Application deadline: November 1, 2026
Livorno 57125 LI
Italy
To mark the 180th anniversary of the Goldoni Theatre’s inauguration, the Fondazione Teatro della Città di Livorno “Carlo Goldoni” launches an international open call for a site-specific contemporary artwork dedicated to the historic velario, the great vaulted canopy spanning its auditorium.
Entitled “Il Teatro della Luce” (The Theatre of Light), the project invites artists, collectives and curators of all ages and nationalities to explore the relationship between contemporary art, architecture and natural light. The selected artist or group will receive a fee of 15,000 USD, with a separate production budget of up to 20,000 USD, managed directly by the Foundation to cover the creation and installation of the work.
Designed by architect Giuseppe Cappellini and inaugurated on July 24, 1847, the Goldoni Theatre features a transparent vaulted canopy supported by iron beams, an important example of Italy’s iron-and-glass architectural heritage. A technical and scientific study led by architect Giulio Camiz examined how this structure fragments and diffuses natural light throughout the day and across the seasons.
This changing relationship between light, architecture and time provides the starting point for the commission. Proposals should engage with the theatre’s history and architectural features, reinterpreting the relationship between the auditorium and its canopy while preserving the integrity of the historic structure.
Applications will be assessed by a jury chaired by Vincenzo Farinella, Scientific Director of the Civic Museums of Livorno, and comprising Andrea Lissoni, Artistic Director of Haus der Kunst in Munich; Cristiana Perrella, Director of MACRO – Museum of Contemporary Art of Rome; and Luca Salvetti, Mayor of Livorno and President of the Foundation.
“With this project, we want to open the doors of the theatre to artists from every background and discipline. The aim is simple: to create space for imagination and for the importance that light holds within this place – and that it holds, every day, in our own lives. This, ultimately, is the meaning of the Il Teatro della Luce” says Massimiliano Mautone, Administrative Director of the Foundation and the project’s creator.
The artwork will be produced and installed between July 1 and 22, 2027, and unveiled on July 24, 2027, exactly 180 years after the theatre first opened its doors. It will remain on display for six months before entering the Foundation’s permanent collection.
The project opens a new chapter in the Goldoni’s daytime life, welcoming visitors to encounter its architectural heritage through contemporary artistic research.
Applications and information
Applications must be submitted by November 1, 2026.
Full call and application details: www.ilteatrodellaluce.com
Enquiries: ilteatrodellaluce@goldoniteatro.it
