Un possibile equilibrio: spazio pubblico e cittadinanza estetica. La dimensione politica del patrimonio culturale e del museo nel terzo millennio

The contribution considers the topic of aesthetic education as a pedagogical and cultural strategy addressed to the construction of active citizenship. The values of identity, participation and common good can be developed through an idea of public space based on the principle of cultural awareness. The dimension of artistic heritage and landscape becomes, therefore, the ideal context to grow competences of citizenship, by enhancing – among others – participative and relational qualities which are deeply connected to aesthetic experience. Considering the concept of “vita activa” developed by Arendt, such interpretation also embraces the visionary profile of the “heterotopia” suggested by Foucault with regards to museums.