The city of Parma is preparing to introduce a new reality dedicated to the contemporary with the launch of ParCO, a project that combines cultural research, community dialogue and an international perspective. The initiative takes shape inside theOspedale Vecchio, one of the oldest Italian buildings of hospital architecture, founded in 1201 and now undergoing extensive restoration. Its majestic 15th-century Renaissance structure will become the centerpiece of an operation that aims to return an architectural heritage to the city and, at the same time, open a space for contemporary art and culture.
Ahead of the launch, a presentation meeting has already been scheduled. On Wednesday, September 24, at 12 noon, again in the spaces of the Ospedale Vecchio, speakers will include Parma Mayor Michele Guerra, the president of Parma, I’m in! Alessandro Chiesi and Corrado Beldì, a board member of the same association. The appointment will be an opportunity to publicly explain the project guidelines and clarify the steps that will lead to the activation of the open call and the international forum at the end of the month.
The project is named ParCO, an acronym for “Parma Contemporanea,” and stems from a proposal by the association Parma, io ci sto! developed in collaboration with the City of Parma and with the contribution of the London-based studio The Place Bureau. Underlying it is the experience gained during Parma Italian Capital of Culture 2020+21, when a public-private partnership had already paved the way for new forms of shared planning. From that path originated a reflection that involved different actors in the area and gave birth to the idea of a space capable of combining cultural innovation, social openness and attention to the urban fabric.
ParCO is conceived as a hub that will foster interdisciplinary collaboration while providing opportunities for community enjoyment. Planned activities include exhibitions, educational tours and multidisciplinary initiatives. The stated ambition is to create a place of encounter and exchange, capable of stimulating new cultural energies and consolidating Parma’s role as a city attentive to the challenges of the present. The development of the project is entrusted to a network of figures with proven experience in the field of curating and cultural design, capable of ensuring a vision that holds together local dimensions and international openness.
The path will include, between September and November, the launch of a global open call to select a reference figure. This person will be asked to elaborate an ambitious project, capable of imagining and accompanying the birth of ParCO, interpreting its potential and building relationships with artists, institutions and publics both from Italy and abroad.
The first public meeting will be set for Saturday, September 27, 2025, when the Old Hospital spaces will host an international forum. The meeting will bring together professionals, artists and prominent figures in the cultural scene, with the aim of stimulating an open dialogue on the practices and values that will inspire ParCO. It will be an opportunity to share experiences and best practices, outlining the principles that will guide the evolution of the project. The forum is intended to serve as a time for listening and discussion, in line with the idea of openness, proximity and collaboration that underpins the entire initiative.
The Oltretorrente neighborhood as the site of ParCO has long been characterized as a multicultural and ever-changing context. Nearby are the Departments of Humanities and Economics of the University of Parma, a large civic library, historical and film archives, as well as the Ducal Park. The area is thus configured as a fertile ecosystem for the creation of an open and inclusive cultural laboratory, in continuity with the past but turned to contemporary opportunities. The project also reflects the desire to consolidate a process of urban redevelopment that has seen the City of Parma engaged in the recovery of the Ospedale Vecchio in recent years. Returning this space to the city, transforming it into a center dedicated to the contemporary, means interweaving historical memory and future vision, strengthening the cultural identity of a rapidly growing neighborhood.
The initiative comes at a special moment for Parma, recently named European Youth Capital 2027. ParCO therefore also stands as a tool to enhance the city’s role in an international context, offering a place where new generations can find opportunities for participation and cultural experimentation. The path initiated aims to create a true engine of relations, capable of connecting the local to the global. The selection of the figure who will lead the planning will be central to defining ParCO’s distinctive features, while the international forum in September will be a first test case for networking different experiences and perspectives. Parma is therefore looking to the future with a planning approach that interweaves tradition and innovation.
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| ParCO, a hub for contemporary art is born in Parma at the Ospedale Vecchio |
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