Founded in 2004, near Turin, the Fondazione Spinola Banna per l’Arte aims to promote contemporary art through a varied programme of conferences, workshops and seminars designed to increase an awareness of this phenomenon. Our ultimate goal is that of thoroughly analysing, educating and promoting current scientific debate surrounding contemporary artistic tendencies.

In order to do this the Fondazione has had a part of the outbuildings in this rural setting converted into a highly efficient and flexible multifunctional centre, which will be capable of housing all the initiatives organised throughout the year.

More precisely, this pioneering project, the Fondazione’s primary activity, is to create a post-university training programme on contemporary art through residencies for young artists working in Italy, with a special attention for those working in Piedmont. This programme envisages two or more intensive workshops a year, running from the late spring to late autumn. These will include a series of meetings and conferences covering particular aspects of contemporary artistic tendencies. The workshops will concentrate on in-depth study groups, developed and enlarged upon through discussion, analysis and planning sessions. Internationally renowned visiting artists will coordinate the work carried out; and they will be free to define the themes, methods and different phases of the didactic exchange.

The visiting professor could also plan participation of guests, round tables with experts and documents – examination papers and pieces of work - drafting in order to run a well-constructed theoretic- practical exploration.

The Fondazione planned around common working and recreactional rooms makes easier a quick exchange between the workshop’s attendants in the same time allowing the necessary privacy for study and reflection.

A maximum of ten young artists from Italy will be able to take part in each of these workshops. Participants will be chosen by the Fondazione, according to their curriculum and its coherence with the specific theme of the workshop and the project framework defined by the guest artist. They will stay with the visiting professor in accommodation provided by the Fondazione for the duration of the workshop.

It is possible to host a disabled artist for each workshop, therefore the Fondazione has provided rooms with adequate facilities and special commodities.

At the end of the workshop a record of the works will be published, drawings, documents and works realised during the course will be exhibited in the Fondazione exposition room.

Finally the Fondazione Spinola Banna per l’Arte organises and promotes, even though in dates and occasions different from the workshop ones, meetings, debates and seminars about contemporary art in co-operation with public and private institutes, with Fine Arts Academies and University.

For the school year 2007/2008 the Fondazione Spinola Banna per l’Arte has stipulated a convention with clasAV, the course of degree in projcetion and production of the fine arts of the University IUAV of Venice.

After a careful investigation of the musical training possibilities open to young players and composers in Italy and Piedmont, which abound with masterclasses, seminars and courses to perfect technique, the Fondazione Spinola per l’Arte has decided to open the gates of the estate to music. This will add a new activity to complement the consolidated and warmly received experience regarding figurative art. In keeping with its intention to contribute to contemporary culture through the training of professional young artists, the Fondazione has decided again to concentrate efforts on the creative aspects of this art, thus promoting the birth and performance of new compositions, giving rise to a new musical experience dedicated to young people.

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