20eventi

20eventi is a shining example that proves that there is more to contemporary art than a handful of investors in just a few of the world's great cities.

20eventi is the manifestation of the hope that art can and does flourish even in small towns and amongst people who don't normally visit museums and art galleries.

20eventi, that celebrates its fourth anniversary in 2009, is all about inviting young artists from prestigious academies to come to the Sabina, a rural district not far from Rome, where, under the guidance of top-calibre artists-teachers, they have the opportunity to immerse themselves in village life and culture and work side-by-side with young Italians to
create installations and works of art in situ.

The first event in 2006 featured the pupils of Giuseppe Penone from the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, the second spotlighted the students of Karin Sander from the Weissensee Academy in Berlin whilst in 2008 it was the turn of Richard Wentworth and pupils from the Ruskin School of Oxford University.

In 2009, the Sabina is looking forward to welcoming students from four different academies – two of which are Belgian, whilst Italy will be represented by the “Belle Arti” from Rome and the Brera from Milan.

The two short-term goals of 20eventi are to provide young artists with an opportunity to experience new surroundings and a different way of life and local communities to encounter contemporary art on their doorstep.

Long-term however, the plan for the coming years is to establish an Art Route through the Sabina and an open-air museum that will stimulate local interest in Art and the creative process, which is also the purpose behind the great efforts already being made in the
district's schools, starting at nursery and elementary school levels.

The cultural Association Arte Multi Visione, was founded in 1994 to promote multimedia and contemporary art. Between 1994 and 1998 the Association has organised in the town of Rieti an International Multimedia Festival, which has attracted hundreds of artists from all over the world.

The association has also produced many artistic works, which were presented in festival in Italy and abroad (San Francisco, Nurnberg, Paris, Milan, Bologna, Rome, ect.)

The Association has a pedagogical department Giocarte which is very active in schools, especially with small children.

Founder and director of the Association is Alberto Tessore, artist and cultural organizer at the same time. He started his working life as a photo reporter, then worked as a teacher and for 5 years in the Italian Cultural Institute in Addis Abeba (Ethiopia); since 1985 he is active in the multimedia field. He has also written several books, among them the last one is an essay on contemporary art Opera d'arte sì o no?- arte come modo di vivere

An area even today economically not much developed, the Rieti province has the elements to become a tourist destination; non wonder therefore that the Assessorato invest in this event which may bring tourism.

Its territory from one side goes down to the plain of Rome and on the other goes up to the Terminillo mountain; many rivers and lakes are incentive to various sports and a particularly good wind situation is propitious to gliding.

The entire province is reach in archaeological founding, due to its proximity to Rome. Many excavations are still done even nowadays and some of its museums are of great importance. Travelling in the area one is astonished to see how many villages have preserved their old traditional atmosphere with old churches and palaces. One of the most prestigious site is the Abbey of Farfa.

While the Sabina is know in the world due to the legendary rape of the Sabines, which probably is the memory of a well known attitude of the winners to take away women from the conquered land, the Rieti plain is well known thanks to Saint Frances, who, coming from Assisi, lived there for several years, constructing four monasteries, which are still to be seen today.