Mano a Mano: training new talents and rediscovering fine craftsmanship as a value for the city’s future
The Mano a Mano project aims to train new artisans, enhance and promote Venetian artisanal excellence, with tourism as a driver of development.
On the occasion of Homo Faber in Città, the Londra Palace Venezia hotel presented the results of the Mano a Mano project, established in 2023 through the collaboration between the Fondazione The Place of Wonders – part of The Hospitality Experience group of the Babini Family – and Venezia da Vivere.
The project involved artisans and emerging talents, with particular attention to historic crafts such as those of the perlera and the impiraressa, traditional crafts fundamental to the Art of Glass Beads, UNESCO Heritage.
Training and Heritage
In 2024, the project supported the costs of four scholarships for four young new artisans: Veronica Paier, Licia Previati, Anna Schiabel, and Marika Vianello, guided by Alessia Fuga and Marisa Convento in a training program that included manufacturing, jewelry creation, marketing, and communication.
Michela Canzi, Director of the Fondazione The Place of Wonders: “In this first edition of Mano a Mano, we decided to support a traditional Venetian craft, that of creating glass beads, with two exceptional artisans: Alessia Fuga and Marisa Convento. In a course of over two hundred hours, held in Murano and Venice, they taught this craft to four young Venetian talents, who can now begin their careers professionally in the world of craftsmanship.”
The Capsule Collection
Alongside the training activities, the project created a capsule collection of objects, available at the Hotel Londra Palace Venezia, made by Giulia Bevilacqua of Tessitura Luigi Bevilacqua, Carlo Semenzato of Fonderia Artistica Valese, Alessia Fuga and Marisa Convento, Shanti Ganesha of Meracu, and Demis Marin of Ramosalso. Alongside the objects created by the masters, the capsule was enriched with glass jewelry by the scholarship recipients.
The collection reflects a Venetian style that harmonizes with the pursuit of uniqueness and personalization, meeting the needs of those who appreciate authentic and distinctive creations.
Future Prospects
The 2025 edition of Mano a Mano plans to expand the project with new scholarships and new traditional crafts to safeguard, the creation of training activities in new Italian regions, with the aim of preserving cultural heritage, creating new opportunities for young people, and supporting craftsmanship as a resource for the future.
Laura Scarpa and Lorenzo Cinotti of Venezia da Vivere stated: “We are proud to be part of this project that enhances Venetian craftsmanship, a precious resource that keeps our traditions alive and continues to project Venice into the future. For us at Venezia da Vivere, it is essential to give voice to these artisanal excellences and promote the work of those who preserve our culture every day through their expertise.”
Photos by Marta Formentello and Settimo Cannatella.
