Italian culture ministry, Tuscany region and city council sign deal for permanent museum as Lucca Comics & Games marks its 60th anniversary.Italy is to create a museum dedicated to comics in Lucca, culture minister Alessandro Guili announced on Thursday during the Lucca Comics & Games festival.The move is part of an agreement signed by Giuli, Tuscany regional president Eugenio Giani and Lucca mayor Mario Pardini. It covers a museum devoted to comics, illustration, games, animation and multimedia and interactive works. Under the agreement, the three institutions have committed to setting up a body called the Fondazione Expo Comics Museum by 31 March 2027. The foundation will be responsible for the stable and coordinated management of the museum’s activities. The permanent home of the museum will be a former tobacco factory in Lucca, which is still being renovated. Newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that the contract for the works is expected to be put out to tender next year, with the hope of opening the museum by 2032. In the meantime, activities will begin at Palazzo Guinigi, where a floor has been granted for eight years to Lucca Crea, the council-owned company that organises the festival. The space already hosts Lucca Legacy – A Comics and Games Story, an exhibition on the history of the event, which will remain open until 30 September 2027. In addition to being an exhibition space, the museum is also envisaged as a centre for research, conservation, documentation and cultural production, with educational programmes and partnerships with Italian and international universities, schools and cultural institutions. Organisers say they will focus on engaging young people and using digital technology to widen access to the collections. "Comics are an original language, born from the meeting of words and images, and belong fully to our artistic tradition," said Giuli. "They deserve to be studied, preserved, promoted and handed on to future generations." He said a museum could become "a privileged space for cultural education" and introduce new audiences to contemporary creativity. Giani said the museum would give the festival’s legacy a permanent home, noting that what the Renaissance expressed in a fresco or a canvas now takes shape in a comic panel or drawing. Pardini said the agreement marked a milestone for the whole community, while Emanuele Vietina, director of Lucca Comics & Games, said the project was taking a decisive step towards becoming reality. The aim, according to Corriere della Sera, is to make Lucca a city of comics 365 days a year, rather than only during the festival. Lucca Comics & Games is held each autumn in the walled Tuscan city and draws fans from around the world. This year’s edition marks its 60th anniversary. Photo credit: Eccefoto / Shutterstock.com

Italy is to create a museum dedicated to comics in Lucca, culture minister Alessandro Guili announced on Thursday during the Lucca Comics & Games festival. The move is part of signed by Giuli, Tuscany regional president Eugenio Giani and Lucca mayor Mario Pardini. It covers a museum devoted to comics, illustration, games, animation and multimedia and interactive works. Under the agreement, the three institutions have committed to setting up a body called the Fondazione Expo Comics Museum by 31 March 2027. The foundation will be responsible for the stable and coordinated management of the museum’s activities. The permanent home of the museum will be a former tobacco factory in Lucca, which is still being renovated. Newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that the contract for the works is expected to be put out to tender next year, with the hope of opening the museum by 2032. In the meantime, activities will begin at Palazzo Guinigi, where a floor has been granted for eight years to Lucca Crea, the council-owned company that organises the festival. The space already hosts Lucca Legacy – A Comics and Games Story, an exhibition on the history of the event, which will remain open until 30 September 2027. In addition to being an exhibition space, the museum is also envisaged as a centre for research, conservation, documentation and cultural production, with educational programmes and partnerships with Italian and international universities, schools and cultural institutions. Organisers say they will focus on engaging young people and using digital technology to widen access to the collections. "Comics are an original language, born from the meeting of words and images, and belong fully to our artistic tradition," said Giuli. "They deserve to be studied, preserved, promoted and handed on to future generations." He said a museum could become "a privileged space for cultural education" and introduce new audiences to contemporary creativity. Giani said the museum would give the festival’s legacy a permanent home, noting that what the Renaissance expressed in a fresco or a canvas now takes shape in a comic panel or drawing. Pardini said the agreement marked a milestone for the whole community, while Emanuele Vietina, director of Lucca Comics & Games, said the project was taking a decisive step towards becoming reality. The aim, according to Corriere della Sera, is to make Lucca a city of comics 365 days a year, rather than only during the festival. Lucca Comics & Games is held each autumn in the walled Tuscan city and draws fans from around the world. This year’s edition marks its 60th anniversary. Photo credit: Eccefoto / Shutterstock.com