Francesca LEONARDI

Profile

I hold a PhD in Analysis and Management of Cultural Heritage and a degree in Economics for Arts and Culture. My research profile is rooted in organization studies, with a focus on cultural management, and extends to heritage studies. My research interests range from the management of cultural and museum institutions to the study of cultural and creative industries and the analysis of creative careers, with particular attention to the fields of craft, contemporary art, and comics. Another research avenue is cultural heritage management, with a specific focus on difficult heritage. Before embarking on my doctoral studies, I gained three years of professional experience at some of Milan’s leading cultural institutions, developing in-depth knowledge of their organizational and managerial practices alongside a solid theoretical background.

Education

PhD in Analysis and Management of Cultural Heritage, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca. November 2018 - June 2023

Visiting Researcher (Erasmus+), University of Göteborg, Göteborg. January 2022 - May 2022

Master of Science in Economics and Management in Arts, Culture, Media and Entertainment (LM-77 Management), Bocconi University, Milano. April 2015

Visiting student at the Department of Visual Arts, IUAV, Venice. February 2014 - June 2014

Bachelor degree in Economics and Management for Arts, Culture, and Communicaton (L-18 Management), Bocconi University, Milano. October 2012

Classical Studies High School Diploma, Liceo Classico Statale “M. Gioia”, Piacenza. July 2009

Employment - Academic positions 

Postdoctoral researcher, University of Tor Vergata, Rome. September 2023 - Present

Guest scholar, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca. July 2023 - Present

Research Collaborator, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca . June 2022 - September 2023

Research Collaborator, Bocconi University, Milan. July 2017 - October 2018

Academic publications

1. Leonardi, F. & Dubini, P. (2026). Arts-based methods for place-based innovation and affective activation in rural areas: the case of a film residency in Cassine, Journal of Place Management and Development, DOI 10.1108/JPMD-10-2025-0149. [2*AJG]

2. Leonardi, F., Fino, F., Tonga, Y., Catoni, M.L. (2026). The Museum Choice. Institutionalization dynamics in the comics field in Italy, International Journal of Arts Management,  29 (2), ISSN/ISBN : 1480-8986. [1*AJG]

3. Leonardi, F. & Pareschi, L.  (2026). A Work Welll Done: Mapping Craft-Makers Skills and Educational Gaps To Unleash the Potential of Craft, Figures de l’art, Presses Universitaires de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, ISBN: 978-2-35311-220-3

4. Leonardi, F. (2025). Fascist architecture between pragmatism and inertia. An analysis of dissonance in the reuse of the ex-Case del Fascio of Aprilia and Vicarello, Journal of Modern Italian Studies, DOI: 10.1080/1354571X.2025.2511393

5. Leonardi, F. & Pareschi, L. (2025). Becoming a craft entrepreneur: reviving heritage through tradition, innovation, and community in the ceramic ecosystem of Nove, European Journal of Cultural Management and Policy, 15, https://doi.org/10.3389/ejcmp.2025.13902

6. Leonardi, F. (2024). The Maker behind the Artist. An Analysis of Artistic Craftmanship in the Production of Contemporary Artworks in Italy, Il Capitale Culturale, 29, pp. 509-535. DOI: 10.13138/2039-2362/3251

7. [PhD Thesis]. Leonardi F. (2023). On dissonance and fascist heritage. An analysis on the reuse of ex-Case del Fascio in three Italian provinces. PhD Thesis available at: http://e-theses.imtlucca.it/id/eprint/380

8. Forti, L. & Leonardi, F. (2021). At the border of artistic legitimation. Practices and models of project spaces in Milan, Engramma, 179, ISBN digitale 978-88-31494-53-3 

9. Leonardi, F. (2020). Curating the context: re-enacting and reconstructing exhibitions as ways of studying the past, Museum Management and Curatorship, DOI: 10.1080/09647775.2020.1803118. [2*AJG]

Books and chapters:

10. BOOK. Leonardi, F. (2026). Organizing dissonance for difficult heritage. Critical implications from the reuse of fascist heritage, Editoriale Scientifica 

11. EDITED BOOK. Leonardi, F., Ludovici, G., Bertelli, L. (edited by) (2026). Re-interpreting and re-assessing difficult heritage. A study of dissonances, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, ISBN: 1-0364-6539-X

12. BOOK CHAPTER. Tonga, Y., Leonardi, F., Fino, F., Quaianni, M., Crescenzi, N., Catoni M.L. (2025). ‘Impacts of the digital transformation on the Italian comics field: an exploration of the comics creators’ careers and changing work dynamics’, in Aletta A. (eds.) (2025). Italian Comics in the New Millennium. Vol. 2. New Scenarios, New Forms, New Themes, Vernon Press.

13. BOOK CHAPTERS. Leonardi, F. (2024), ’Il monumento ai caduti per la patria o Faro della Vittoria’, ‘La targa in memoria dei parrocchianidi San Tommaso in Pelleria caduti nella Grande Guerra’, ’Il monumento ai caduti delle patrie battaglie’, ‘Il monumento ai caduti della Grande Guerra o Allegoria del soldato come eroe antico’, in Bernard E. (eds) (2024). Memoria e spazio civico. I monumenti di Lucca, Lucca: Pacini Fazzi.

Peer reviewed articles published in conference proceedings:

Leonardi, F., Beye, A., Pareschi, L., Raviola, E. (2026). Justifying the guilt of the unnecessary in sustainable craft production. An analysis of objects embedding justifications and futures imaginaries of craft-makers, EURAM Conference Proceedings, ISSN 2466-7498 and ISBN 978-2-9602195-7-9

De Bernard, M. Leonardi, F., Pareschi, L. (2026). Craft and getting ready for the apocalypse. The case of preppers, EURAM Conference Proceedings, ISSN 2466-7498 and ISBN 978-2-9602195-7-9

Leonardi, F. & Pareschi, L. (2025). Crafting sustainability: unpacking economic, environmental, and social challenges in craft-making practices, EURAM Conference Proceedings, ISSN 2466-7498 and ISBN 978-2-9602195-7-9

Leonardi, F. & Pareschi, L. (2025). PodCraft: A Podcast-based learning tool for craft entrepreneurs’ lifelong learning, WOA Conference Proceedings, ISBN 979-12-210-9700-9

Leonardi, F. & Pareschi, L. (2024). A work well done: mapping craft-makers’ skills and educational gaps to unleash the potential of craft. EURAM Conference Proceedings, ISSN 2466-7498, ISBN 978-2-9602195-6-2

Tonga Y., Leonardi F., Fino F., Catoni M.L., (2024). Creative careers and work dynamics in Cultural and Creative Industries: Comics creators in Italy, EURAM Conference Proceedings, ISSN 2466-7498, ISBN 978-2-9602195-6-2

Leonardi F., Fino F., Tonga Y., Catoni M.L. (2023). Institutionalizing comics. An analysis of the comics museums in Italy, EURAM Conference Proceedings, ISSN 2466-7498, ISBN 978-2-9602195-5-5

Tonga Y., Fino F., Leonardi F., Quaianni M., Catoni M.L. (2023). Challenges of creative work: Participation of comics creators in professional associations in Italy, EURAM Conference Proceedings, ISSN 2466-7498, ISBN 978-2-9602195-5-5 EURAM

RESEARCH and PROJECT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE

Since 2025 - present – CO-SUPERVISOR of a research fellow, part of the Artemis project, dedicated to mapping and analyzing women’s craft careers in the Lucca province.

2025 – SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE MEMBER of CIMAD – International Conference on Arts, Crafts and Design (Saint-Étienne).

Since 2024 – FOUNDER AND COORDINATOR of the Italian Chapter of the Association of Critical Heritage Studies, an international scholarly association dedicated to critical heritage studies.

2017 – CULTURAL PROJECT ASSISTANT for the Design Nomade Exhibition, BASE Milano (Milan Design Week). Coordination of the exhibition planning and production activities, contribution to curatorial selection processes, and support of the development and delivery of the related cultural events programme.

2016 – FUNDRAISER and Membership Programme Development, Triennale Milano. Contribution to fundraising activities and the development of the Friends of Triennale membership programme, supporting audience engagement and donor relations initiatives.

Teaching experience

Lecturer, Course: Marketing and Management of Museums and Visual Arts, Venice School of Management (a.y. 2026-2027)

Lecturer, Course: Strategy for Cultural and Creative Industries, Master in Innovation and Organization of Culture and theArts, University of Bologna (a.y. 2026-2027). Introductory course (10 hours) for graduate students on strategy for cultural and creative industries. 

Lecturer, Course: Business Strategy and Innovation in Cultural and Creative Industries, Master in Digital Humanities, University of Bologna, Bologna (a.y. 2024 - 2025)

Lecturer, Course: Art Market, Master in Fine Arts, Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, Milan (a. y. 2019 -2020, a.y. 2017 - 2018)

Teaching assistant, University of Bologna, Bologna (a.y. 2026-2027)

Teaching assistant, University of Tor Vergata, Rome (a.y. 2025 - 2026; a.y. 2024 - 2025)

Teaching Assistant, Bocconi University, Milan, (a.y. 2017 - 2018)