Art and culture in the Constitution. An everlasting value

Fondazione Luigi Rovati promotes a conversation with Giuliano Amato, former President of the Constitutional Court, and Mario Abis, Professor of Statistics and Research at IULM University, Milan. The event will be introduced by Giovanna Forlanelli, President of the Foundation.

The meeting will be centred around the timeless importance of the Article 9 of the Italian Constitution, with its focus on art and culture, and the value it attributes to culture as factor of growth and social cohesion.

Today, the Constitution is more actual than ever, and it is constantly recalled by the President of the Republic as the fundamental law of the Republic, which not only regulates, but also dictates, the orientations that our Country and community should have. This also affects a fundamental character of the Italian society, culture in its different declinations, starting from art: the Constitution provides insight on it. These are the themes of the conversation between Giuliano Amato and Mario Abis. There is often talk about culture, in many cases with an economic touch, just as a tool but not as fundamental purpose of our community. Going back to the Constitution gives meaning to the value of culture as a factor of growth and social cohesion: this may be the first time that this is done, and provides new perspective and political relevance to discussions about culture, anticipates Giovanna Forlanelli.

Why is culture, , an everlasting value, something not to transit but to become heritage? How much is this heritage worth and how can it be further valued? The conversation will address these theme and vision. Furthermore, this value enshrined by the Constitution opens the discussion to all aspects of art and culture, even technical ones.: how do you measure its social and economic impact? How do you regulate the relationship between public institutions, which holds a heritage, and private individuals and corporates which more and more invest and contribute to valorising heritage itself? We will also try to answer regarding the role of politics and public administration in the regulation of these relationships and how to avoid any political manipulations of the value of culture. Inside this perimeter, many contemporary topics will be covered: cultural institutions, museums, non-discriminatory participation due to social disparities.

Lastly, how does the social value of culture relate to the great financial interventions that supports it? Do they help ‘redistributing’ it, granting a better access or do they make it even more elitist?