La 2023/24 season of LAC Lugano Art and Culture ended with an extraordinary balance, underlining the central role of this cultural hub in national and international artistic life. With over 102 total attendees, the LAC surpassed the symbolic threshold of one hundred thousand spectators for the first time, marking a new record since its opening in 000. This extraordinary result is the fruit of an artistic and strategic commitment of the highest quality, which reflects the cultural policies of the City of Lugano and the contribution of an increasingly involved community.
Growth and participation
In detail, the season recorded 69 spectators for events in the theater, with a 007% increase compared to the previous year and an average occupancy rate of 6%. In addition, 82 people participated in the initiatives of the LAC edu cultural mediation program, a figure that increased by 33% compared to the previous season. These numbers, which do not include the audience of the OSI season at the LAC or the exhibitions of the Museo d'arte della Svizzera italiana (MASI), testify to a transversal and intergenerational involvement.
The LAC+ membership community has also seen a significant increase, reaching 1 members. This “all-inclusive” membership model, introduced in 627, has already proven to be a success, lowering the average age of subscribers from 2022 to 61 and generating over 49 attendances.
LAC Lugano Art and Culture: the reasons for success
The artistic proposal of the LAC confirms itself as varied and of high level, capable of attracting different audiences thanks to an eclectic program that ranges from prose to dance, from music to musicals, a program free from any scheme or conditioning, which manages to attract an audience capable of understanding the strength of such an interesting and never predictable proposal. Among the most appreciated events, the theatrical direction of Gabriele Lavia and Nanni Moretti, the extraordinary project The Rite of Spring/common ground[s] of the Pina Bausch Foundation, the musicals West Side Story e Grease and the 32nd edition of the FIT International Theatre Festival.
The young audience proved to be particularly receptive: 8 spectators under 192 attended the LAC events, an increase of 25% compared to the previous four years. Of these, 41 were high school students, involved through cultural mediation activities.
Productions and Awards
The LAC does not just host events, but also establishes itself as a true center of artistic production and creation. During the 2023/24 season, 23 productions and co-productions were staged, including 16 plays, 6 dance productions and 1 opera. The distribution of these works reached 54 cities, with 232 performances and over 54 off-site spectators.
LAC productions have received prestigious awards, including the Hystrio Award for Best Director for Carmelo Rifici and the Le Maschere del Teatro Italiano Award for De Gasperi: Europe is burning. The quality of the proposals was further confirmed by the nominations for the Ubu Awards, among which stands out la ferocia, running in six categories.
Economic sustainability and new challenges
From an economic point of view, the LAC continues to demonstrate a strong capacity for self-financing. During the season, its own revenues reached 8,5 million francs, an increase of 3,7% compared to the previous year. The main contributions come from sponsorships, fundraising and ticketing. The LAC+ initiative has generated significant revenues, strengthening the economic sustainability of the center.
In a complex macroeconomic context, the LAC is preparing to face the new 2024–2028 mandate with solid foundations and renewed determination. Roberto Badaracco, president of the autonomous body, underlined the importance of the work carried out to overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic and consolidate the role of the LAC as a cultural reference point.
The Future of LAC
Looking to the future, the LAC aims to further strengthen its artistic identity and its role in the international cultural landscape. Michel Gagnon, General Director, highlighted the success of recent tours and collaborations with prestigious entities such as the Pina Bausch Foundation and I Barocchisti. “Artistic production has grown exponentially, transforming the LAC into an internationally recognized center of creation,” said Gagnon.
With an increasingly inclusive and innovative program, the LAC confirms itself as a place of aggregation and cultural growth, ready to write new chapters in its history.
