An installation combining contemporary art, social regeneration, and Michelangelo Pistoletto’s vision was unveiled at Palazzo ONMI. L’Aquila reaffirms its role as an open-air laboratory for cultural innovation.
L’Aquila is writing a new chapter in its cultural rebirth. With the opening of the “Cultural Ecosystem” exhibition at Palazzo ONMI (Former Kindergarten),the Opera Demopratica L’Aquila officially kicks off—a project funded by the City of L’Aquila, conceived and implemented by the Pistoletto Cittadellarte Foundation in partnership with MU6 ets and the Scientific Committee of the Italian Capital of Culture 2026.
This is not merely an exhibition, but a strategic initiative that redefines the role of Cultural and Creative Enterprises (CCEs), placing them at the center of urban development. Inspired by the principles of Demopraxia, Trinamica, and Preventive Peace as articulated by Michelangelo Pistoletto, the initiative adopts the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda as its operational compass.
The Third Paradise: 99 Points for a Collective Story
The centerpiece of the exhibition is the “Third Paradise” installation, reinterpreted as a powerful tribute to local history: 99 points that evoke the legend of the 99 castles that founded the city in the 13th century. These installations are not merely aesthetic; they are a visual metaphor for a community that, drawing on its past, looks toward the future with awareness.
Inside the main hall, Pistoletto’s works interact with objects and books on loan from local institutions, while the collective installation—composed of chairs loaned by local organizations—conveys a tangible image of collective intelligence and shared responsibility.
The Voice of the City: A Statement by Mayor Pierluigi Biondi
“With the launch of the Opera Demopratica and the opening of the ‘Ecosistema Culturale’ exhibition,” said Mayor Pierluigi Biondi, “L’Aquila reaffirms its role as an open-air laboratory for social innovation. Our partnership with the Pistoletto Foundation is not merely a tribute to contemporary art, but a deliberate choice: to use culture as a unifying force between institutions, businesses, and citizens. Our ‘Third Paradise,’ inspired by our foundation’s 99 castles, represents the perfect synthesis between historical memory and that capacity for regeneration that makes us proud to be the Italian Capital of Culture today.”
A Living Laboratory: From the Forum to the Public Program
The project is a dynamic entity. The partnerships formed during this phase of mapping the territory will come together for discussion at the Demopratico Forum, scheduled for May 29 and 30 at Palazzo Spaventa. It will be a true civic workshop aimed at defining new forms of cultural governance.
At the same time, the Public Program will run throughout 2026 with a comprehensive schedule of workshops, performances, and participatory activities, actively involving the city’s economic and civic sectors.
APRIL OPENING HOURS:
| Day | Time | Location |
| Wednesday, the 22nd | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | ONMI Building |
| Thursday, the 28th | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. | ONMI Building |
| Friday, the 29th | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. | ONMI Building |
| Thursday, the 30th | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. | ONMI Building |
MAY OPENING HOURS:
| Day | Time | Location |
| Friday, the 8th | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. | ONMI Building |
| Saturday, the 9th | 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. | ONMI Building |
| Thursday, the 14th | 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | ONMI Building |
| Thursday, the 21st | 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | ONMI Building |
| Friday, the 22nd | 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | ONMI Building |
| Saturday, the 23rd | 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | ONMI Building |
| Wednesday, the 27th | 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | ONMI Building |
| Thursday, the 28th | 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | ONMI and Spaventa |
| Friday, the 29th | 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. | Palazzo Spaventa |
| Saturday, the 30th | 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. | Palazzo Spaventa |
| Sunday, the 31st | 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | ONMI and Spaventa |