Siena's Contrada della Torre Hosts International Artists for Residency During Palio

Since 2015, the Contrada della Torre in Siena has hosted the residency initiative 'Per un rinnovato mecenatismo di contrada,' which invites two international artists annually to create and reside during the Palio festivities. This program, established by the Circolo culturale de I Battilana, seeks to rejuvenate Siena's artistic patronage by integrating artists into the contrada community. Artists experience the life of the contrada as temporary members, while contradaioli interact with contemporary art. Chosen through a competitive process, previous participants include Virginia Foletti, Lucien Roux dit Buisson, and others, all under the guidance of Michelina Simona Eremita. The artworks produced are incorporated into the contrada's collection. Now in its fifth year, this initiative exemplifies sustainable cultural patronage.