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1.4 Italian terminology
In the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, the term “mediazione culturale” is used with meanings corresponding to those associated with the German word
→ Kulturvermittlung Outside of Switzerland though, the Italian term, like cultural mediation in English, is associated with migration issues. One does occasionally encounter the term “mediazione culturale” used in the “Kulturvermittlung” meaning in the context of international conferences, though, in a manner similar to the neologism
→ art mediation.
In Italian-speaking Switzerland one also finds the term “mediazione artistica” used for mediation activities in the arts. This term also crops up Italian translations of German or French texts. Within Italy, however, “mediazione artistica” is principally found in art therapy contexts. One of the few exceptions is the degree programme
→ Mediazione artistico-culturale at Accademia di Belle Arti Macerata, whose students are trained in arts mediation in the meaning used in this publication.
Otherwise the term “didattica cultural” is used in Italy in the context of cultural mediation in this meaning as an umbrella term that is comparable to the German “Kulturvermittlung” or the French
→ médiation culturelle “Didattica culturale” encompasses, on the one hand, the activities associated with a visit to a cultural institution through the provision of specialist and artistic expertise and, on the other projects aimed at expanding audiences (Assessorato all‘Istruzione, alla Formazione e al Lavoro, Regione del Veneto,
→ List of job descriptions). Thus in that sense “didattica culturale” overlaps with the field of activities associated with marketing or the English term
→ audience development.
→ Instruction in artistic practices both in and outside of schools are also covered by the umbrella term “didattica culturale”. Since the post-war era, the term “didattica museale” has also established itself as the title for programmes which make museums available to the public as places of education (
→ Ministero dell’Istituzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca). These days, the term is chiefly applied to formats in which participants – usually children or young people – themselves produce some output. The term “educazione” is also occasionally used in this context.
Primarily in Italian-speaking Switzerland, one also runs across the term “animazione culturale” as a subfield of “didattica culturale” for Kulturvermittlung-type activities in which a playful, entertaining approach predominates. The two terms are also used synonymously.
Finally, the term “alta formazione” is sometimes used to describe projects in which art institutions (primarily museums) work in partnership with academic institutions. In this context, the transmission of specialised knowledge is the primary objective.
