From Theoretical Models to Territorial Realities: An Empirical Investigation of Cultural Districts in Italy

This thesis investigates Cultural Districts (CDs) in Italy as mechanisms enhancing sustainable local development through cultural heritage preservation. Despite abundant theoretical literature from key Italian scholars — including Valentino’s relational system approach, Santagata’s taxonomy, and Sacco’s advanced CD concept — there remains an evident imbalance between conceptual progress and empirical research. The present thesis aims to bridge this gap through a comparative analysis of four case studies, examining their specific characteristics, identifying common elements, and analysing which theoretical elements these experiences most closely reflect. The study begins by tracing the concept’s evolution, paying particular attention to the comparison between Italian perspectives and international approaches, namely Anglo-Saxon ones. The literature review reveals two main theoretical directions: CDs as planned policy phenomena versus spontaneous clusters resembling industrial districts. Additionally, it emerges that Italian and Anglo-Saxon approaches differ regarding scale — whilst international definitions focus on urban areas, Italian frameworks encompass multiple territorial levels. Findings show significant convergence despite territorial diversity: all cases demonstrate intentional top-down development rather than spontaneous emergence, strong community engagement at municipal levels, collaborative stakeholder relationships as critical success factors, and explicit orientation towards territorial development beyond cultural preservation with integration across multiple economic sectors. However, remarkable diversity exists in organisational forms and governance approaches, varying between formal associations and informal institutional agreements, with territorial scale affecting collaboration dynamics. By providing empirical evidence from these experiences, this research enriches the literature, unveiling culture as a driver for broader socio-economic development. It offers insights into practical implementation of these territorial development models, supporting more informed cultural sector policymaking.