Fondazione Santagata for the Economics of Culture – on behalf of Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena – is carrying out a research project aimed at mapping, analyzing, and defining development scenarios for cultural districts in the province of Siena.
Context
The province of Siena is internationally recognized for the richness of its tangible and intangible cultural heritage and for the widespread presence of excellence in the cultural and creative sectors. The province hosts a significant portion of Tuscany’s UNESCO World Heritage sites and represents an ecosystem where culture, tourism, and local identity constitute strategic assets for development.
The Italian experience in cultural valorization highlights the role of cultural districts as models capable of integrating heritage, creative industries, infrastructure, and other productive sectors, generating economies of scale, positive spillovers, and strengthening local cultural capital.
The project is based on a theoretical approach developed from studies on cultural districts and on the “Creative Atmosphere” model, which interprets Cultural and Creative Industries as part of a territorial ecosystem able to mobilize economic and social resources and to activate sustainable development trajectories.
Objectives
The research aims to:
Map and analyze the distribution of cultural and creative assets in the provincial territory
Identify existing or potential district configurations
Analyze formal and informal networks among sector actors
Assess the spread of cultural capital and its role in the local economic structure
Define alternative development scenarios based on cultural assets
Identify strategic actions and policies for sustainable valorization
Work Phases
The project is organized into two main phases:
Territorial analysis and identification of cultural districts
Definition of development scenarios
Expected Results / Impact
The project is expected to strengthen the local cultural economy as a lever for competitive, sustainable, and identity-rooted development. Specifically, the project will deliver:
An integrated knowledge framework (quantitative and qualitative) of the provincial cultural and creative system
Identification of development trajectories based on the valorization of local cultural resources
Definition of sustainable development scenarios and feasibility analysis
Support for the construction of strategies that enhance competitiveness, territorial attractiveness, and social cohesion
Partner
Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena (commissioning entity)