Literary Park G.A. Borgese
Culture and Beauty for the enhancement of public heritage and cultural and social regeneration
The project proposes to realize in Polizzi Generosa the functionalization of the following buildings as cultural containers:
- specific interventions on the Palazzo della Cultura and the Auditorium;
- specific interventions on the Cinema Teatro “Cristallo” and on the multifunctional Center of social and cultural aggregation with the annexed Contemporary Library that will move there;
- the redevelopment of the Casa Borgese;
- creation of a Socio-Cultural Center focused on Culture and Beauty
- specific interventions on the Palazzo della Cultura and the Auditorium;
- specific interventions on the Cinema Teatro “Cristallo” and on the multifunctional Center of social and cultural aggregation with the annexed Contemporary Library that will move there;
- the redevelopment of the Casa Borgese;
- creation of a Socio-Cultural Center focused on Culture and Beauty
Italy
Polizzi Generosa
Prototype level
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
082058: Polizzi Generosa (IT)
The main objective of this project is to make Polizzi Generosa a “city of Culture and Beauty” by focusing on the guiding idea of implementing the Literary Park dedicated to G.A. Borgese, genius loci, and through a widespread planned action to enhance cultural assets and events. This guiding idea is intended to leverage and gravitate a whole series of initiatives in a convergent, unitary and organic manner, to regenerate the village. The project aims to create a replicable model by valorizing some of the territory’s potential that has not yet been adequately expressed and, for this reason, is still incapable of determining positive impacts on the socio-economic fabric.
The activities proposed for the relaunch of identity sectors such as culture, agri-food and embroidery will produce positive impacts on the ability to attract tourists looking for an experience and on the territory’s ability to create employment and a better quality of life for its residents, contributing to the improvement of the ISTAT indices of social inclusion in the territory.
This project aims to form a widespread and synergic partnership network capable of animating the widespread cultural hub and thus enhancing the economic potential of the territory.
This project proposes some macro-actions to be implemented through the functionalization of some of the cultural containers put into the system, in particular:
- with specific interventions by the Palazzo della Cultura and the Auditorium;
- the use of other containers already recovered or in the process of being recovered such as the Cinema Teatro “Cristallo” and the multifunctional center for social and cultural aggregation with the annexed contemporary library that will move there;
- the redevelopment of the Casa Borgese;
- the creation of a widespread Socio-Cultural Hub focused on Culture and Beauty
The activities proposed for the relaunch of identity sectors such as culture, agri-food and embroidery will produce positive impacts on the ability to attract tourists looking for an experience and on the territory’s ability to create employment and a better quality of life for its residents, contributing to the improvement of the ISTAT indices of social inclusion in the territory.
This project aims to form a widespread and synergic partnership network capable of animating the widespread cultural hub and thus enhancing the economic potential of the territory.
This project proposes some macro-actions to be implemented through the functionalization of some of the cultural containers put into the system, in particular:
- with specific interventions by the Palazzo della Cultura and the Auditorium;
- the use of other containers already recovered or in the process of being recovered such as the Cinema Teatro “Cristallo” and the multifunctional center for social and cultural aggregation with the annexed contemporary library that will move there;
- the redevelopment of the Casa Borgese;
- the creation of a widespread Socio-Cultural Hub focused on Culture and Beauty
Literary Park
G.A. Borgese
regeneration of the city and valorization of public heritage
Culture
Beauty
The project has an undoubted value from an employment point of view with particular attention to the youth and female component. The areas focused are 3: the "scientific cultural", the "administrative" and the "operational/technical".
In the first area, the employment of n. 13 workers is foreseen, of which 2 operating at the Palazzo della Cultura (whose premises are now used as exhibition spaces); 2 those employed in the multifunctional Center of social and cultural aggregation with annexed library; 1 employee at the Auditorium - Parco della Musica whose acoustics allow to appreciate both classical and contemporary live musical events; 2 operators for guided tours of the "Casa Borgese" with the possibility of enjoying the vast literary heritage of the intellectual and artist from Polizzano; 6 operators as companions for guided tours of the village, its Churches and the artisan and taste laboratories.
The second area foresees the employment of a Responsible Director, an operator in charge of reception with particular reference to the Qui Parco point aimed at the naturalistic beauties of the Madonie Park which also includes the territory of the village; 10 operators who will take care of welcoming visitors with particular reference to the drafting of specific guides, both paper and through multimedia apps, relating to the literary and tourist routes to be experienced.
The third area foresees the use of n.4 units of specialized personnel destined to the realization of various recurring events such as festivals and reviews.
Approximately 2/3 of this employment level is represented by the female component while, overall, young employees represent approximately 50% of the total.
It is estimated, with a multiplier ratio of 1 to 5, that the 29 units who will be directly employed can be employed by another 145 in the supply chains directly connected to the tourism-hospitality, services, crafts and agri-food sectors.
In the first area, the employment of n. 13 workers is foreseen, of which 2 operating at the Palazzo della Cultura (whose premises are now used as exhibition spaces); 2 those employed in the multifunctional Center of social and cultural aggregation with annexed library; 1 employee at the Auditorium - Parco della Musica whose acoustics allow to appreciate both classical and contemporary live musical events; 2 operators for guided tours of the "Casa Borgese" with the possibility of enjoying the vast literary heritage of the intellectual and artist from Polizzano; 6 operators as companions for guided tours of the village, its Churches and the artisan and taste laboratories.
The second area foresees the employment of a Responsible Director, an operator in charge of reception with particular reference to the Qui Parco point aimed at the naturalistic beauties of the Madonie Park which also includes the territory of the village; 10 operators who will take care of welcoming visitors with particular reference to the drafting of specific guides, both paper and through multimedia apps, relating to the literary and tourist routes to be experienced.
The third area foresees the use of n.4 units of specialized personnel destined to the realization of various recurring events such as festivals and reviews.
Approximately 2/3 of this employment level is represented by the female component while, overall, young employees represent approximately 50% of the total.
It is estimated, with a multiplier ratio of 1 to 5, that the 29 units who will be directly employed can be employed by another 145 in the supply chains directly connected to the tourism-hospitality, services, crafts and agri-food sectors.
We are in the presence of an integrated socio-economic-cultural regeneration project composed of a total of 13 interventions that act synergistically following the fil rouge of the G.A. Borgese Literary Park centered on the Culture and Beauty of the place. Where aesthetics, which is not only seeing well but the ethics of doing well, is predominant, and which, on the guiding idea, leverages and gravitates everything to "raise the village", in a sui generis path to 'better make this place a holy place', as its illustrious citizen Borgese said, on whose words it is possible to know and experience the village. Culture and Beauty have thus become the linchpins of a vision capable of supporting all the various sectors of the 'Country System': from urban planning, with its historic center, to the various other containers redesigned to accommodate and provide advanced services, to the timely enhancement of cultural assets; from agriculture, with its quality products and its slow food presidia, to the hospitality system, to the typical craftsmanship of majolica or the art of embroidery.
On these segments of the "Country System" we will hinge art exhibitions, music, theater, film festivals, and recurring events (music, craft and gastronomic workshops, artistic residences, film and philosophical festivals) planned and programmed for a period of 5 years and aimed at activating a path of permanent cultural regeneration.
On these segments of the "Country System" we will hinge art exhibitions, music, theater, film festivals, and recurring events (music, craft and gastronomic workshops, artistic residences, film and philosophical festivals) planned and programmed for a period of 5 years and aimed at activating a path of permanent cultural regeneration.
Cultural innovation allows us to respond to unexpressed needs and promotes social inclusion. It responds to the request for the right to Culture and good living of small villages and marginal territories. It is the answer to the socioeconomic crisis and to the contrast to the mechanisms that have strengthened social exclusion and the weakening of the inclusive capacity. We therefore started from history, from what we have been, from the sacredness of memory to graft the future onto it. We let ourselves be inspired and guided by the genius loci. In fact, a non-secondary aspect of the resilience of the village is to start again (regenerating it) from the deepest substratum to grow new shoots that make us aware of the importance of the cultural deposits on which we are sitting. If we intend to support local operators, the role of the local authority cannot ignore a Vision and the establishment of coherent long-term strategic actions and a wide-ranging policy. Investing in cultural capital, then, has overall repercussions on the connective tissue of the community that can be activated if, through wise planning and organization, high-level events are scheduled so that the village becomes a quality territorial attraction. All cultural containers have been rethought to guarantee both physical and cognitive accessibility, to be enjoyed by generating dreams, ideas, emotions on which to get the Community moving again.
A primary strategic objective also passes and is measured by tourist flows, a tool that represents the litmus test of the project value. Investments and commitments are aimed at predicting and guaranteeing EFFECTIVE usability. Therefore the objective is also to "create interest", attractiveness and, last but not least, guarantee of hospitality. An ambitious project must satisfy ambitious but ACHIEVABLE sub-objectives. And among these, the increase in tourist flows represents a challenge. To this end, specific studies carried out also through historicized analyses of similar initiatives, lead to the hypothesis of a more than satisfactory increase in expected tourist flows. Upon completion of the project, tourist presences of visitors alone are expected, amounting to over 6,000 thousand units per year, to which should be added, given the breadth of the offer, also hikers, artists, students and operators belonging to the agri-food, artisan and tourist services supply chain. If these numbers are compared with the resident population (today just over 3 thousand units), the expected presence of tourist flows starting from the first year is a guarantee of the value of the proposed project. Furthermore, these flows are expected to have a growth rate for the following years according to an incremental series of 21%, 13%, 8% and 5% respectively. At full capacity, however, foreseeing a slight weakening of the incremental curve, annual presences should settle at over 8 thousand units with a greater incidence on the occasion of theatrical performances, festivals, film reviews and musical events, structured and organized in a five-year program.
The intervention to which the Agreement is referred: Creation of the immersive museum “Casa Borgese”
- Date of signing: 08.03.2022
- Partner details: Fondazione “G.A. Borgese”
- Role of the partner in the intervention: entity managing the “Casa Borgese” with the annexed immersive museum being created and promoter of the initiatives for the valorization of the figure and work of G.A. Borgese with the cultural season of the House called Prospettive.
2. The intervention to which the Agreement is referred: Creation of the Slot SJMULAND – Sicilia Jazz Music Landscape – Polis Jazz Festival
- Date of signing: 09.03.2022
- Partner details: Fondazione BRASS Group
- Role of the partners in the intervention: entity implementing the SLOT new musical cultural attraction “SJMULAND – Sicilia Jazz Music Landscape” – Polis Jazz Festival.
3. The intervention to which the Agreement refers: Festival-Rassegna “Sicilia Contemporanea”
- Date of signing: 08.03.2022
- Partners' personal details: Ensemble Giacomo Cuticchio, .
- Role of the partners in the intervention: implementing body of the Festival-Rassegna “Sicilia Contemporanea”.
Agreements have been stipulated for project interventions, through participatory activities to be carried out on site and computerized and laboratory simulations, with:
1. Fondazione “P. G. 5 Cuori”
2. Unione dei Comuni
3. Ente Parco Madonie
4. Department of Architecture of the University of Palermo
- Date of signing: 08.03.2022
- Partner details: Fondazione “G.A. Borgese”
- Role of the partner in the intervention: entity managing the “Casa Borgese” with the annexed immersive museum being created and promoter of the initiatives for the valorization of the figure and work of G.A. Borgese with the cultural season of the House called Prospettive.
2. The intervention to which the Agreement is referred: Creation of the Slot SJMULAND – Sicilia Jazz Music Landscape – Polis Jazz Festival
- Date of signing: 09.03.2022
- Partner details: Fondazione BRASS Group
- Role of the partners in the intervention: entity implementing the SLOT new musical cultural attraction “SJMULAND – Sicilia Jazz Music Landscape” – Polis Jazz Festival.
3. The intervention to which the Agreement refers: Festival-Rassegna “Sicilia Contemporanea”
- Date of signing: 08.03.2022
- Partners' personal details: Ensemble Giacomo Cuticchio, .
- Role of the partners in the intervention: implementing body of the Festival-Rassegna “Sicilia Contemporanea”.
Agreements have been stipulated for project interventions, through participatory activities to be carried out on site and computerized and laboratory simulations, with:
1. Fondazione “P. G. 5 Cuori”
2. Unione dei Comuni
3. Ente Parco Madonie
4. Department of Architecture of the University of Palermo
We are in the presence of an integrated socio-economic-cultural regeneration project composed of a total of 13 interventions that act synergistically following the fil rouge of the G.A. Borgese Literary Park centered on the Culture and Beauty of the place. Where aesthetics, which is not only seeing well but the ethics of doing well, is predominant, and which, on the guiding idea, leverages and gravitates everything to "raise the village", in a sui generis path to 'better make this place a holy place', as its illustrious citizen Borgese said, on whose words it is possible to know and experience the village. Culture and Beauty have thus become the linchpins of a vision capable of supporting all the various sectors of the 'Country System': from urban planning, with its historic center, to the various other containers redesigned to accommodate and provide advanced services, to the timely enhancement of cultural assets; from agriculture, with its quality products and its slow food presidia, to the hospitality system, to the typical craftsmanship of majolica or the art of embroidery.
On these segments of the "Country System" we will hinge art exhibitions, music, theater, film festivals, and recurring events (music, craft and gastronomic workshops, artistic residences, film and philosophical festivals) planned and programmed for a period of 5 years and aimed at activating a path of permanent cultural regeneration.
On these segments of the "Country System" we will hinge art exhibitions, music, theater, film festivals, and recurring events (music, craft and gastronomic workshops, artistic residences, film and philosophical festivals) planned and programmed for a period of 5 years and aimed at activating a path of permanent cultural regeneration.
The project will allow:
- to develop a highly interactive system for visiting the village, accessible from anywhere in the world: a virtual reality reconstruction of the entire village and its emergencies, which will be made accessible via smartphones, tablets, computers, LIMs, VR visors or cardboards, video guides for the hearing impaired, audio guides in multiple languages, explanatory videos, cartoon characters that tell the story even to the little ones, up to the creation of shopping routes with which to make purchases of typical products or other.
- to apply Augmented Reality solutions with which it is possible to make objects, images and videos appear as if by magic. All you need is a simple smartphone or tablet and an app. Among other things, the talking picture will be created, a guide for children and the gamification of the G.A. Borgese comic book character prepared for animation and its insertion into the virtual environment;
- to create immersive museums at the Casa Borgese and at the Palazzo della Cultura, rich in visual elements and interventions where interactive design tells the story and the territorial identity. In this sense, an immersive multimedia story will be created, a real environment whose elements are “augmented” and integrated by sensorial inputs generated by the interactive virtual environment and this to further involve the user through a stimulating and reflective path.
- to develop a highly interactive system for visiting the village, accessible from anywhere in the world: a virtual reality reconstruction of the entire village and its emergencies, which will be made accessible via smartphones, tablets, computers, LIMs, VR visors or cardboards, video guides for the hearing impaired, audio guides in multiple languages, explanatory videos, cartoon characters that tell the story even to the little ones, up to the creation of shopping routes with which to make purchases of typical products or other.
- to apply Augmented Reality solutions with which it is possible to make objects, images and videos appear as if by magic. All you need is a simple smartphone or tablet and an app. Among other things, the talking picture will be created, a guide for children and the gamification of the G.A. Borgese comic book character prepared for animation and its insertion into the virtual environment;
- to create immersive museums at the Casa Borgese and at the Palazzo della Cultura, rich in visual elements and interventions where interactive design tells the story and the territorial identity. In this sense, an immersive multimedia story will be created, a real environment whose elements are “augmented” and integrated by sensorial inputs generated by the interactive virtual environment and this to further involve the user through a stimulating and reflective path.
In order to achieve the objectives, the project proposes some macro-actions to be carried out through the functionalization of some of the cultural containers set up in the system, in particular:
- with specific interventions by the project on the 1. Palazzo della Cultura and 2. on the Auditorium;
- the use of other containers already recovered or in the process of being recovered with investments by the Municipality, such as 1. the Cinema Teatro “Cristallo” and 2. the multifunctional center for social and cultural aggregation with the annexed contemporary library that will move there;
- the redevelopment of the Casa Borgese;
and the convergent action of the partners who will give strength and a way to create a widespread Socio-Cultural Center focused on Culture and Beauty with the cultural and social infrastructure of the village of Polizzi Generosa.
The actions are not conceived in “watertight compartments” but will be implemented according to an overall vision to offer users the opportunity to measure themselves with each of the training and cultural paths present in the project.
The macro-actions will take place according to the development of a very specific urban path and an overall vision that, from the beginning, underlies everything.
- with specific interventions by the project on the 1. Palazzo della Cultura and 2. on the Auditorium;
- the use of other containers already recovered or in the process of being recovered with investments by the Municipality, such as 1. the Cinema Teatro “Cristallo” and 2. the multifunctional center for social and cultural aggregation with the annexed contemporary library that will move there;
- the redevelopment of the Casa Borgese;
and the convergent action of the partners who will give strength and a way to create a widespread Socio-Cultural Center focused on Culture and Beauty with the cultural and social infrastructure of the village of Polizzi Generosa.
The actions are not conceived in “watertight compartments” but will be implemented according to an overall vision to offer users the opportunity to measure themselves with each of the training and cultural paths present in the project.
The macro-actions will take place according to the development of a very specific urban path and an overall vision that, from the beginning, underlies everything.
The project aims to create a replicable model by valorizing some of the territory's potential that has not yet been adequately expressed and, for this reason, is still incapable of determining positive impacts on the socio-economic fabric. The activities proposed for the relaunch of identity sectors such as culture, agri-food and embroidery will produce positive impacts on the ability to attract tourists looking for an experience and on the territory's ability to create employment and a better quality of life for those who live there, contributing to the improvement of the ISTAT indices of social inclusion of the territory.
The project aims to form a widespread and synergic partnership network capable of animating the widespread cultural hub and thus enhancing the economic potential of the territory.
The project aims to form a widespread and synergic partnership network capable of animating the widespread cultural hub and thus enhancing the economic potential of the territory.
There is no doubt that the opportunity to guarantee young people ample employment opportunities not only directly (already explained in the previous point) but above all indirectly with the possibility of developing local entrepreneurial initiatives linked to the expected tourist flows, is a strong tool to combat the demographic exodus. In this context, a change in the currently growing emigration curve is expected, both by young people and by residents of working age (especially members of single-income families), forced to go to extra-municipal and regional contexts where the job offer is more flexible and capacious. In this sense, the project also allows for the optimization of the objective envisaged by other forms of combating the demographic exodus such as the financing initiatives envisaged by the central government (e.g.: "Resto al Sud", "Investimenti Mezzogiorno", "Transizione 4.0") which, although operating, often do not find areas of application in the local reality. The project strategy also aims to attract the return of those who, over time, have opted for study paths carried out in extra-regional training environments and have now acquired knowledge and specializations in the tourism sector, innovative services, hospitality and digital transition. This would make available large spaces of work and entrepreneurial "opportunities" in general which, if combined with the strong culture of "bond with the territory", could finally trigger virtuous and effective mechanisms on the anti-depopulation front.
By systematizing and relating the different cultural containers, both public and private, this project demonstrates that it can really trigger a turning point that creates opportunities for the many who carry out an activity in the different fields (catering, hospitality, crafts, agri-food), in general to make the village more attractive, also for new widespread residential areas.
In other words, “G.A. Borgese genius loci” is a project that offers itself as a model capable of stimulating and developing new entrepreneurial skills, in addition to existing ones, in the various private, social and cultural subjects that, by enhancing cultural factors in a broad sense, are able not only to generate new job opportunities but also to generate a better quality of life for resident citizens or temporary users. It is a project that aims to indicate a certain and defined path, capable of communicating and attracting, consequently, in a widespread and limited manner towards new, important and significant presences all connected to the different forms of residence connected to the quality of the tourist-cultural offer that can be are intercepted (youth, senior citizens, religious, school, sports, hiking, plen-air, etc.), both national and foreign that also touches the city of Polizzi Generosa for its rich specificities, as well as the Madonie area for its environmental value connected to the Park, but which nevertheless must be supported and strengthened to make it sustainable over time.
The potential is enormous. Polizzi Generosa is among the cities in the Province of Palermo, one of the richest in qualities still unknown to the general public, especially for those who do not only seek escape in their free time: as such, it offers itself as a new and unexplored resource for a use that has only touched on it so far, that, precisely, which today is the basis of this project that contains to the highest degree the idea and vision of the city that we intend to create and live.
In other words, “G.A. Borgese genius loci” is a project that offers itself as a model capable of stimulating and developing new entrepreneurial skills, in addition to existing ones, in the various private, social and cultural subjects that, by enhancing cultural factors in a broad sense, are able not only to generate new job opportunities but also to generate a better quality of life for resident citizens or temporary users. It is a project that aims to indicate a certain and defined path, capable of communicating and attracting, consequently, in a widespread and limited manner towards new, important and significant presences all connected to the different forms of residence connected to the quality of the tourist-cultural offer that can be are intercepted (youth, senior citizens, religious, school, sports, hiking, plen-air, etc.), both national and foreign that also touches the city of Polizzi Generosa for its rich specificities, as well as the Madonie area for its environmental value connected to the Park, but which nevertheless must be supported and strengthened to make it sustainable over time.
The potential is enormous. Polizzi Generosa is among the cities in the Province of Palermo, one of the richest in qualities still unknown to the general public, especially for those who do not only seek escape in their free time: as such, it offers itself as a new and unexplored resource for a use that has only touched on it so far, that, precisely, which today is the basis of this project that contains to the highest degree the idea and vision of the city that we intend to create and live.
