The enhancement programme was presented in its main outlines to the Municipal Council in October 2017 and approved by the Municipal Executive Committee on 29 November 2018 through Resolution No. 124. Its purpose is to initiate a process of development of the site aimed at attracting opportunities for sustainable, long-term growth in the area, securing resources and generating new activities.
The Programme forms part of the broader project for the enhancement of the Fortress System (Forte Pignatelli, Forte Siacci, and the former Matiniti Inferiore Ammunition Depot). The key principles underlying the project are: preserving the site’s historical and architectural heritage; creating a new hub capable of fostering cultural growth; ensuring public access to and enjoyment of the area; achieving economic sustainability; and creating a large public park.
The aim of this project, which will necessarily require careful restoration and adaptive reuse of the building, is to return the site to the community by introducing a range of functions consistent with the nature and historical character of the Fort. The subsequent phases will involve the establishment of governance mechanisms for the management of activities (visits, artistic, hiking–sporting, cultural, historical, recreational and environmental activities) and their transition to full operation.
The project and the property are expected to be managed by the Municipality of Campo Calabro. On the basis of this enhancement programme, approved by the parties involved, on 18 June 2019 the Municipality of Campo Calabro, the Italian State Property Agency (Agenzia del Demanio) and MiBACT signed the enhancement agreement.
In 2023, the second phase of the project received €1.6 million in funding from the Ministry of Infrastructure, with the Calabria–Sicily Regional Public Works Authority acting as the implementing body. From 30 September to 4 October 2022, Forte Siacci hosted the “Biennale dello Stretto”, followed by its second edition in 2024, held from 18 September to 14 December. The third edition is currently underway and will take place from September to December 2026.
For the redevelopment and restoration works, the Fort received an initial €1 million in funding from the Calabria Region. The works, which began in 2023, have involved the rooms intended for use as museum spaces, technical rooms and workshop facilities, the internal courtyard, sanitary facilities, and the related water, lighting and sewerage systems, and are currently nearing completion. In 2023, the second phase of the project received €1.6 million in funding from the Ministry of Infrastructure, with the Calabria–Sicily Regional Public Works Authority acting as the implementing body.
