the Marche Polytechnic University, the Marche Region and ANCI Marche. A number of institutional stakeholders have joined the dossier, including the Archdiocese of Ancona-Osimo, the Port Authority of Sistema del Mare Adriatico, the Marche Chamber of Commerce, Confindustria Province of Ancona, the Federation of Adriatic Ionian Cities, the Conero Regional Park and the Conero Riviera. State institutions involved include the Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the provinces of Ancona and Pesaro Urbino, the Marche Regional Museums Directorate, the National Archaeological Museum of the Marche, the Museo Tattile Statale Omero, the State Archives of Ancona, the Marche Archival and Bibliographic Superintendence and the Central Institute for Intangible Heritage.

In recent months, the network of partners has expanded to include the Federico Zeri Foundation of the University of Bologna, the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca in Rome, the Circuit of Young Italian Artists and the Cassa di Risparmio di Fabriano and Cupramontana and Marche Foundations. Economic support for the project also involves investee companies of the municipality and the Chamber of Commerce. The dossier was developed by a multidisciplinary bid direction. Cultural direction and institutional governance are entrusted to Marta Paraventi; administrative and project direction to Viviana Caravaggi; creative direction and design to Anghela Alò; digital innovation and coordination with the university to Paolo Clini; and European strategy and relations with the European Union to Barbara Toce.

Ancona bids to be Italian Capital of Culture 2028: a project between port, acropolis and Adriatic Sea

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