Officina Verri: Writing Residency in Salento Seeks New Italian Literary Voices

From July 1 to 5, 2026, the Officina Verri writing residency will take place in Caprarica di Lecce, Salento, inspired by the legacy of Antonio Verri (1949-1993), a revolutionary Italian writer and intellectual. The residency, based at Casa del Pellegrino, offers five days of immersion in creativity and the Salento landscape, with guided tours and masterclasses. It aims to discover new voices in Italian narrative, with the best texts published in a volume by Spagine (Associazione Culturale Fondo Verri). The project is conceived by historian Aurora Mastore, writer Rossano Astremo, editor Margherita Macrì (founder of Krill Books), and actor Piero Rapanà. Mastore leads explorations of villages and cities that inspired Verri's work, promoting alternative cultural tourism beyond mainstream marketing. Astremo, author of a monograph on Verri, and Macrì will hold lessons with readings by Rapanà, co-founder of Fondo Verri in Lecce (1997). A masterclass will be led by writer and screenwriter Omar Di Monopoli. The residency emphasizes slow, deep experiences and authentic connections through literature. Applications close June 10, 2026.