Italy rolls out cultural projects in L'Aquila and Florence

The Lavoratorio cultural centre in Florence has launched Officina Critica, a free training programme that will run from October 2 2026 to December 2026. Up to ten young participants will attend fortnightly sessions on theatre observation, criticism and journalism, guided by critic Alessandro Iachino and supported by the Fondazione CR and Stratagemmi.

In L'Aquila, the city designated as Italy’s Capital of Culture for 2026 has installed JR’s "Inside Out – The People’s Art Project" in Piazza Duomo, featuring a mosaic of around two thousand local faces. Photographer Roberto Grillo, who helped document the work, said the capital must "leave an inheritance" and warned that post‑earthquake funding had favoured large institutions at the expense of smaller cultural groups, stressing the need for long‑term investment and lasting programmes.