What BASE Milano does

BASE Milano is a hybrid cultural center operating from a former industrial complex at Via Bergognone 34 in Milan's Tortona design district, structured as an Italian social enterprise (Oxa S.r.l. Impresa Sociale). Founded in 2016, the organization explicitly rejects single-category classification, positioning itself simultaneously as museum, theater, coworking, restaurant, accommodation, and nightlife venue. Its service portfolio includes bistroBASE (restaurant and bar), Project House (coworking space), casaBASE (overnight accommodation), and rentable event venues including courtyards, Ground Hall, Sala studio, Room 1400, and a forthcoming rooftop terrace.

The organization runs a substantial programming slate anchored by the FAROUT Live Arts Festival (funded with institutional support from the European Union, Italian Ministry of Culture, and Comune di Milano), the We Will Design program for Milan Design Week, the UNDER30 youth development initiative (with training verticals SOTTOSPECIE and 'Not a Real Job'), an artist residency program (Residenze), the Aperta per Ferie summer series, Performing Architecture, The Art Chapter (Milano Art Book Fair), and the 2026 Public Program 'Hello Darkness.' It also participates in the DonnexStrada 'Punto Viola' safe-spaces network as part of its 'Cultura che Accoglie' inclusive programming.

BASE Milano serves a diversified audience spanning general public and city residents, young artists and creatives under 30, freelancers and startups using Project House coworking, and cultural visitors during Milan Design Week and festival cycles. Revenue is generated through a mix of commercial activities (event tickets, coworking memberships, dining, accommodation, venue rentals) and institutional public funding supporting cultural programming. The venue operates daily including August, positioning itself as continuous urban cultural infrastructure rather than a seasonal attraction. The organization has 11–50 employees, is privately held with no external parent or institutional investor identified, and is led by founder and president Matteo Bartolomeo.

Name

BASE Milano

Legal name

Oxa S.r.l. Impresa Sociale

Website

https://base.milano.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BASE Milano is a hybrid cultural center in Milan's Tortona district, operating as a social enterprise that combines coworking (Project House), dining (bistroBASE), accommodation (casaBASE), venue rentals, and year-round programming including the FAROUT Live Arts Festival and UNDER30 youth initiative. It serves city residents, young creatives, freelancers, and cultural visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Arts Center

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD), Brasseries, Bistros & Trattorias (THAFACAI)

Keywords

• Cultural event venue
• Live arts festival
• Coworking space
• Artist residency program
• Creative cultural center

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

BASE Milano is a hybrid cultural center in Milan that combines live arts programming, festivals, artist residencies, coworking, dining, and accommodation on a single ex-industrial site. It operates named offerings including bistroBASE (restaurant/bar), Project House (coworking), casaBASE (accommodation), event venue rental, and cultural programs such as the FAROUT Live Arts Festival, UNDER30 youth initiative, We Will Design, and artist residencies.

Product overview

BASE Milano is a hybrid cultural center that operates as a multi-purpose venue combining the functions of a museum, theater, coworking space, restaurant, bar, and accommodation facility. The center offers distinct service products including bistroBASE (restaurant), Project House (coworking), casaBASE (accommodation), and Venue (event space rental). It runs cultural programs such as the FAROUT Live Arts Festival, UNDER30 youth program, We Will Design, and artist residencies. BASE Milano positions itself as an open infrastructure for the city, hosting festivals, musical events, performances, cinema, dance, talks, and participatory activities throughout the year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• bistroBASE Restaurant and bar service offering food and drink within the BASE Milano cultural center, available to visitors of events and walk-in guests.
• Project House Co-working space designed for freelancers, startups, teams, and organizations wanting to work within a lasting creative ecosystem, offering shared offices and independent vision.
• casaBASE On-site accommodation space for overnight stays at BASE Milano, allowing visitors to reside within the cultural venue.
• Venue Event and performance spaces available for rental, including courtyards, ground halls, and meeting rooms, used for performances, conferences, brand events, and third-party productions.
• FAROUT Live Arts Festival Annual festival dedicated to live arts and contemporary creation, transforming BASE's spaces into an ecosystem of performance, dance, theater, installations, concerts, and parties.
• UNDER30 Program dedicated to young people under 30, offering opportunities to experiment with performing arts, behind-the-scenes work, and creative professions.
• We Will Design Program focused on design activities and design week events at BASE Milano, held during Milan Design Week.
• Residenze Residency program for artists and designers, offering professional residencies for illustrators, visual artists, and creative professionals.
• Public Program 2026 — Hello Darkness Annual public program featuring talks, performances, assemblies, installations, participatory practices, and listening sessions exploring contemporary themes.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• DonnexStradaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBASE Milano is a Punto Viola (Violet Point) within the DonnexStrada network of safe places distributed throughout Italy, dedicated to supporting women and fighting violence. BASE provides this as part of its 'Cultura che Accoglie' (Welcoming Culture) initiative.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Barbican Centre: London's large performing arts and cultural center combining theater, cinema, gallery, library, and F&B. Comparable hybrid operating philosophy at larger scale.
• La Friche la Belle de Mai: Marseille's former tobacco factory transformed into a multi-use cultural center with venue, residencies, F&B, and coworking. Closest European peer in scale and operating philosophy.
• La Villette: Paris cultural complex with performing arts, exhibitions, F&B, and outdoor programming at scale. Comparable multi-function cultural infrastructure operating model.
• Triennale Milano: Milan's flagship design and architecture institution, hosting exhibitions, Milan Design Week programming, and public events. Comparable venue scale and design-week audience overlap.

Direct peers

• Fabbrica del Vapore: Milan municipal ex-industrial cultural center hosting exhibitions, performances, festivals, and residencies. Direct geographic peer for shared audiences and sponsors.
• Le Lieu Unique: Nantes cultural center housed in a former biscuit factory combining performance venue, bar/restaurant, exhibitions, and artist residencies. Comparable European hybrid venue model.
• Palazzo delle Esposizioni: Rome exhibition and cultural venue hosting contemporary art, performing arts, film festivals, and public programming. Comparable Italian multi-disciplinary cultural programming model.
• OGR Torino (Officine Grandi Riparazioni): Italian ex-industrial hybrid cultural center in Turin combining event venue, F&B, exhibitions, and cultural programming. Closest analog to BASE Milano's hybrid operating model in the Italian context.
• Mattatoio di Testaccio: Rome's former slaughterhouse converted into a cultural center hosting exhibitions, performances, residencies, and F&B. Closely comparable ex-industrial Italian hybrid model.

Regional players

• Centro per l'arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci: Italian contemporary art center in Prato with exhibitions, performances, cinema, and educational programming. Comparable Italian regional cultural venue with hybrid programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/farout_liveartsfestival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BASE Milano