Cantiere del Contemporaneo Opens in Recoaro Terme, Italy

On May 2, 2026, Cantiere del Contemporaneo, a new contemporary art center, opened in the historic Palazzo Caffè Nazionale in Recoaro Terme, a small town in the province of Vicenza, Italy. The project is part of a broader cultural, social, and economic regeneration initiative supported by the Italian National Plan for Small Towns (Piano Nazionale Borghi) and funded by the European Union through the PNRR. Curated by Elisabetta Bacchin, the center focuses on artist residencies, with the inaugural cohort including Romesh Bothalage, Pietro Chiarello, Francesco Pizzocchero, and Virginia Stevenin. These artists will spend two months working in the center's spaces, exploring themes of water, mountain landscape, architectural memory, and local traditions. The center occupies a three-story Liberty-style building, featuring a welcome area and bookshop, artist apartments, and shared spaces. Future plans include two annual residency cycles, with an open call for the next session starting in October 2026. A special emphasis will be placed on video art. The municipality also intends to create a local contemporary art collection and open new exhibition spaces in the town. An open-air exhibition throughout the town is scheduled for late June 2026, featuring works by emerging and established artists.