Locarno set to become audio-visual center

Locarno is planning to become a media city. To this end, the city of Locarno and Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) have joined forces to create the new Locarno Media City platform. The Locarno Film Festival (FFL), the Palacinema Locarno and Swisscom are also all involved in this joint framework. 

According to a press release issued by the USI, audio-visual media will change the way in which Locarno residents and tourists engage with the local culture, their surroundings and daily life in the city. Moreover, new activities in the field of film and audio-visual arts are to be developed.

 "As a university, we strive to be increasingly present and active in the region, not only individually, but also by seeking to 'federate' with other partners that can contribute to the innovation and development of the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland”, comments Boas Erez, Rector of USI. Mayor of the city of Locarno, Alain Scherrer, underlined that the city “must earn its place in the sun both by seeking quality and beauty and by taking on a clear and innovative profile with a view to the future”. For this reason, Locarno intends to use this partnership to increasingly focus on the film festival, which has already given so much to the city.

"In order to address the cultural and structural opportunities of the digital revolution and to remain a world-class event, it is necessary that all the parties involved join forces”, explains Marco Solari, President of the Locarno Film Festival. Swisscom will be providing services and devices, according to CEO Stefano Santinelli. With common media structure, Santinelli further explains that “we can implement digitization and marketing projects for the Festival, further develop projects for Smart City, for the media industry, training, architecture, IT and marketing”.

If the Canton of Ticino were to get involved with the Switzerland Innovation Park system, Locarno Media City could in this context evolve into a competence center, the USI states in the press release.