July 22, 2022
It was the project titled “Procida, The culture is not an island” that convinced the jury to award Procida. The concept of the island, geographic but also philosophical, is explored during the various events scheduled in the program.
Procida is the smallest and least known island in the Gulf of Naples, but certainly the most authentic.
Despite this, and perhaps for this very reason, Procida has been named Italian Capital of Culture for the year 2022. With its sunsets and sunrises, overlooking the sea, its inlets and small harbors wrapped in fishermen’s nets of the place, this small island reminds us of the importance of slowness and the memory of one’s identity.
Procida is the fifth city to have won the title of Italian Capital of Culture. Other Italian Capitals of Culture were: Mantua for 2016, Pistoia for 2017, Palermo for 2018 and Parma for 2020-21, while Matera, in 2019, was elected European Capital of Culture.
With the project “The culture does not isolate“, Procida has beaten other cities like Ancona, Bare, l’Aquila, Cerveteri, Pieve di Soligo, Taranto, Trapani, Verbania and Volterra.
What does it mean to be the Italian Capital of Culture
But let’s take a step back and talk briefly about the project of the Italian Capital of Culture, born in 2014 thanks to the Minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism Dario Franceschini.
The initiative had, among the objectives, that of “enhancing the cultural and landscape heritage” and “improving the services for tourists” of a specific territory, with the further aim of allowing smaller realities to recover ground compared to the rest of the country.
Why Procida is the capital of culture 2022?
It was the project titled “Procida, The culture is not an island” that convinced the jury to award Procida. Minister Franceschini expressed this motivation for the victory: “The patrimonial and landscape dimension of the place is extraordinary. The laboratory dimension which includes social aspects of technological diffusion is important for all the Tyrrhenian islands, but is relevant for all the realities of the small islands. The project could determine, thanks to the combination of these factors, an authentic discontinuity in the territory and represent a model for sustainable development processes based on the culture of the island and coastal realities of the country. The project is also used to transmit a poetic message, a vision of culture that goes beyond the reality of the island as a wish for all of us, to the country in the months that await us”.
On the day of the inauguration, the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella expressed himself as follows: “An island among the smaller ones in the Mediterranean that becomes a capital may appear singular to some. Instead it is a challenge of modernity and, at the same time, a return to the ancient, to its best traditions and to the values it has passed on to us. We could say that it is a modern return to the long history of Italian culture”.
Being the capital of culture is therefore a real honor, but at the same time it represents a great challenge for a small island with such a deep-rooted identity. The choice of Procida led to a first and significant feeling of rebirth and redevelopment of the island.
For the Procida Capital of Culture 2022 project, the Campania Region has allocated 8,730,412.63 euros for:
The Ministry of Culture has allocated 1 million euros for Procida Capitale.
The network of collaborations for Procida Capital of culture, extends nationally and internationally, including, among others, the Rai, the Enit – National Tourism Agency, the US Consulate General in Naples, the Austrian Culture Forum in Rome.
The project: “Culture does not isolate”
The concept of the island, geographic but also philosophical, is explored during the various events scheduled in the program, the key words of which are:
The constant contact with one’s roots and the sharing of beauties and values that transcend times and generations are the essence of “The culture does not isolate”, which aims to explore the island and its inhabitants through creativity and awareness of future prospects.
This is why its program is divided into five types of projects, which translate into 44 cultural projects, 350 artists involved from 45 different countries, 40 original works, 150 events and 8 regenerated cultural spaces.
Programme and events at Procida in 2022
These are the 5 guidelines of the Procida Capital of Culture 2022 program, with the related events currently scheduled for the period between August and December 2022.
Artistic events: exhibitions, cinema, performances.
Between these:
Until September 25th.
Free admission, until December 31st.
Projects that nominate the island as a source of inspiration, both as a real place and as an imaginary space.
Free entry.
Social inclusion projects that use the languages of art as tools for the expression of the individual placed in relation to the community.
Currently running until September.
Projects that promote the relationship between culture and innovation, fostering moments of confrontation between the national community of innovators and the local community, in a path of strategic rethinking of their cultural heritage.
Until November. For information [email protected].
October 15-16. Free participation, for info [email protected].
Projects that promote the relationship between culture and innovation, fostering moments of confrontation between the national community of innovators and the local community, in a path of strategic rethinking of their cultural heritage.
6 appointments on weekends from May to October.
Admission fee, for info and reservations Palazzo D’Avalos Association + 39 333 3510701.
5-7 August, 2-4 September, 7-9 October, 4-6 November. Free participation.
September 10th. Free participation.
Until September.
Until November. For info [email protected].
Procida Camp & Resort is located in a central and convenient position to reach all event locations on foot.