Community development via performing art: considering a community theatre intervention.

This article examines the community theatre project "Barriera is my project" in Barriera di Milano, a working-class neighborhood in Turin, Italy, focusing on its potential to promote community development through enhancing social and cultural capital, social inclusion, and audience development. The project involved local residents and non-residents in narrating and staging neighborhood stories, aiming to increase participation in cultural activities and foster social ties. Quantitative data from audience questionnaires and qualitative interviews with stakeholders indicated that the initiative attracted a diverse audience, including individuals not typically engaged in theatre or local activities, and was positively received for raising awareness of the neighborhood's social and cultural resources. While the project demonstrated potential benefits for community engagement and inclusion, its limited duration and lack of longitudinal assessment restrict conclusions about long-term impacts. The study suggests that community theatre can serve as an accessible, creative tool for fostering social cohesion and cultural participation within diverse urban contexts.