The Lombardy Region has allocated one million euros to complete the restoration of the Salò Municipal Theatre. Located in Piazza San Bernardino, the historic building, inaugurated in 1873 and abandoned since the 1970s, has been included in the 2026-2029 Integrated Cultural Projects (PIC) ranking. This initiative, developed with Fondazione Cariplo, aims to recover public buildings for cultural activities.
A Historic Milestone for Salò
This grant marks the first time the theatre has received external funding. Mayor Francesco Cagnini expressed profound satisfaction, attributing the success to the collaborative efforts of the local administration and the Centro Teatrale Bresciano (CTB). In March 2025, the municipality and the CTB signed an agreement detailing the theatre’s design, economic, and management plans. “This contribution is also thanks to the CTB, with whom we worked to define the fourth phase, now planned and financed in the 2026 budget, making the project more sustainable,” stated Cagnini.
The theatre’s revival adds another significant cultural venue to the city, complementing institutional pillars like the Duomo di Salò and the historical archives of the Ateneo di Salò.
Costs, Phases, and Financial Management
The restoration site, initiated in 2018 under the Cipani administration, faced scrutiny over escalating costs. The current Cagnini administration updated the expenditure forecast from the initial 7.5 million to 14.5 million euros and revised the timeline. Impressively, the regional funding supplements 2.4 million euros already saved by the municipality through phase reorganization and favorable mortgage conditions. With the first three phases completed—focusing heavily on systems and infrastructure—the project is steadily moving toward its final stages.
