A new Venetian entrepreneurship. The first developments at “Venice Capital of New Craftsmanship” at the Fondazione di Venezia to explore the opportunities and prospects of craftsmanship in the city
The second edition of Upskill Venezia is taking shape, the cultural and artisanal business acceleration project that connects new technologies with traditional know-how, promoted by the Fondazione di Venezia in collaboration with Upskill 4.0, a spin-off of the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
Venice Capital of New Craftsmanship is the first in a series of meetings dedicated to the Fondazione di Venezia‘s activities and projects on the sustainable development of the Venetian economy. New craftsmanship as a driver of economic, urban, and social regeneration is the reflection proposing a path based on a model of entrepreneurship in the arts and crafts sector that acquires a social value enriched by a collective dimension that can attract and cultivate the talent of young people and their creativity, in a continuity between territorial heritage and its communities.
“As international reference models from Paris to Lisbon demonstrate,” states Michele Bugliesi, President of the Fondazione di Venezia, “the processes of valorization and innovation of production activities in key sectors of our culture have repercussions not only on an economic level but also as tools for the growth of our communities’ human capital and as a great regenerative force on a social and urban level.”
On Friday, February 3, at 10:30 AM, during the event Venice Capital of New Craftsmanship. Fondazione di Venezia for the development of the territory and its communities, at the conference hall of Palazzo Rio Novo (Dorsoduro, 3488/U), the first developments of Upskill Venezia will be presented, an innovation 4.0 project for businesses, organizations, and territories that enhances the skills of Higher Technical Institutes (ITS) and technical and professional schools. Until April 2023, Upskill Venezia will lead eight Venetian artisanal companies through a journey of innovation and growth with the contribution of 65 students aged 20-25 from Higher Technical Institutes (ITS) across Italy.
A morning to compare different experiences and development prospects of the arts and crafts supply chain, which includes training, research, innovation, and creativity, and to reflect on the social and urban regeneration effects connected to the development of this sector.
THE PROGRAM
10:30 AM Welcome and speech by the President of the Fondazione di Venezia, Michele Bugliesi
In attendance:
Elena Donazzan, Councilor for Education, Training, Labor, and Equal Opportunities of the Veneto Region
Simone Venturini, Councilor for Social Cohesion, Tourism, Economic Development, Labor, and Housing of the City of Venice
Benno Albrecht, Rector of Iuav University
Caterina Carpinato, Delegate of the Rector of Ca’ Foscari, Tiziana Lippiello
Alberto Cavalli, Director of the Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte and Executive Director of the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship
Alberto Ferlenga, President of the Iuav Foundation
Matteo Masat, General Secretary of Confartigianato Imprese Metropolitan City of Venice
Stefano Micelli, Ca’ Foscari University, Executive President of Upskill 4.0
Michela Scibilia, President of CNA Venezia Metropolitan Association
Moderated by journalist and President of Comin & Partners, Gianluca Comin
At the Upskill Venezia Panel, the participating students and companies will present the developments of the second edition of the project.
The event will be streamed live on the Fondazione di Venezia’s Facebook and YouTube channels.
The engine of Upskill Venezia 2023
Encouraging artisans and companies to open up to 4.0 technology and to the contribution of students’ ideas and new visions. The interventions of the Upskill Venezia project have begun to bear fruit by enhancing the trigger of consolidated production processes in the workplace. Aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises, third-sector entities, cultural associations, and non-profit organizations in the Metropolitan City of Venice wishing to launch innovation and development projects in teams with groups of students from Higher Technical Institutes (ITS), Upskill Venezia contributes to business competitiveness by combining 4.0 technologies with traditional know-how. Students and SMEs engage in dialogue and design actions for awareness and “disruption” of their existing models.
Eight companies representative of the Venetian scene are participating in the second edition: Atelier Martina Vidal, which creates Burano lace with a contemporary twist; Gloria Rogliani (pictured) and her itineraries dedicated to exploring the world of Venetian rowing; Ramosalso by Demis Marin, specialized in the upcycling of clothing; the Rimani space, which launched the concept of a neighborhood store; Micromega and its super-lightweight tailor-made eyewear; Rehub and the reuse of waste glass to generate material for 3D printers; the Sullaluna bookstore and bistro, an independent space with a carefully curated selection of graphic novels, cookbooks, and a special focus on poetry; and Wetlands, a new publishing house for sustainable books.
Article by Lucia Pecoraro.
Photos by Marta Formentello.
