Skank Bloc Bologna: Alternative Art Spaces since 1977 is a book edited by Roberto Pinto and Francesco Spampinato that reconstructs the history of nonprofit exhibition spaces in Bologna from 1977 up to the present. Whether individual initiatives, cooperative enterprises, or social centers, the spaces featured in this volume devised the real “Bologna model”: one-of-a-kind, compared both to the situation in other Italian cities and to the international scene.

The book’s title references a 1978 song by the English post-punk band Scritti Politti, emblematic of the international perception of Bologna as the epicenter of political agitation and cultural innovation. Historic spaces covered include Traumfabrik, Cassero, neon, Link Project, and Il Campo delle Fragole.

The project was the winner of the eleventh edition of the Italian Council (2022) call for proposals issued by the General Directorate for Creativity of the Italian Ministry of Culture.

Visual artist(s): A.A.V.V.