For a cultural revival in Italy : a report on the council of Europe review of Italian cultural policy

In Italy the state's involvment in cultural issues and its organisation is marked by a tension between past, present and future. This tension is reflected in a series of contradictions. In order to overcome these contradictions it seemed to be necessary in the short term to retain a strong central authority, which should not be fragmented between 8 or 10 government departments and shares out functions and tasks between the different levels of government by mutual agreement, in keeping with the principle of subsidiarity. Decentralisation and more indepence for cultural institutions is necessary, even as increasing co-operation between the public, private and voluntary sectors.It would seem advisable to bring a halt to the proliferation of legislative texts.