Madonnari Contemporanei: Residency Reimagines Street Art Tradition in Sicily

The first edition of the Madonnari Contemporanei artist residency takes place in Palazzolo Acreide, Sicily, from September 14 to 15, 2024. The initiative revives the ancient tradition of Madonnari—artists who created ephemeral sacred images with chalk during the Madonna Addolorata celebrations—by inviting contemporary artists to reinterpret the figure of the Madonna as both a sacred icon and a modern woman. The residency is promoted by Associazione ArteNativo and the Committee for the Celebrations in Honor of Mary SS. Addolorata. Eighteen selected local and international artists will create live works in Via Niccolò Zocco during the festivities. The completed pieces will be displayed in the Chiesa dell'Addolorata for the duration of the festival and later donated to the community. A jury will award a cash prize and a 2025 exhibition space at Kokòstudio gallery to the winning work. The town of Palazzolo Acreide, a Baroque gem in the Val di Noto, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002. The residency aims to bridge past and present, giving artists freedom in materials and techniques.