The City of Florence arranged the event through the established structures of its own administration. The working group consisted of members of the cultural department co-ordinated by the Director, Dr Sandra Buyet. The Florence Councillor for Cultural Affairs was Giorgio Morales. Liaison with the various interests went through the usual channels. The Mayor, Massimo Bogianckino, who had previously followed a distinguished international career as an opera executive, played an active part in planning the event alongside the work of the cultural department of the City.

The existing festivals of Florence (the 49th Maggio Musicale. the 39th Fiesole Summer Festival and the 3rd Autumn Music Festival) were incorporated into the programme of Florence 86. Extra programming was implemented through many institutions in the City. For example, the Teatro Comunale planned an extra dance programme of visiting companies (alongside its own Maggio Musicale and the Fiesole Festival). Music projects were in the hands of, among others, the Teatro Comunale, Amici della Musica, the Orchestra Regionale Toscana and Musicus Concentus. - Popular programming was prepared by the Centro Flog (American music) and the Centro Attivita Musicali (jazz in Europe). The drama programme was co-ordinated by the Teatro Regionale Toscano, now disbanded. A good number of the exhibitions came ready prepared from abroad and these were handled by the Centro Mostre. This exhibition centre was set up by various public bodies (the City Council, the Regional Council, the Provincial Council and the Tourist Board) with the aim of promoting, co-ordinating, organising and managing exhibitions of art. The City itself took responsibility for some of the exhibition programme, usually in conjunction with another" institutional partner, often a museum which ran their own exhibitions.

Source: European Cities of Culture and Cultural Months, Full Report: Unabridged Version, John Myerscough, October 1994