Arte in Arti e Mestieri was born in 2001 in Suzzara (MN) on the initiative of Foundation Scuola Arti e Mestieri "F.
Bertazzoni".
Since then, the event has been organised at the headquarters of the Foundation every year for four weeks, and its notoriety has now expanded throughout Italy.
The exhibition has grown in number of participants and quality over the years, and is also enriched by many collaborations, including several sponsors, who have supported and continue to support and thus contribute to the dissemination of culture in the territory.
The 2016 edition confirms the changes introduced in the previous one, including the Special NebbiaGialla Prize and the Prize awarded by the audience through a Facebook page.
In addition, alongside the works in competition, Dino Villani's oils and engravings will be displayed, of which the School owns the most impressive collection.
The spirit of the festival, now on its 16th edition, still remains the same: to give young artists an opportunity to become known, through an important exhibition event which gathers art lovers of all kinds.
More established artists join the young ones, thus contributing to exchange of ideas and to the enrichment of the event.
Participants can belong to two categories: "Students" (from art schools, colleges or academies, under 25 years), or "Artists".
Despite artists of all ages can participate, the prize can only be assigned to two artists under 40 years and to two students.
Arte in Arti e Mestieri is twinned with the International Festival of mystery and crime fiction NebbiaGialla; for two years, the Jury has selected one the works in contest which then constitutes the Special Prize "NebbiaGialla", and is handed over to the winner of that event, at a public ceremony.
An Award is finally assigned to the work of art that receives more "likes" on the Arte in Arti e Mestieri Facebook page.
In recent years, alongside the works of the participating artists, a side exhibition has been set up, hosting works by famous artists, such as Annigoni, Guttuso, Dali, Kandinsky, Warhol, Goya, Manzù and Toulouse-Lautrec.
For the 2016 edition the side exhibition is going to expose Dino Villani's oils and engravings, of which the School owns the most impressive collection.
Finally, since 2011 a Career Award has been proposed for a living contemporary artist: Azeglio Bertoni (2011), Renzo Dall'Asta (2012), Vasco Montecchi (2013), Paolo Collini (2014), Giovanni Fontana (2015).
For several years the exhibition curator has been Professor Mauro Carrera.
The preparation of the event takes many months and goes through different steps.
- regulation: In February the organizational staff of the Arti e Mestieri School and the curator of the exhibition - Prof.
Mauro Carrera,) meet to decide about possible changes to the previous rules and, more generally, about the artistic angle of the following edition.
The Regulation is then submitted for approval to the Board of Directors of the Foundation.
The Secretariat office of the School is in charge for the diffusion of the Regulation, and sends it by mail and e-mail to the artists of the previous editions, to art galleries, organisations and associations, and dedicated web sites.
Also all the Art Schools and Academies of Italy are contacted, in order to directly involve teachers and students.
Moreover the Regulation is uploaded in the School website.
- applications submission: the artists and students interested in applying for the competition must send an application form by the end of May / beginning of June, together with an art curriculum and the images of the works that they intend to present.
Everything is recorded by the Secretariat office of the School, so to be easily assessed by the Selection Committee.
- works pre-selection: the Selection Committee is appointed by the Board of Directors of the Foundation, and is composed by the School Headmaster and two experienced art experts.
By the middle of June, on the basis of all received photographs, the Committee makes a pre- selection, to their unquestionable judgment.
The School informs the concerned parties about the result of it, specifying the works that must be sent by the end of June to the School address, where they are kept until the ultimate selection.
- winners choice: the choice of the 4 winning works is made by a Jury composed of: the President of the Foundation Arti e Mestieri, the Mayor of the City of Suzzara, the President of the Association Amici del Premio Suzzara, a journalist at a national newspaper, the President of the Cultural Association "Cesare Zavattini" of Suzzara and an exponent of the productive world.
The Commission chooses among the "Artists" category two works realized by under 40 years' old artists.
For the two winners the School organises a three weeks' free joint exhibition, to be organised within the following year.
The other two winners, chosen among the "Students" category, on the contrary, win a scholarship each.
The four winning works become part of the property of the Foundation School Arti e Mestieri.
Usually, in addition to the four awards, the Jury assigns further special mentions to other works for their deep content and technical value.
- catalogue: The preparation of the catalogue begins in July.
The Catalogue contains various forewords and general presentations, the minutes of the Jury, a brief presentation of each selected author and student with details and photograph of a work.
In the Catalogue there are also a tribute to the contemporary author who is given a Career award and a presentation of all the works displayed in the side exhibition.
- exhibition set up: In the period from July to August, the organizational staff of the School are engaged in setting the exhibition up into three distinct areas of the school: one for the "Artists", one for the "Students" and one for the side exhibition.
They install special grills, panels equipped with spotlights, and / or appropriate supports, depending on the type and characteristics of different works.
- grand opening: The 2016 edition will be opened Sunday, September 4th, at 10:30 am.
During the ceremony the names of the winners of the competition will be announced, as well as the specially mentioned works.
Usually some students of the local School of Music cheer up the audience and a buffet is offered to all participants.
The exhibition lasts from 4th September to 2nd October 2016, according to the following hours: Mondays to Fridays from 9 to 12.30 am and from 3.00 to 5.00 pm; Saturdays and Sundays from 10 to 12.30 am and from 4 to 7 pm.
During the opening period, in addition to the daily visitors (individuals or groups), also teachers from Primary Schools and their students are welcomed; for them the exhibition turns into a "lab" where they can exchange ideas, get inspired, express themselves and play thanks to suitable activities specially planned for them.
In addition, the School will propose some special events where musical entertainment, food and guided tours mix up and liven up the exhibition by turning it into an occasion to meet and experience.
The event visibility is implemented through different channels: First of all the School website (www.cfpartiemestieri.it) that has a special section where the images of all the winning works of previous editions are stored; then two facebook pages: Arti e Mestieri - Suzzara and Premio Arteinartiemestieri that count more than 2400 contacts and promptly report the information, images and updates regarding Activities Connected to the Event; moreover the VAM - Virtual Art Museum provides support services and dissemination about the Event (www.virtualartmuseum.it and on facebook VAM - Virtual Art Museum).
Every year a catalogue of the exhibition is published, printed in a thousand copies, and then distributed for free, as well as the invitations to the grand opening.
The promotion of the exhibition always finds space in the local press (La Gazzetta di Mantova and La Voce di Mantova) and in specialised magazines (Archive).