Nine years of closed gates, reclamation and asbestos removed give way, from Friday 4 September until 30 October, to a new name: Spaziotempo. The historic courtyard of via Casilina Vecchia 42, which until 2015 housed the Circolo degli Artisti, a symbol of the Roman alternative scene between Pigneto and Mandrione, is once again accessible to the public, even if not in its entirety.
A garden yes, the concert hall no
The project, active until October 30, concerns only the garden and outdoor spaces of the structure seized and closed due to building violations and illegal disposal of waste (including asbestos). The building that once housed the concert hall has been made safe, but remains outside the assigned perimeter and will continue to remain closed, awaiting restoration work which currently has no date.
Who manages the space
The area is managed by Barra Spaziatrice APS and Agorà SpA, united in a temporary association of companies which was awarded the Public Notice for the temporary use concession announced by Zètema Progetto Cultura, the company that deals with the cultural heritage of Rome Capital. The European Institute of Design (IED) is also participating in the consortium, which will have the role of cultural and training partner: a calendar of free workshops and masterclasses on digital arts, videomapping and audiovisual production is reserved for students from the nearby IED hub.
The inaugural weekend
The debut is entrusted to an inaugural weekend, 4 and 5 September, with free entry from 6pm. The program alternates DJ sets (among others Bluemarina, Ruben Camillas and the B2B of Enea Pascal and Colas) with a book banquet linked to the Common People Stories publishing project, which also brings with it the launch of a bookclub. On Saturday evening, Roma-Atalanta will be shown on the giant screen set up in the arena with live commentary from the editorial team of L’Ultimo Uomo.
And after October 30th?
It remains to be seen what will happen after October 30th. The tender that assigned the space to Bara Spaziatrice and Agorà explicitly speaks of temporary management, and the question of restoration still hangs over the building of the former concert hall. For now, however, the gate on via Casilina Vecchia is open again.
