19th International Conference on Cultural Economics ACEI, Valladolid (Spain) June 21st-24th 2016 "Public-private Partnership for Cultural Enterprises. A Case study: The Teatro Machiavelli". (original) (raw)

Abstract

Due to the 2008 global financial crisis, public funding for cultural enterprises decreased dramatically. Many cultural producers showed stagnation, others tryed to react in different ways. My paper will focus on the experience of the "Teatro Machiavelli" in Catania (Italy), which – in contrast to the general trend – reopened in 2010. It represents a different hypothesis of public-private partnership, since the theatre is managed by the non-profit association Ingresso Libero while the historical building is owned by the University of Catania. First I will explain to what extent the University contributes to the partnership as a public subject. Then I will show how the association organizes concerts, performances, master classes and values cultural heritage through visual and performing arts without receiving public funding. Sources of financing are mainly private donations and membership fees. Thanks to these contributions Ingresso Libero can on the one hand offer different cultural products; on the other hand, it favours education by offering free services for students and people who cannot afford a charge. In order to reach this goal the association aims to reduce production costs, which are often unsustainable and paralyzing other Italian theatres. This case study represents a contribution to cultural economics as it shows that different forms of collaboration are possible in order to build up networks, in which public intervention does not have to be founded on monetary subsidies and can be integrated by private patronage also in areas where private subjects do not usually invest in the cultural sector.

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