La Spezia: “A culture like the sea”, the city is a candidate for Italian Capital of Culture 2027

In the context of La Spezia's candidacy for Italian Capital of Culture 2027, the Peracchini Administration has prepared in the month of January four thematic working tables to reach not only the sprint for the proclamation of the ten finalist cities, which the Ministry of Culture will indicate by January 31st, but above all to deepen, together with all those who contributed to the drafting of the dossier, the strategic vision of the culture of the City of La Spezia in the three-year period 2025-2026-2027. The first table “Currents: a culture that crosses the sea”, highly attended by associations and institutions, It took place at the “PM Beghi” Civic Library.

“Currents: a culture that sails the sea”, a culture that sails the sea is not afraid of what it will encounter, of contrary winds, of the waves and the tides, is ready to welcome what is different, distant and apparently distant. With “Correnti” we bring culture into the sea and the sea brings us culture back in new forms, always new and unexpected. I main projects which fall under “Currents” are: the project “Jonah, a cultural center, a sea of ​​possibilities”; “Amphiorama: a widespread experience between real and virtual”; “Hydrophony: culture and creativity respond to marine noise pollution”; “CineMare”, the new Festival; “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea: Training 4.0”.

1. Jonah: a cultural center, a sea of ​​opportunities

“Giona” will be the new guise of Ex Fitram, a new multifunctional space for the local community and visitors, able to adapt to different needs: events, workshops, meetings and other cultural and educational activities. Through collaboration with young creatives, startups, academic institutions and industrial realities, this place will become a center of excellence capable of inspiring and guiding future generations towards a culture like the sea.

Like the prophet Jonah who finds a new life after his adventure in the belly of the whale, the center is inspired by the concepts of resilience and transformation, finding here the home for various projects and initiatives., including: Amphiorama, the city's widespread museum; Blue Future – an incubator of ideas, which will use new technologies to actively involve young generations in the creation of innovative services for the development of a more sustainable tourism sector; Hackathon and Summer School, in collaboration with local, national and international research institutions; Area for talks and workshops.

2. Amphiorama: a diffused experience between real and virtual

Amphiorama will be the Diffused Museum of the City of La Spezia which, starting from local history, will explore Ocean literacy by connecting the past and innovation. Leaving Giona, home of Amphiorama, you can visit the City and through interactive content in augmented reality and a geolocalization system, offering personalized routes thanks to artificial intelligence. From the history of the City to that of the oceans, from training ships like the Vespucci to nautical design, from divers to aquatic drones, from sustainable energy systems to innovation in the field of materials. The Museum, like a immersive journey inside La Spezia between history and salt water, will include:

• A “Control Room” to observe simulations and data from the Sea Laboratory (a project in collaboration with research institutions).

• A huge virtual aquarium on the new city waterfront, created in collaboration with digital artists, which will showcase marine biodiversity, raising awareness of the protection and safeguarding of the Gulf.

• One laboratory space for the profession of master shipwright, where it will be possible to see the restoration or construction of traditional boats, valorising local know-how and offering training opportunities to preserve the artisanal skills of Made in Italy.

3. Hydrophony: Culture and identity respond to marine noise pollution

• A winter school international that calls to La Spezia teams of young people from twinned cities engaged in the artistic, technological and environmental fields. The aim is raise awareness on the issue of noise pollution through new musical compositions (symphonic and electronic), also using recordings from public and private bodies that monitor this phenomenon;
• Co-design design solutions for reduce noise in the port and coastal areas, with a balance between aesthetics, sustainability and effectiveness.

In 2025, contacts will be made with the twinned cities and the selection methods for young people under 25 will be defined together. The same procedures will be used for Italian participants, with particular attention to those studying in the Province of La Spezia. In 2026 the members of the jury will be chosen, the call will be launched and the participants of the winter school will be identified. In 2027 the laboratory activities will be held at Giona, with visits to research centres, companies, ports, building a network of subjects that can support young people in the development of their ideas.

4. CinemaMare

The new CineMare Festival represents a innovative and dynamic showcase to explore the relationship between man and the sea through the language of cinema. The review will present one selection of published and unpublished works that tell stories related to navigation, sustainability and innovation in the maritime sector, with a special focus on the BlueEconomy. The heart of the event will be the Mediateca Ligure which, with the reopening of the historic Cinema Odeon hall, has managed to activate important collaborations with associations and film libraries. Venues such as the Beghi library auditorium and the Civic Theatre will also be involved.

The festival will offer a narrative journey that embraces different perspectives and geographical contexts. The screenings will range from the tales of great navigators of the past and present, to the pioneering enterprises of research centers and companies working on sustainability and innovation related to the oceans. In this context of dialogue between tradition and future, a prestigious Award for Corporate Documentaries will be launched, which will reward the best audiovisual works capable of telling the present and future of the BlueEconomy.

5. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea: Training 4.0

This project aims to promote the culture of the sea through the intervention of artists and creatives. By 2027, the project will enhance educational activities aimed at schools, integrating marine sciences, citizen science, STEM disciplines and marine biology with art and new technologies. Thanks to workshops carried out both on land and at sea, even on board equipped vessels such as the IBIS and the Moby Dick, the kids will be able to participate in direct and immersive experiences, contributing to the monitoring of marine species, sampling of plastics and observing sea professions.

The activities will be amplified thanks to the possibility of connecting live with biologists and divers engaged in dives, bringing the sea directly into the classrooms. In these activities, students will be supported by artists and creatives to transform the scientific data collected into innovative cultural products, such as comics and educational video games. From this experimentation partnerships may be created with schools and institutions at national and international level to broaden the impact of the project.

6. 130 years of the Italian Naval League, a story that begins in La Spezia

In 2027, the Italian Naval League intends to promote its history and its love for the sea and navigation on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of its birth. Through one call to arms of the Italian cultural and creative sector, will promote the production of a audiovisual project capable of giving everyone back the history of the League and the world of Italian navigation (which could become part of the Diffused Museum of the Sea and be presented during CineMare), and will propose theatre workshops with schools in order to raise awareness among young people under 18 and convey to them the values ​​of the navy: courage, discipline, team spirit and loyalty, essential to face challenges and ensure crew cohesion; resilience and respect for the sea, together with responsibility in one's role, essential for the safety of all on board; caring for others and solidarity so that no one is left behind.

The other working tables will be held in the next few days, dedicated to the strategic lines of the dossier:

• “Twenty: a culture that inspires”, to promote new artistic productions and enhance the existing heritage.
• “Waves: a culture that regenerates”, to promote social inclusion and accessibility.
• “Maree: a culture that returns”, to consolidate the cultural sector and make the recurring events of La Spezia increasingly attractive.