For millennia, the peoples of the Italian peninsula have produced salumi and cheeses famous throughout the world. Today an incredible array of these products is to be found  in Italy. Showcasing and paring the extraordinary flavors of this bounty is one of the unique challenges presented by this incredible array of ingredients in seeking to prepare  beautiful and delicious charcuterie boards with a cohesive flavor profile.

Our objective in this workshop is to expose participants to wide range flavors and textures of the cursed meats and cheeses of our region of Umbria - arguably, one of the most famous in the country for these products. Being introduced to these flavors begs for insights into how they can work together with fruits and vegetables, bread and wine, a unified, whole experience of deliciousness!

2.950,0€

Join artist, Gerit Grimm in discovering ancient stories, seeing secret masterpieces, and expressing your own stories in clay - while residing in a castle in Italy!Learn how to throw, alter and sculpt what your imagination desires from hand-built and wheel-thrown parts.

We will build busts, figurative groups and still-lives out of clay. Gerit will talk about traveling, adventure, opportunities and art.Participants in the workshop will be housed in the remarkably well-preserved Umbrian hill town of Monte Castello di Vibio.  Your workshop package is all-inclusive, providing welcome and departure services and airport transfer from the Rome Fiumicino, Leonardo Da Vinci Airport (FCO). Aboard our comfortable private bus, single occupancy accommodations with shared bath (a wide range of upgrades with private bath are available), 3 meals per day Monday-Thursday, Prosecco brunch and dinner on  Saturday and Sunday (no meals are served on Friday, our excursion day. Your workshop includes one excursion per week and many additional options are available on weekends for an additional fee. Of course, 24/7 access to facilities and 24/7 bi-lingual support are provided.All levels wellcome!

1.850,0 €

The intensive workshop provides four days of  "in-class" work studying decorative techniques of the famous black-figure and red-figure vessels focussing on analysis of specific examples such as the Krater of Euphronius, which describes the history of the Trojan War.  The workshop includes lectures focusing on history of the medium with special attention to technical aspects and practical dimensions as well as aesthetic considerations -manifest in their classic shapes and colors.

Join acclaimed clay sculptor, Richard W. James,  for an exciting two-week workshop focused on various techniques for creating life-sized busts and hands using both hollow and solid construction methods. We'll explore the anatomical structures that give these body parts their communicative power and practice techniques for achieving life-like sculptures with clay.
Students will begin with a clay skull and add muscle in layers to finish off with a hollowed-out bust. We'll go over hair, eye, and ear techniques as well as proportional guidelines. Additionally, you'll discover a hollow construction technique for building quick, stable forms.

Discussions and demonstrations will cover topics such as professional development, impactful contemporary figurative artists, and portfolio strategies. All skill levels are welcome, and you'll have the opportunity to exhibit your work at the end of the workshop. Don't miss this chance to hone your skills in the art of sculpture!

2.250,0 €

Tending the Muses' Temple: Qigong, Writing, Astrology, Voice, Hand Work for Female Identifying Participants is led by four skilled and seasoned teachers: Brea Fisher, Jodi Paloni, Andrea Goodman, Susan Bickford.

The workshop provides two spacious weeks of esoteric practices in an earthly paradise:  Monte Castello de Vibio, a mountain town in Umbria, Italy, at the International Center for the Arts. When we take time to practice, listen to inner knowings, and express that through bodies into form, it serves to strengthen our foundations. Just as one might sweep out the leaves and cobwebs from an ancient temple, exercising our creative practices tends the temple of ourselves as vessels for the muse.

Moving with utter presence through Qigong form, we meet the rising sun in simple surroundings, a former convent. Give gratitude, open your heart, settle your mind, and greet your guides, saying yes to the precise course of your path in this lifetime. Qigong is movement as medicine and in this tradition, under the guidance of the Goddess of Compassion Quan Yin, we offer it as a prayer and a blessing on all.

4.250,00 €

Join us for a week art-making, cooking, and immersion in local tradition among the green hills of Umbria, in the heart of Italy.  Here, in the ancient medieval village of Monte Castello di Vibio, time stands still.  One of the  most finely restored of Italian Hill Towns, Monte Castello has been recently been added to the list of "Most Beautiful Villages of Italy." Its stands among the hills of the Tiber valley, looking over  the entire valley.  From our vantage point, it is possible to admire the nearby historical cities of Todi, Perugia and even Montefalco on clear spring days.

The International Center of the Arts will make you feel at home during your stay, pampering you with our local cuisine created by our chefs Cristiano and Loris whose kitchen utilizes locally-sourced, seasonal products and traditional recipes of Umbria.  Truffles, local mushrooms, wild boar and many other regional ingredients accompany great local wine ad olive oil, freshly-baked bread!  During your stay, a cooking course will allow you to learn  the secrets of the art of hand-made pasta according to the family recipe of Cristiano and his grandmother Anna: fun with your hands in the pasta is guaranteed as is the flavor!

2.150,0 €

Of Sibyls and Source: Performance in the Landscape is a two-week exploration of live art in geo-mythic sites in the Central Italian regions of Umbria and Marche.

This dynamic residency is guided by research, inquiry, and connection through myth-making and embodied presence in/with/of the land. We will spend three days exploring the Parco Nacional di Sibilline, part of the Apennines named for the Sibyl, or prophetess of antiquity, who is believed to have lived in a cave at the top of Monte Sibilla. This includes a day-long hike to the top of Monte Sibila and an excursion into the Gola dell' Infernaccio, a protected landscape of ancient beech trees and gorges crossed by an ancient pilgrimage trail. We will experience sites of ritual and esoteric rites related to the myth of the Sibyl mentioned in literary sources as well as  living local folk traditions dating back thousands of years.

Our time together will also include day trips to the Nera River with Roman ruins whose source is the Monti Sibillini and entrance into the remarkable Frassasi Caves. Performances may take place at any or all of these locations including the impeccably maintained medieval town of Monte Castello di Vibio, our home base. At the conclusion of the residency we will hold a screening and live performance event in Monte Castello di Vibio.  Our group includes a collaborative documentarian, misael soto, to help participants realize our work through video documentation as well as other methods in addition to providing critical feedback.

A hands-on workshop on producing painting and drawing materials according to historical methods. The intensive, week-long workshop is ideal for painters interested in gaining greater familiarity with their materials, academics and teachers interested in curricular development, art historians, and people interested in developing a deeper understanding of traditional works.

Born in 1360, painter Cennino d’Andrea Cennini, left a remarkable legacy, beyond that of his surviving works.

A student, of a student, of Giotto, Cennino left of us a remarkable and intimate record of the life and working processes of a painter in his time. His book is called, il Libro del’Arte, simply, “The Book of Art.” It provides insights into the training of the artists of his time, as well as that of the next generations of artists in Italy. Incredibly, this included some of the greatest figures in the history of Western painting: Masaccio, Fra Angelico, Leonardo, Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Raphael among others. To the reader of today, Cennini’s text provides the remarkable opportunity to participate in this legacy.

Closely linked to Zen culture, in which the beauty and harmony of simple things is exalted, the Raku technique was born in the 16th century as an art for the creation of bowls used during the traditional tea ceremony. It is characterized by a rapid production process and a particular process from which ceramics are obtained which differ in their characteristic cracking and coloring, giving life to unique pieces.

In the 16th century, a type of rapid clay firing, called Raku, was discovered in Japan. This Japanese term has the meaning of "relaxed, pleasant, joy of living" and is traced back to the suburb of Kyoto where clay was extracted at the time. The birth of the Raku technique for creating ceramic objects seems to be attributed to a Korean craftsman, Chojiro. This ceramist, who mainly made tiles, began to use the particular clay, rich in silica sand, to speed up the production process of bowls for the tea ceremony.

The origin of Raku ceramics, with an improvised appearance, full of defects, almost unfinished, is closely connected to Zen thought which is inspired by simplicity, poverty in forms. All those that may seem like "imperfections" in Raku objects are instead exalted and considered "beautiful" in Zen culture. This aspect is also evident in the Kintsugi technique, which involves the repair of a vase or other object through the use of a precious metal: this Japanese art valorises "flaws" and becomes a metaphor of resilience.

2.650,0 €

This workshop is directed towards artists, educators, and students interested in exploring the dynamics of classical Italian art and it’s relationship to Contemporary painting.  Our broad objective is to share experiences first hand of great works of Italian Art, and consider these experiences in relation to our own studio practice.

Using the remarkable landscape, art and architecture of Umbria and Tuscany as inspiration, this workshop investigates the ways in which perceptual study and abstraction can combine to form contemporary painting language.  In the beautiful setting of Monte Castello di Vibio, we begin with drawing and painting in the village and surrounding landscape.  Daily work sessions in private studios are augmented with excursions, slide talks, and group critiques. We will travel the “Piero Trail” to see the major frescos of Piero Della Francesca in Arezzo, Sansepolcro and Monterchi.  We will also visit Assisi, Perugia and spend two days in Florence to study works by Giotto, Perugino, Fra Angelico and many more great works of Renaissance art.

3.650,0 €

Join us in Italy for an inspiring workshop focused on building large-scale clay sculptures. This unique experience encourages experimentation in a safe, inclusive studio environment, allowing participants to push their technical boundaries without the pressure of keeping their work. We’ll troubleshoot technical issues together, fostering a spirit of collaboration and growth. In addition to hands-on building, you’ll spend a day in Florence, surrounded by iconic sculptures that showcase technical excellence. This immersive experience will not only expand your skills but also deepen your appreciation for large-scale art. We’ll also hold glaze and finishing demos featuring Trey’s under-glazing techniques as well as other surfaces for finishing sculpture. Participants are encouraged to bring small bisque ware pieces to glaze and finish. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your craft while exploring the beauty of Italy!

3.550,0 € 

Our in-depth animal sculpture workshop will allow you to immerse yourself in your art. Nick will demonstrate the importance of observation, show you how to make an emotional connection with your subject and realize your own creative vision. Our extended workshop format allows plenty of time for instruction and practical work.

Under Nick’s expert guidance, you will make your own animal sculpture. Combining a mix of one-to-one and group demonstration and tuition, Nick will teach you building techniques and help you hone your modeling skills. No prior experience is needed and all the tools and materials you’ll need are provided.
3.650,0 € 

Oil painting developed in Northern Europe early in the 15th c. and Italian painters of the next generation quickly adopted the medium to their own unique vocabulary. Antonello di Messina is generally credited with the introduction of oil painting to Italy and more specifically, to Venice. Artists such as Giovanni Bellini, as well as Leonardo further expanded the expressive potential of the medium. The processes that these artists developed consequently influenced the whole history of Western Art. 

This workshop will follow their methods. Working from reproductions participants will use materials of the time, prepared by hand in a traditional way. Beginning on a wooden panel, prepared with rabbit skin glue and chalk gesso, participants will transfer their perforated drawings with charcoal and a pounce, then develop a wash drawing with genuine sepia ink, followed by an imprimatura – a colored “veil” - that establishes a tonality and a very useful neutral color. From here, oil paint ground in class will be used to develop the underpainting. Afterwards, rich glazes of transparent colors made primarily from pigments produced in in our Pigments and Paint Workshop.

2.850,0 €

Kurinuki (the term is Japanese) is a Japanese ceramic technique that embraces the natural surface of the clay and the individual imperfections that form in the intuitive process of making. Each vase is hand built and hand carved inside and out.

The kurinuki process is a "sculptural" technique of volume formation: instead of adding material, as happens in the dovetail or slab construction, we start from the block of clay and gradually remove it, digging internally and modeling the external wall with the help of tools, until the desired shape is obtained. It is therefore a question, as in sculpture, of freeing a form enclosed in the formless.The idea of ​​the artistic object may not be clear at the beginning: it is precisely the lack of clarity (not seeing clearly) that guides the path, that digs a path. What he obtains in the end is a symbol, something that continues to be linked to his origins, but like a child his destiny is autonomous.

The program will also be a way to travel internally, allowing yourself to abandon yourself to this ancient art, creating unique objects linked to Zen culture with different stoneware clays.  At the end, a tasting of Japanese tea will be offered on cups made of kurinuki.

2.150,0 €

In the 14th c. Sicilian painter, Antonello di Messina brought the new medium of oil painting to Italy. In his travels, he brought the medium to Venice, where artists such as Giovanni Bellini, adopted, and expanded the expressive potential of the medium. Perhaps one of the most influential painting teachers in history, Bellini’s pupils included some of the greatest figures in the history of the medium: Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese. Their often huge, operatic paintings mark a kind of crowning achievement for the medium, and the processes they developed consequently influenced other great artists and schools of art that included Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Velazquez and countless others who have followed in their path.

This workshop will follow the oil painting methods of the great Venetian masters. Working from reproductions, participants will reproduce easel-sized works of the Venetian school of the 16th-18th c. They may also choose to copy a detail from larger Venetian masterworks. To as great an extent possible, students will use the same materials of 15th and 16th c. Venetian artists, many of which will be prepared by hand in class, according to traditional recipes.

3.250,0 € 

Join us for a week of immersion in local tradition among the green hills of Umbria, in the heart of Italy.  Here, in the ancient medieval village of Monte Castello di Vibio, time stands still.  One of the  most finely restored of Italian Hill Towns, Monte Castello has been recently been added to the list of "Most Beautiful Villages of Italy." Its stands among the hills of the Tiber valley, looking over  the entire valley.  From our vantage point, it is possible to admire the nearby historical cities of Todi, Perugia and even Montefalco on clear spring days.

Please note: This experience is held concurrently with our Sommelier Certification Course and particularly for those traveling from abroad, the Week in the Green Heart of Italy workshop presents the ideal meal and accommodation package to accompany that course - provided at very competitive rates.  For those traveling with a partner or spouse, family member or friend, the workshop makes it possible to enjoy the intimacy of our spectacularly beautiful village and for the companion not participating in the Sommelier course, provides interesting activities and the possibility of dining together. However, the Sommelier Course is NOT INCLUDED IN THIS PROGRAM.

1.750,0 € 

ICARTS Italia is proud to announce our collaboration with the renowned, Court of Master Sommeliers of Europe who will offer their 3-day, Introductory Sommelier Course and Exam and their Certified Sommelier Examination at our facilities in Monte Castello this summer.  We are indeed honored to host these classes which are to be conducted by the worlds premier sommelier training and examining body!  The Course fee includes the course and instruction, wine and classes, and testing for both Level 1 and 2 certification. (Please note, certification is not a guaranteed and is contingent on passing the appropriate exams.)

1.150,0 € 

Living in the Play: Nido* Residency, brings together an international consortium of artists to Monte Castello di Vibio, Italy, for a two-week artist residency that culminates in an exhibition of artworks and corresponding catalog.  *It.: "Nest".

During the residency, your goal individually and collectively is to explore the social historical landscape, use of land resources, and the hidden histories of Monte Castello di Vibio and the surrounding region. This will inform and guide our conversations and contribute to the making practices of each artist amongst Living in the Play: nido.

This residency is in partnership with The Poor Farm Experiment in rural Wisconsin, USA, which has hosted Living In the Play since 2018. We are invested in creating spaces that uplift and connect fellow artists. Our goal is to gather artists through intentional actions that foster community. With a focus on inviting multi-generational and diverse pools of artists, we aim to offer art practitioners ways of engaging their practice with a focused depth of ideas around site, play, and community.

2.800,0 € 

We invite you to discover the enchanting world of still life through the technique of oil painting! This course will help you not only master practical skills but also unlock your creative potential by working with everyday objects and conveying their essence through the interplay of light and shadow. The course is suitable for both beginners and intermediate artists. 

3.850,0 € 

The study of human anatomy in Italy is a long and distinguished tradition. The extraordinary anatomical theatres in medical schools at the University of Padua and the University of Bologna bear witness to this history and were among the first of their kind in existence. Even today, we marvel at the accuracy and lifelike intensity of the 17 th c. wax anatomical models in the Specola Museum in Florence, which were made to allow medical students to observe venous, muscular, and skeletal systems without a cadaver. In this regard, the study of anatomy in Italy has profoundly impacted not only our understanding of the human body, but also the study of medicine in the western world.

Surprisingly, this history also reveals much about the significance of the role of visual art in furthering science and medicine. In his brilliant series of lectures at the Art Students League in New York, artist, anatomist, and scholar, Robert Beverly Hale once said: “science had actually sprung from art, that it had developed in those great periods when artists had looked at nature very closely and carefully, and had tried to record exactly what they saw. That, what we explained, was what scientists have been doing ever since.”

To support Hale’s observation one need look no further than Leonardo’s anatomical studies. These drawings are incredible not only for their accuracy and beauty as works of art, but also as a highly accurate analysis of function, of what anatomist George Bridgeman referred to as “the human machine.” Leonardo is perhaps unequalled in his analysis of the form of the human body as a manifestation of the interrelationship of functioning systems. It is known, for example that Leonardo once injected the heart of an ox with hot wax, then made a glass model of the casting. He then pumped the model with water to analyze the circulation of fluids in the human heart. Incredibly, Leonardo’s conclusions were not fully corroborated by cardiologists until the 1980’s.

2.350,0 € 

Would you like to master one of the most intriguing graphic techniques?
Join "Linocut and Book Illustration" course, which will open up a world of creative expression through linocut and the art of illustration!

You will learn about the history of linocut — from its origins to modern trends.

Understand how different types of strokes, lines, and dots affect the final image.

Gain practical knowledge of compositional rules and learn to convey space, light, and shadows through line work.

3.650,0 €

Italy is synonymous in many minds with olive oil and it has traditionally produced some of the finest in the world! Here, in Umbria - the region called the Green Heart of Italy -  a land of olive trees, grape vines, wheat fields, and rich in ancient traditions - we are very fortunate to produce some of the finest oils in Italy. Our little village is surrounded by olive orchards in every direction and their yield has claimed numerous regional and national awards. This Green-Gold as it is sometimes called, is the pride of our region and our locality.  Those who have never experienced the flavor of freshly-pressed Umbrian pure virgin olive oil will be amazed by the complex flavor: smelling of the green of freshly cut grass, then rich and buttery, and finally - a spicy finish - it is among the most complex oils in the world!

From our mountain castle village, we are fortunate to be within a mornings walk of Passo del Palomba, a farm estate owned by Alessandro Gilotti and his wife, Claudia.  Sandro is an internationally renowned expert on olive oil, and owner of one of the most highly-regarded producers in the region. The couples passion for this land as well as for the oil and wine they produce, is infectious and participants will soon be won over by their enthusiasm for the health benefits of his oil and his vast knowledge of cultivation and production.

2.250,0 €

Dive into the captivating world of Italian wines with our immersive workshop on Italy's indigenous grape varieties! These "autochthonous" grapes are uniquely adapted to the specific soil, climate, and traditions of their region, resulting in wines that are truly distinctive. Italy is home to an impressive diversity of these grapes, with 545 officially registered varieties. Each one has its own unique flavor profile and a rich history that reflects Italy's deep-rooted winemaking heritage.

In recent years, Italian winemakers have been bringing back these nearly extinct grape varieties, creating wines that celebrate the authentic flavors of Italy's varied terroirs. In this workshop, you'll learn about these rare grapes and their fascinating histories, and, when possible, meet the passionate producers who are reviving them. We’ll provide printouts to enhance your learning experience, conduct tastings of these unique wines, and offer visits to Umbrian and Tuscan wineries

3.600,0 €

Want to impress your family and friends for with your unique charcuterie board? Are you interested in adding classic Italian salumi and cheeses to your repertoire of flavors? 

Then join us for this exclusive event and learn how to create an elegant charcuterie board with unforgettable traditional ingredients and flavor combinations that will blow your guests away! In this workshop, we put the tools right in your hands! 

The Course is led by Nicole Dowds of the celebrated, Charcuterina. In addition to Charcuterina, Nicole is also a food stylist, classic piano player, and world traveler. While living in in Rome, Nicole experienced and was enchanted by authentic Italian cuisine.  She is the ideal guide to your adventure in the world of Italian Charcuterie.

The workshop includes the Full kit (instruction + supplies + premium ingredients), a beautiful  olive wood board to bring with you after the workshop with Italian Local Wine Pairing

3.250,0 €

Join us in the heart Italy - in our mountaintop "castle town" of Monte Castello di Vibio for an intensive week of wood kiln construction with renowned potter and master kiln-builder, Rudie Delanghe!

Here, deep among the mountains and ancient forests, Roman and Etruscan kilns still dot the clay-rich landscape of the Tiber Valley.  Our participants live and work in an ancient mountain village made of stones, which is unchanged since the middle ages.  We are surrounded by vineyards and olive groves -and steeped in traditions. This is truly a side of Italy that most travelers never experience!

In this landscape where past meets present, we will follow in the path of the ancestral crafts of the region as we construct a kiln that Rudie has designed and has himself built many times. The 1.5 meter wood fired trolley kiln we build together will constructed with over 2,000 refractory insulation bricks and provide a useable space 100 cm wide, 120 cm long, 130 cm high. This remarkably efficient kiln design is very economical in its use of wood and easy to fire by one person.

3.350,0 €

Join us for an immersive two weeks of creating meaningful ceramic vessels and firing them in ICA Italy’s new wood kiln. Be in the first group to fire this custom-built kiln!

Throughout history ceramic vessels have told stories far more profound than the mere fact of storage or service. During this workshop, we plumb the depths of our own motivations to create vessels which carry our contemporary, personal narratives.

Taking inspiration from the landscape and historical-cultural milieu of Umbria, as well as the unique ideas and influences we each contain within us, we create a series of works that embody a specific moment, investigation, and touch. This workshop explores the vivid possibilities for expression when one adopts a “freestyle” approach to making. We create personal narrative and content through the interplay between form, surface embellishment, and wood firing atmosphere on a series of works inspired by vessels of antiquity.

3.550,0 €

Join us for an immersive two weeks of creating meaningful ceramic vessels and firing them in ICA Italy’s new wood kiln. Be in the first group to fire this custom-built kiln!

Throughout history ceramic vessels have told stories far more profound than the mere fact of storage or service. During this workshop, we plumb the depths of our own motivations to create vessels which carry our contemporary, personal narratives.

Taking inspiration from the landscape and historical-cultural milieu of Umbria, as well as the unique ideas and influences we each contain within us, we create a series of works that embody a specific moment, investigation, and touch. This workshop explores the vivid possibilities for expression when one adopts a “freestyle” approach to making. We create personal narrative and content through the interplay between form, surface embellishment, and wood firing atmosphere on a series of works inspired by vessels of antiquity.

3.550,0 €