Cultural Democracy, Cultural Ecosystems and Urban Development: Grassroot Initiatives at the Crossroads of Social and Cultural Goals in Bologna

The paper analyzes the grassroot cultural ecosystem of Bologna in the theoretical framework of cultural democracy and urban development. The first section sets the theoretical framework, grounded on cultural infrastructure, cultural ecologies, cultural democracy and their role in urban development. The second section presents the context of Bologna, the adopted methodology and the findings: it maps grassroot cultural activities with a societal orientation, observes their relevance as places for socialization and as a widespread cultural infrastructure, and analyzes the institutional actions and policy initiatives that sustain this ecosystem. The third section draws conclusions and advocates for a diversified cultural agenda for cities that support the indigenous, grassroot cultural ecology.