As part of L’Aquila’s designation as the 2026 Italian Capital of Culture, on May 29 and 30, Palazzo Spaventa will hostthe Opera Demopratica L’Aquila, a participatory process promoted by the Pistoletto Cittadellarte Foundation that focuses on culture, active citizenship, and social transformation. These two days are dedicated to the Forum on the Ecosystem of Cultural and Creative Industries, conceived as a permanent civic workshop for dialogue and co-design among institutions, cultural enterprises, associations, artists, and local communities.

On Friday, May 29, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., there will be working groups and participatory planning sessions on the topics of education, participation, cultural spaces, music, well-being, and creative cultural enterprises. The public can attend as observers and also watch the collaborative performances by Francesco Leineri with Harmonielehre, alongside Mariangela De Vita, and Silvia Di Gregorio’s *Abitare lo spazio*.

Among the public events open to the public, the DEMOPRATIC PARADE will begin at 5:30 p.m.—a large-scale collective action that will symbolically carry the Forum’s ideas out of Palazzo Spaventa, through the historic center, and on to the Terzo Paradiso in front of the Auditorium del Parco. The procession, led by Michelangelo Pistoletto’s “Sfera di giornali” and accompanied by musicians and local youth, will transform the city’s streets into a space of shared creativity. At 6:30 p.m., also at Palazzo Spaventa, a Roundtable Discussion on Cultural and Creative Enterprises will be held, focusing on the relationship between culture and urban space, with presentations by Alessandro Crociata, Paolo Naldini, Alex Voglino, Paola Lopes, and Davide Oliverio.

On Saturday, May 30, the Forum will continue with the final roundtable sessions and, starting at 12:00 p.m., with a public presentation of the findings and proposals that have emerged. The closing event will feature presentations by the L’Arabesque Dance Studies Center, along with the performance *Terzo Paradiso* byGiuseppe Stampone and Paolo Naldini, marking the conclusion of an initiative aimed at building a participatory and sustainable cultural ecosystem for the L’Aquila region.

DETAILED PROGRAM

FRIDAY, MAY 29

9:00 a.m. – Welcome for participants

9:30

Official Remarks by Mayor Pierluigi Biondi
Official Remarks by Alessandro Crociata, Scientific Coordinator of the Cultural and Urban Observatory of L’Aquila
Insights from Existing Demonstration Projects
Introduction by Paolo Naldini
Operational Introduction by Giacomo Bassmaji, Antonella Muzi, Angelo Bernardi, and introduction of the facilitators

10:50 a.m. – HARMONIELEHRE, a performance piece curated by Francesco Leineri in collaboration with Mariangela De Vita

11:00 a.m. – Start of the breakout sessions and plenary session

1:00 p.m. – Group lunch hosted by the “Leonardo da Vinci” State Vocational Institute for Industry, Crafts, and the Hotel and Restaurant Services in L’Aquila

3:00 p.m. – *ABITARE LO SPAZIO*: a performance exploring movement and relationships, curated by Silvia Di Gregorio

3:30 p.m. – Second working session in small groups and plenary session

5:30 p.m. – DEMOPRATIC PROCESSION from Palazzo Spaventa to Terzo Paradiso, following Michelangelo Pistoletto’s “Sfera di giornali,” created by students from the “Andrea Bafile” High School under the guidance of Prof. Licia Galizia

6:30 p.m. — Cultural and Creative Enterprises and Their Relationship with Urban Space
Roundtable discussion with:
Alessandro Crociata, Scientific Coordinator of the Cultural and Urban Observatory of L’Aquila
Paola Lopes, Cultural Planner
Paolo Naldini, Director of the Pistoletto Cittadellarte Foundation
Davide Oliverio, Artistic Director of Club to Club
Alex Voglino, Abruzzo Film Commission

SATURDAY, MAY 30

9:00 a.m. – Welcome for participants

9:20 a.m. – DREAMTIME , a performance piece curated by Domenico Capanna

9:45 a.m. – Third working session at the tables to develop proposals

11:15 a.m. – Drafting of the summary document by the facilitators

12:00

TERZO PARADISO, a dance performance curated by Aurora Ciuffetelli of the Centro Studi Danza L’Arabesque
Public presentation of the Forum’s findings and conclusions
Giuseppe Stampone discusses the Abruzzo Mon Amour project, which brings the Gran Sasso to life ,with the participation of
Conclusions by Paolo Naldini