Padua has officially submitted its bid to become the Italian Capital of Contemporary Art for 2028, a title established by Italy's Ministry of Culture in 2024. The city's dossier, titled "Ancora imparo. Esercizi di dissidenza" ("I still learn. Exercises in dissidence"), is led by artistic directors Marta Papini and Maurizio Cattelan, with Myriam Ben Salah (curator of the French national pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale) and a scientific committee including Cecilia Alemani, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Daniela Mapelli, and Renzo Piano. The bid is backed by the Municipality of Padua, the Veneto Region, the University of Padua, the Diocese of Padua, and three local private foundations: Fondazione Alberto Peruzzo, Fondazione Chiara e Francesco Carraro, and Fondazione Bano.
This bid matters because it positions Padua as a laboratory for interdisciplinary contemporary art, drawing on its historic legacy of free thought—from the founding of its university in 1222 to figures like Galileo, Giotto, and the Gruppo N. The candidacy aims to regenerate urban spaces, expand cultural access, engage younger generations through education and production, and strengthen international cooperation. If successful, Padua would follow Gibellina (2025) and Alba (2027) as the third city to hold the title, signaling a growing national investment in decentralizing contemporary art across Italy.