CAMeC – Center of Modern and Contemporary Art: launches a new path to enhance the cultural activities of the Museum in synergy between the Municipality of La Spezia and the Carispezia Foundation.

CAMeC – Center of Modern and Contemporary Art: a new path to enhance the cultural activities of the Museum in synergy between the Municipality of La Spezia and the Carispezia Foundation.

La Spezia, this morning the Mayor and Councilor for Culture Pierluigi Peracchini and the President of the Carispezia Foundation Andrea Corradino presented the new path to valorise the cultural activities of the CAMeC – Center for Modern and Contemporary Art which will lead to the activation of a non-institutionalized public-private partnership between the Municipality of La Spezia and the Carispezia Foundation with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the parties.

“Much has been done in recent years to enhance our civic museums and to return forgotten cultural sites to citizens, through the La Spezia Forte project – declares the Mayor of La Spezia Pierluigi Peracchini – a city cannot grow if it does not know its own history and if it does not commit to making culture a driving sector for its development. The valorization path designed for CAMeC aims to expand the cultural offering attracting a national and international audience with a view to promoting and enhancing museum spaces and permanent collections. Thanks to the Carispezia Foundation for having put forward its own project proposal which, in synergy with the Municipality of La Spezia, will transform the CAMeC into a true citadel of creativity known and appreciated far beyond national borders."

Andrea Corradino, President of the Carispezia Foundation declares: “We are pleased to announce today the start of this synergy with the Municipality of La Spezia to build together the new future of CAMeC – Center of Modern and Contemporary Art and thus be able to bring our contribution to valorisation and empowerment of this important museum reality, collaborating to relaunch it in all respects as a center of national and international importance. A path that stimulates us greatly and which fully falls within our programmatic objectives of promoting culture, enhancing territorial identity, innovation and active participation of the community".
The intention of the Peracchini Administration is that of an extraordinary valorisation of the CAMeC - Center of Modern and Contemporary Art which deserves to have national and international relevance given the considerable artistic funds coming in particular from the editions of the Gulf Prize and from the Cozzani donations and Battolini, the precious teaching department aimed at art education and the prestigious structure in the historic center which is currently undergoing another notable transformation with the removal of architectural barriers thanks to the resources of the victory of a PNRR tender.

This valorization will materialize, also in view of the twentieth anniversary of CAMeC in 2024, through the formula of a public-private partnership not institutionalized with the Municipality of La Spezia to whose public notice Fondazione Carispezia responded with a proposal assessed as worthy of acceptance by the judging commission.

The administrative process

In April the Municipality of La Spezia started the procedures for a preliminary market consultation to verify the interest of the operators in strengthening and expanding the offer and museum activities of the CAMeC, to evaluate the specific skills and professionalism of the interested parties, to identify possible initiatives to also use and enhance spaces, such as the terrace.
In the month of July, procedures were then started for the activation of a form of non-institutionalised public-private partnership lasting three years for the valorisation of the cultural and artistic activities of CAMeC to lead to the identification of subjects interested in developing activities , through a program, shared in advance, so as to be able to enhance, during the period of validity of the agreement, the cultural offer of the Museum, carry out a global relocation project of the CAMeC by enhancing the permanent collections and spaces, also thanks to the involvement of professionals and internationally renowned curators.
The only proposal in response to the public notice was formulated by the Carispezia Foundation which was positively evaluated by the assembled judging commission considering it worthy of acceptance.
Through a specific protocol that will be signed by the Municipality of La Spezia and the Carispezia Foundation later, the relationships and methods of interaction will be regulated for the implementation of the valorization of the cultural activities of the CAMeC.

The history of CAMeC – Center for Modern and Contemporary Art

The building that houses the CAMeC, dating back to 1879, was originally home to a girls' primary school, built in response to the demographic increase that accompanied the construction of the Military Arsenal in La Spezia and, subsequently, in 1923, the Civil Court and Criminal. CAMeC was opened to the public, following a total overhaul of the structure, on 23 May 2004, with the aim of delivering to the City and hosting in an appropriate location the considerable artistic funds coming from the editions of the Gulf Prize, from donations Cozzani and Battolini and the works of contemporary art received by the City. In addition to the rotating display of permanent collections, CAMeC organizes exhibitions that document the different areas of current or historical contemporary artistic production. Furthermore, the structure has an educational department which offers art education activities, aimed at both educational institutions and the general public, and organizes art therapy workshops, debates and study days in addition to scientific and in-depth study activities. hosts events available to citizens. The current museum structure is the result of a complex transformation and expansion and is divided into three exhibition levels and two large terraces, in an extensive room that houses the fan-shaped staircase and a glass elevator, as well as storage rooms and a teaching room.