Bella figura? - cancelled!

Milan is one of Italy’s top cities for culture and media, as well as being a university town and international financial centre. The second largest city of the country is considered hip and is currently setting international standards in contemporary architecture, fashion, and design. Our perception of Italy and its cities, however, still oscillates between images of its immense cultural heritage and its present crisis-ridden economic and political situation. The strong commitment to traditional cultural institutions is contrasted by the great need for forward-looking renewal. How can Milan bridge the gap between popular showcase projects and unused spaces, crisis and high culture, overtourism and obeisance to its heritage? What do cultural institutions, both small and large, look like in this city? Do they offer sustainable strategies, and do they satisfy the brief enthusiasm for the latest trend or, instead, the longing for a more fundamental impact on society? This excursion takes us to relevant sites of Milan’s thriving cultural scene and, between intelligent uses of unused spaces and the high-end architecture of the Fondazione Prada, gives participants the opportunity, in the form of talks and city tours, to discuss the role of museums and cultural institutions.