Ferrara holds an extraordinary cultural heritage, yet a growing distance separates younger generations from the places that hold it, too often seen as inaccessible or simply not for them. What's missing isn't cultural offer but real chances for young people to be active protagonists rather than passive visitors, while museums and public spaces themselves need new ways to reach different audiences.
Reading is declining, museum visits are dropping, and historical and artistic heritage is struggling to reach new generations at all. L'Humanitas answers that gap directly, bringing cultural outreach into the city's historic places with languages and guests genuinely able to speak to Gen Z and make culture feel worth showing up for.
The project
L'Humanitas turns museums and public spaces into living places of participation, built on youth protagonism: the festival is conceived, organised and run entirely by people under 30. Almost every event is free or genuinely affordable and open to all, weaving together science, art, journalism, poetry and theatre across Ferrara's museums and historic buildings.
The aim is a cultural model that is both sustainable and replicable, one that other Italian cities could take up in turn, while young volunteers gain real, hands-on experience in project management, communication and cultural production, skills that stay with them well beyond the festival itself.
Who the project is for
The project's direct beneficiaries are over 5,000 participants expected at the 2027 edition, students, families and young adults, alongside 10 young volunteers under 30 who build practical skills through running it.
Its impact reaches further, to the local community and to Ferrara's museums and cultural spaces, which gain real visibility and a more contemporary sense of life.
Project name: L'Humanitas - Rassegna di divulgazione culturale
Proposing organisation: Scuole Unite & One Day Studios ODV
Area of intervention: Environment & Sustainable Communities
Country: Italy