Strategic mapping of cultural and creative industries. The case of the Veneto region

Issue and Argument: What are the real and potential boundaries of cultural enterprise? How can we restore economic value and, at the same time, cultural value through the definition of a sector that seems to have no fixed borders? This paper intends to open up a reflection on the boundaries of the cultural industry, the nature of the chosen business and how the sector can become the hub in the dynamics of local development, innovation and competitiveness within the territory of reference. The concentric circles model will be the basis for a strategic mapping of the cultural and creative sector, realized starting from the funding calls for the sector in the Italian Veneto region. The Throsby's model is derived from the principle that cultural content is free from incorporating creative ideas into the production of goods, and that such ideas arise from the primary arts (music, theatre, dance, visual arts and literature). These make up the heart of the cultural industries, while the surrounding circles represent the ideas and influences that these creative activities radiate. The results of the strategic mapping will be put into dialogue with a new idea of entrepreneurship, which in part excludes the Core creative arts, i.e. the primary arts

Models for Art & Business Cooperation

This article aims to identify theoretical profiles and empirical evidence that have guided, in recent years, the study of artistic interventions in organizations. Based on 24 case studies carried out by the MacLab (Laboratory for the management of arts and cultures) of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice, and interviews conducted with the protagonists, artists, and companies of these interactions, we have identified art-based models capable of defining how collaboration between art and companies could take place. These theoretical models are compared with the case studies previously explored in order to analyze the impact of and the way in which the arts create a relationship with the corporate sphere. Finally, potential lines of research are outlined that could be useful to define optimal methods of collaboration between the art and business sectors, to strengthen interactions between both, and to ensure an impact on the medium to long-term development of both parties involved

Artistic experimentation as a catalyst for rethinking research

The primary objective of this paper is to examine, both theoretically and empirically, two distinct approaches through which artistic research intersects with academia. This examination is undertaken to critically evaluate the paradigmatic tensions arising from the juxtaposition of unfettered artistic exploration and the escalating pressures for demonstrable outcomes, accountability, and process transparency inherent in managerial contexts. Consequently, the theoretical underpinnings of artistic interventions within organizational settings will be explicated, emphasizing the academic community's exploration and application of such modes of artistic inquiry. Conversely, the methodology of art-based research will be delineated, emphasizing its utilization of artistic modalities to investigate phenomena through a scientific lens. Moreover, prominent theories positing academic research as constraining artistic experimentation will be outlined. Finally, drawing upon three case studies conducted within academic environments, a novel methodology will be proposed to mitigate the encroachment of increasingly institutionalized approaches towards the arts. Keywords

Development of a non-chemical RNAi-based strategy for Amaranthus hybridus L. weed management

Weeds are one of the major issues in cropping systems, responsible for significant yield losses. Herbicide applications are the most effective strategy to control weeds, but stricter legislation has resulted in a significant reduction in the number of herbicides available on the market. Furthermore, the recent European legislation on the sustainable use of pesticides will require farmers to drastically reduce chemical use over the next ten years while promoting integrated weed management strategies that improve environmental sustainability and lower the risks to animal and human health. In addition, the over-reliance on chemical control has resulted in the evolution of resistant biotypes. As a result, new technologies to effectively manage weeds and weed resistance should be developed. In this regard, the development of a non-chemical weed control strategy based on RNA interference (RNAi) technology could: i) represent a potential non-chemical weed control strategy, ii) provide an emerging GMO-free strategy for managing invasive and resistant weeds, and iii) provide a valid opportunity to go inside the molecular mechanisms of weed biology. In this study, the acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene of Amaranthus hybridus L. has been used as the target to assess the effectiveness and applicability of in-vitro synthesized double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) direct application for endogenous gene silencing and weed control. A. hybridus is a monoecious and self-pollinated weed that has evolved multiple resistance to herbicides with different sites of action, including ALS inhibitors, which are the most used herbicides in soybean. ALS represents an ideal target for the development and future application of dsRNA-mediated gene silencing because it is an intronless, nucleotide-stable, and single-copy gene. We have produced dsRNAs of various lengths (ranging from 218 to 460bp) targeting three distinct ALS regions: the 5’- and 3’-ends, and a central region. dsRNAs molecules were transcribed in-vitro by T7 RNA polymerase and externally applied to the abaxial leaf surface of A. hybridus plants at 4-6 true leaves developmental stage by: i) mechanical inoculation, or ii) high-pressure spraying. Despite the expression of ALS gene transcripts was found to be lightly downregulated when synthetic 2 ALS-dsRNAs were applied, no phenotypic effects were observed. Our current research focuses on the determination of the effectiveness of ALS-dsRNAs silencing using agroinfiltration techniques, and on dsRNAs delivery techniques through the use of nanomaterials to maximize the effectiveness of gene silencing by exogenous dsRNAs application. This second approach was preliminary studied by RNA electrophoretic mobility of functionalized nanomaterial and by means of confocal microscopy on A. hybridus leaves. In parallel, we are examining the expression patterns of genes thought to be involved in the RNAi pathway in A. hybridus to verify if their expression is triggered by dsRNA applications

Target-site mutations and expression of als gene copies vary according to Echinochloa species

The sustainability of rice cropping systems is jeopardized by the large number and variety of populations of polyploid Echinochloa spp. resistant to ALS inhibitors. Better knowledge of the Echinochloa species present in Italian rice fields and the study of ALS genes involved in target- site resistance could significantly contribute to a better understanding of resistance evolution and management. Using a CAPS-rbcL molecular marker, two species, E. crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv. and E. oryzicola (Vasinger) Vasing., were identified as the most common species in rice in Italy. Mutations involved in ALS inhibitor resistance in the different species were identified and associated with the ALS homoeologs. The relative expression of the ALS gene copies was evaluated. Molecular characterization led to the identification of three ALS genes in E. crus-galli and two in E. oryzicola. The two species also carried different point mutations conferring resistance: Ala122Asn in E. crus-galli and Trp574Leu in E. oryzicola. Mutations were carried in the same gene copy (ALS1), which was significantly more expressed than the other copies (ALS2 and ALS3) in both species. These results explain the high resistance level of these populations and why mutations in the other ALS copies are not involved in herbicide resistance

Comparison of leaf morpho-anatomical characters in Amaranthus spp.: phenotyping as an investigative tool for environmental and agricultural sciences

Plant phenotyping is an important tool that can provide insight into the interaction between plants and the environment, often as supporting information for genotype studies. The resulting knowledge can be useful in eco-physiological research, to understand how species adapt to their growing conditions and to biotic competition. In recent years, phenotyping techniques for the study of plant morpho-anatomical traits have developed in the field of the imaging analysis, starting from microscope images up to high scale acquisitions through remote sensing. In this work, we focused on the detailed study of single-leaf morphometric traits through the processing of photographic and confocal microscope acquisitions. Four species of Amaranthus were used, being plants of interest due to their high invasiveness into fields. Their morphological traits could become a useful tool to describe their adaptative responses and to define strategies for the sustainable management of the agro-ecosystem

The Italian Draft Law on the \u2018Provisions Concerning the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage\u2019

Intangible cultural heritage in Italy is still in need of a unified approach, capable of providing reliable criteria for identifying its assets and for indicating timescales and means by which they should be safeguarded. In the continued absence of up-to-date, ad hoc state legislation (since the content of those laws which do implement international Conventions is too generic in nature to be sufficiently effective), the Regions have proceeded to act in a somewhat scattered manner, giving rise to an extremely fragmented and very disorderly regulatory framework. The draft law N. 4486, "Provisions Concerning the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage", presented on 12th May 2017 at the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic - as the result of the work of an interdisciplinary and inter-university research team coordinated by Marco Giampieretti, who has drafted the final text with the collaboration of Simona Pinton - seeks to fill the serious void that exists in Italian legal system by aligning it to the principles of international and European law, by redirecting the relevant State and Regional legislation, and by satisfying the fundamental requirements of the national community

Who are the visitors of the art museums: Particularities of the publics of the weekends at the Art Museum of Tigre (Argentina)

Saber quiénes son sus visitantes es una de las principales tareas de los museos en la actualidad, en la medida en que fluctúan entre ajustarse a las imposiciones del sistema capitalista y convertirse en instituciones democráticas y participativas. No obstante, este aspecto resulta aun más dificultoso en los museos de arte, en virtud de los atributos particulares de su estructura y actores. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo aproximar algunos criterios que permitan conocer quiénes son los visitantes de los museos de arte creados en Argentina desde el inicio del nuevo milenio. Dada la magnitud del desafío, se procura, con el foco puesto en un caso particular, trazar algunos lineamientos sostenidos en los enfoques teórico-críticos aplicados a la museología y en los estudios de públicos. En cuanto a lo metodológico, se recurrió a un estudio de visitantes que apeló a orientaciones cuantitativas y cualitativas, realizado en el Museo de Arte de Tigre durante 2017, centrado en los públicos del fin de semana. Se considera que, al indagar los rasgos singulares de esta entidad patrimonial, pueden identificarse algunos indicios que permitan comenzar a trazar un perfil, tanto general como específico, de los visitantes de los museos de arte.Knowing who its visitors are is one of the main tasks of museums today, as they fluctuate between conforming to the impositions of the capitalist system and becoming democratic and participatory institutions. However, this aspect is even more difficult in the arts museums because of the particular attributes of their structure and its diverse actors. The present work has as main object to bring near some criteria that may allow to know who are the visitors of the art museums in Argentina since the beginning of the new millennium. Given the extent of the challenge, we’ll try, focusing in a particular case, draw some guidelines sustained in the theorical-critical approaches applied to museology and studies of the publics. In terms of methodology, a visitor study was carried out at the Tigre Art Museum in 2017, using both quantitative and qualitative guidelines, focusing on weekend audiences. It is considered that, when we question the singularities of this entity, there are some indications that a general and specific profile of visitors to art museums can begin to be identified.Saber quem são seus visitantes é uma das principais tarefas dos museus na atualidade, na medida em que flutuam entre amoldar-se às imposições do sistema capitalista e converter-se em instituições democráticas e participativas. Não obstante, este aspecto resulta ainda mais dificultoso nos museus de arte, devido aos atributos particulares de sua estrutura e atores. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo aproximar alguns critérios que permitam conhecer quem são os visitantes dos museus de arte criados na Argentina desde o início do novo milênio. Dada a magnitude do desafio, e com o foco posto em um caso particular, buscou-se traçar alguns lineamentos sustentados nos enfoques teórico-críticos aplicados à museologia e nos estudos de públicos. Quanto à metodologia, a pesquisa teve como base um estudo de visitantes que apelou a orientações quantitativas e qualitativas, realizado no Museu de Arte de Tigre durante o ano de 2017, focado nos públicos de fim de semana. Considera-se que, ao indagarmos os traços singulares desta entidade, podem ser identificados alguns indícios que permitam começar a esboçar um perfil, tanto geral quanto específico, dos visitantes dos museus de arte.Fil: Panozzo Zenere, Alejandra Gabriela. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Políticas y Relaciones Internacionales. Instituto de Investigaciones. Centro de Investigaciones en Mediatizaciones; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario; Argentin