Minister Giuli opens to extending Art Bonus: "we will promote enlargement of beneficiaries"

Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli said he supports the idea of extending the Art Bonus, the tax incentive introduced in 2014 to support public cultural heritage through private donations. He said this in the House on Wednesday afternoon, March 12, responding to a question submitted by the entire Noi Moderati cohort in the House (Maurizio Lupi, Giuseppe Bicchielli, Michela Vittoria Brambilla, Mara Carfagna, Ilaria Cavo, Alessandro Colucci, Calogero Pisano, Francesco Saverio Romano, Martina Semenzato and Franco Tirelli) in which the minister was asked if he was in favor of theexpanding the categories of entities benefiting from the measure, including considering private historic properties of public interest, church properties of historical significance, sites of memory and historical routes, historic villages and cultural landscapes, historic fortifications and infrastructures, contemporary art spaces and art residences.

During the session in the House, Congressman Alessandro Colucci, representing the Noi Moderati group, highlighted the great positive impact that the Art Bonus has had over the past ten years, enabling it to raise about 1 billion euros thanks to 44,300 donations, which have funded more than 4,150 projects throughout Italy. He also cited the Fifth Report of the Private Cultural Heritage Observatory, presented in October 2024, according to which in 2023 alone nearly 2 billion euros were invested in the preservation of private cultural heritage, which attracted 34 million visitors.

Minister Giuli responded favorably to the question, accepting the proposal to extend the Art Bonus to new entities. “The Ministry of Culture,” he said, “is enthusiastic about this contemporary manifestation of widespread patronage, both from ordinary citizens and from businesses and banking foundations, whose contributions have been in the millions as well.” Giuli went on to cite updated numbers from the Ministry of Culture, which attest to 1.61 billion euros raised, 47,000 patrons involved and 7,300 interventions funded through the Art Bonus platform. Giuli also praised the system for its ability to facilitate the public-private relationship by making the procedure simple, transparent and accessible. He also cited some emblematic interventions carried out thanks to Art Bonus, including: the redevelopment of the former Caimi Center in Milan, transformed into the Mysterious Baths for the Franco Parenti Theater; the 67 Columns project for the Arena Foundation in Verona; the restoration of the Garisenda and Asinelli Towers in Bologna; the redevelopment of the city walls in Lucca; the restoration of the Vittoriano Staircase; as well as interventions on famous sites in Rome such as the Ara Pacis, the Mausoleum of Augustus and the Sacred Area of Largo Argentina.

The minister then spoke about ongoing initiatives to further promote the Art Bonus, including the ninth edition of the Art Bonus competition, which awards prizes to the projects most voted by the public in the categories of “Cultural Heritage and Places” and “Live Performances.” For the 2025 edition, 400 projects have already been admitted and have reached their economic target in 2024.

Giuli then reiterated the ministry’s willingness to facilitate an extension of the measure to include new categories of beneficiaries, aware that this step will require the involvement of other ministries and a careful assessment of the necessary financial coverage.“I hope,” the minister said at the conclusion of his speech, "that awareness toward the need for this institution will grow more and more, and I reiterate: we are in favor of any form of extension of a measure that has proven to work thanks to public-private integration. It will be the task of the Ministry of Culture to promote the enlargement of the number of beneficiaries of the bonus, including ecclesiastical properties of historical importance, also by sensitizing other ministries and taking into account the necessary financial coverage but also the projections on the economic, social and cultural benefits of the Art Bonus.

In his reply, MP Maurizio Lupi (Noi Moderati) expressed great satisfaction with the minister’s response, considering it an important signal not only for his parliamentary group but for the entire country. He stressed that the Art Bonus is a fundamental tool for the protection of cultural heritage, capable of stimulating patronage and actively involving citizens, businesses and institutions in supporting art. Lupi also highlighted the key role of culture as an element of social cohesion and national identity, reiterating that Italy is a nation rich in history and beauty, where cultural heritage is the result of both public and private interventions. He recalled the importance of overcoming the traditional opposition between public and private, saying that the enhancement of cultural heritage is a collective mission, involving businesses, third sector associations, citizens and institutions. Finally, he reiterated the need to promote a model of widespread participation in heritage protection, recognizing patronage as a strategic social, cultural and economic value for the country’s future.

Minister Giuli opens to extending Art Bonus: "we will promote enlargement of beneficiaries"

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