Reading the latest resolutions of the city council, one spontaneously wonders about the criteria used for granting financial contributions to certain associations, while only moral sponsorship is granted to other initiatives which, by history, participation, and purpose, would seem deserving of more substantial support.
This is the case of the €10,000 contribution granted to the association Factory+ ETS for the event “Festival Factory Area 5,” scheduled for August 20 and 21 at the San Giovanni Complex. An initiative with an appealing title, but which raises questions about its actual impact on the city, especially considering the summer period when Catanzaro experiences a physiological drop in attendance.
What makes the case more delicate is a detail that deserves further investigation: from several sources, we learn of a possible past collaboration between members of the beneficiary association and those who proposed the resolution. A circumstance that, regardless of intentions, could generate perceptions of inappropriateness or lack of transparency, and for this reason, greater clarity on the entire decision-making process would be desirable.
A similar perplexity arises with the contribution, also amounting to €10,000, granted to a cultural association based in Rocca di Neto (KR) for the event “Catanzaro Contemporanea,” which will take place in July, again at the San Giovanni Complex. In a city that boasts a deep connection with contemporary art — from Mimmo Rotella to MARCA and the Biodiversity Park — it is difficult to understand the choice to entrust such a cultural project to a non-local association, especially in a month that is not particularly favorable for participation.
Another emblematic case is that of the Giro d’Italia a Vela – Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour, supported with a financial contribution of €10,000. The event, also promoted by well-known figures from the city’s artistic scene and already present last year, did not leave a particularly visible mark on the city. Organizing it again in the port of Catanzaro, currently at the center of tensions and critical issues — between seized docks and protests from operators — seems an ill-advised choice, which risks exacerbating an already fragile climate.
In the face of these financial interventions, there are events deeply rooted in the city’s fabric, capable of activating significant social and cultural networks, which, however, receive only formal recognition, without any financial support. Think of the “Cena Straordinaria,” which enlivened the historic center with an outdoor dinner for hundreds of people, or the initiatives of the Pro Loco of Catanzaro Lido, such as the “Festa della Musica” and the “Marina Summer Festival,” designed to revitalize the seafront with free and well-attended events.
Double standards? The doubt grows. And it is legitimate to ask: what are the criteria used to determine the allocation of public contributions? Is there a transparent and publicly accessible evaluation grid? Or is it handled case by case, based on undisclosed elements?
Catanzaro needs rigor, fairness, and transparency in the management of public resources. Every euro invested must respond to clear and shared logic, especially when it comes to enhancing culture, tourism, and civic participation. For this reason, we ask the city administration to make public the criteria adopted, to promptly justify the choices made, and to clarify any situations that could constitute a conflict of interest, even if only potential.