ABSTRACT
The internationalisation of Bologna is synonymous with its rank as a former European Capital of Culture, and it stems from the university's role in ensuring that all major faiths permeate the city. According to a simplified scheme, Bologna's cultural policy can be roughly divided into three major periods, each encompassing a decade: the 1980s a decade that saw the spiralling development of cultural consumption; the 1990s when Bologna worked towards becoming an EU Capital of Culture; and the 2000s the decade that saw an inertia spread through Bologna's cultural institutions, one which led to a repetition of ideas that had already been exploited in a city teeming with a rich cultural life. This overview could be applied to other mid-sized European cities as well. Bologna's role as part of UNESCO indicates how important the quality of a city's cultural creativity is; even more so than the extent of cultural consumption.
