Governance

Main actors 

In Italy, public and private entities promote culture and creativity in different ways. Some of the initiatives specifically target young people.

The Ministry of Culture (MiC) is responsible for the protection, preservation, and enhancement of cultural heritage. At the central level, it operates through 12 General Directorates, some of which focus specifically on promoting culture among young people:  the Directorate-General of Education, Research, and Cultural Institutes, the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity, the Directorate-General of Museums.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) supports the promotion of Italian culture abroad and fosters young Italian creativity through various initiatives, such as Youth Exchanges for young people aged between 18 and 30 years (Cf. 9.6).

The Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) encourages youth entrepreneurial creativity, offering financial incentives and funding for innovative startups in sectors such as design, fashion, digital art, and audiovisual media.

The Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) is involved in promoting a culture of sustainability through the Dipende da Noi platform, which is also designed for younger generations. 

The Ministry of Education and Merit (MIM) is responsible for the education and training of young people and supports the integration of culture and creativity into the educational system through programs and extracurricular activities, such as the Pathways for Transversal Skills and Orientation (Cf. 6.7).

The Department for Youth Policies and the Universal Civic Service (DPGSCU), through the National Fund for Youth Policies, also funds projects aimed at promoting cultural education and creativity for young people (Cf. 1). Additionally, the Universal Civic Service (Cf. 2) provides young people with opportunities to gain hands-on experience in the following sectors (Legislative Decree 40/2017, art.3): environmental heritage and urban regeneration; historical, artistic, and cultural heritage; education and cultural promotion; promotion of peace, nonviolence, and unarmed defense; promotion and protection of human rights; development cooperation; promotion of Italian culture abroad.

The Association for the Circuit of Young Italian Artists (GAI) set up in 1987 through a collaboration between local authorities, provides services and organizes training and promotional opportunities for young people under 35 pursuing professional careers in creativity, arts, and entertainment. Its website offers information on opportunities and resources in the artistic and performing arts sectors and hosts a national database with over 15,000 profiles of emerging creative people across artistic fields.

General distribution of responsibilities

Art. 117 of the Italian Constitution establishes that the protection of cultural heritage falls under the exclusive legislative authority of the State, while the enhancement of cultural heritage, as well as the promotion and organization of cultural activities, are subject matters of the concurrent legislation between the State, Regions, and Autonomous Provinces.

The competent authorities responsible for the protection of cultural heritage are more precisely defined in Articles 4 and 5 of the Code of the Cultural and Landscape Heritage.

Specifically, these articles establish that the functions related to the protection of cultural heritage are assigned to the Ministry of Culture, which exercises them directly or may delegate their execution to the Regions. Furthermore, Regions, Municipalities, Metropolitan Cities, and Provinces cooperate with the Ministry in carrying out its functions.

Indeed, Regions, Provinces and Municipalities play an active role in promoting culture and youth creativity through targeted policies and events.

At the local level, the Ministry of Culture operates through various local bodies, including a) Regional Secretariats; b) Superintendencies for Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape; c) Regional Museum Directorates; d) Museums, archaeological sites, parks, and other cultural institutions; e) Archival and Bibliographic Superintendencies; f) State Archives; g) Libraries.

Cross-sectoral cooperation

All public and private entities can cooperate in the field of creativity and culture. While it is not possible to provide a comprehensive overview, a few examples are outlined below.

The Association for the Circuit of Young Italian Artists (Associazione per il Circuito dei Giovani Artisti GAI) consists of 23 local administrations (Provincial Capitals and Regions) that support young people under 35 who work in the fields of creativity and art.GAI, in agreement with the Ministry of Culture - specifically the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity, the Directorate-General for Museums, and the Directorate-General for Performing Arts - promotes national and international initiatives to support emerging design and enhance international mobility of young Italian artists.

The Ministry of Culture (MiC) cooperates with universities through agreements for study and research purposes, and with research institutes such as ISTAT.

Every three years, the Minister of Culture, in agreement with the Minister of Education and Merit, adopts the National Action Plan for the Promotion of Reading (Piano Nazionale d’azione per la promozione della lettura). Municipalities and Regions participate in the Action Plan by signing local agreements aimed at involving libraries, public and private institutions, particularly schools which operate locally and are committed to promoting reading.