Funding Transitory Uses with Structural Funds Synergies
Tuscany's pilot combines ERDF and ESF+ funds to finance temporary cultural uses in three municipalities, pairing physical renovation with social programmes through a cross‑sectoral steering committee.
The Tuscany Region launched a pilot scheme that leverages synergies between European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) money to finance temporary uses for cultural welfare. With a budget of €1.7 million, the regional government formed a cross‑sectoral Steering Committee and selected the municipalities of Follonica, Livorno and Prato to test how structural funds can support transitional spaces.
The programme addresses high vacancy rates, social exclusion and fragmented governance by mapping disused buildings, involving third‑sector actors and co‑designing temporary cultural projects with local communities. It combines physical renovation financed by ERDF with social activation and capacity‑building supported by ESF+, ensuring that temporary cultural centres, creative hubs and public spaces meet community needs.
Although still a pilot, the initiative is expected to reduce vacancy and strengthen cultural access and social cohesion in participating towns. Its transferability lies in showing how different EU funding streams can be combined within a coherent governance framework to enable temporary use; other regions can replicate the model by creating interdisciplinary committees, coordinating physical and social programmes and evaluating outcomes.