Our Cultural Association
We are a cultural association based in the Italian countryside, a place where literature, art, music, and nature come together. Through retreats, events, and sometimes serendipitous gatherings, we welcome international members as well as locals who are happy to meet new people and socialize in an informal, friendly setting.
We're often in the garden.
The kitchen is the heart of the home.
We've been based in five different locations in thirty years.
Board of Directors
Clark Anthony Lawrence
President
The visionary founder who shapes the spirit and direction of our association. Author of Hollington's Florilegium and Small Plots.
Matteo Morisi
Vice-President
Video and photography artist who has documented the association for decades. Co-owner of Blowup Image Factory.
Roberta Dibisceglie
Board Member
Horticulturist, owner and founder of Columbine LLC, and Clark's de facto agent in America.
Giordano Savi
Board Member
The owner of the Savi Consulting firm, and our financial advisor who helps us stay up to date with the non profit sector in Italy.
Enrico Comaschi
Board Member
Editor-in-chief of the world's oldest newspaper, La Gazzetta di Mantova. Contemporary and Jazz guitarist.
Our Mission
Forgive us if our aim sounds too utopian, but we strive to create exactly that: an island that doesn't exist, an idealistic retreat in Italy where the beauty of nature and a rich artistic environment come together to inspire and support engagement with literature, art, music, and gardening.
We aim to offer a welcoming space where members and visitors can learn, create, and share experiences through cultural activities and everyday life in the countryside.
Our Vision
We hope to create a permanent cultural hub in Italy: a library, art gallery, concert venue and garden where stories, ideas, languages, and experiences can be continuously exchanged.
We strive to create an atmosphere that is not only beautiful, but meaningful and memorable for those who visit us. It is our Arcadia, a home of cultural exchange for people from different backgrounds, a setting that encourages creativity, reflection, compassion, and connection.
Association Statute
Our official Statute governs the activities and vision of the Cultural Association. You can read and browse the document online below, or download a copy directly to your device.
Download PDF StatuteOur Community
At the heart of the association is a growing international community of readers, writers, artists, and curious minds. People come here from different countries and backgrounds, bringing their stories, perspectives, creativity, skills, and talents into a shared space.
What makes this place special is not only the setting, but the people who pass through it; some stay for a few days, others a season, many return time and time again.