Cantieri Culturali alla Zisa

About

Cantieri Culturali alla Zisa is located in a former industrial production site in the west of Palermo, located next to the UNESCO-site of the 12^th century Zisa Castle. Erected by Carlo Golia, and later taken over by his adopted son, Vittorio Ducrot, the complex produced furniture. During the First World War, Ducrot also started the production of seaplane fighter-bombers. Between 1902 and 1939, both lines of production expanded, employing over 2.000 people in the 1930s. In 1939, a Genoese entrepreneur took over the businesses. In the 1970s, against the backdrop of a surge in speculative real estate investments in the city, part of the industrial complex was demolished to make space for residential construction. The remaining site became abandoned and neglected. In 1995, the Municipality of Palermo bought what remained of the Ducrot factory (23 sheds). [1]

Nowadays, Cantieri Culturali alla Zisa offers 55.000m² of creative space, with a wide range of different organisations operating within the complex. Through an organic process of development, it has turned into a “Citadel of Culture” that fosters experimental human and urban regeneration. [1;2]

Together, the 38 organisations that operate from the complex manage exhibition spaces, and space for art production, a childcare service, 2 libraries, spaces for training, for theatre, dance, music, cinema and community initiatives. Together, they make the former industrial complex into a meeting space for artists, creatives, makers, young students, inhabitants of the Zisa district and innovators. In 2019, a total of 882 activities took place in the complex, engaging almost 170.000 visitors. Activities are organised both by residents of the complex, as well as temporary residents, and are organised through different constellations of partnerships. [1;2]

Governance

The development of the site has only been partially managed. Nowadays, 32 out of the 39 spaces in the complex are reactivated. This is done by a total of 38 organisations, representing a combination of third sector organisations (12 spaces), the Municipality of Palermo (9 spaces), other public bodies (7 spaces) and foreign organisations (4 spaces). Residents of the complex include the Institut Français de Palerme, the German cultural center Goethe-Institut, the Gramsci Sicilian Institute and its library, the Palermo headquarters of the National School of Cinema, the Experimental Center of Cinematography, and the Cinema De Seta, the only public cinema in all of Sicily. [1;2]

In 2019, the ETS Cantieri Culturali alla Zisa was established. This non-profit, third sector entity brings together the residents of the former industrial complex into one organisational structure to facilitate the management of the complex. The goal of the organisation is to strengthen the common image of the complex, and find a form of management for the common spaces. The ETS will also focus on further strengthening the local community and partnerships and cooperation among residents, and between residents and outside organisations, on a Italian, Mediterranean and European level. [1;2]

Business Model

In 2019, a total budget of 2.886.000 euro was available, of which 48% was invested by residential organisations of the complex, 16% through private sponsorship and donations, 24% through public funding (regional, national and European tenders) and 12% by the Municipality of Palermo (from the municipal budget). [2]

It is unknown how much has been invested in the renovations of the complex.