June 21-29, 2008
Montelupo – Italy

Montelupo is a charming Medieval city built on a hill, a few miles east of Florence.
That was about it, until a team of archeologists discovered an old well full of kiln shards in 1973.

The unexpected discovery shed new light on the role of Montelupo in the history of Tuscan ceramics. It’s now a well-established fact that the town was one of the most important ceramic centers in Italy during the Renaissance and the production area of all the Florentine pottery.

The pride of such a splendid heritage revived the art of pottery making and had a positive impact on the local economic development.
Today Montelupo is a flourishing town, rich with historical buildings, talented potters and an awesome Museum of Ceramics.

To celebrate the glory of the past and today’s pottery art and craft an International Ceramic Festival is organized every year in the streets of the old historic district of Montelupo.

In a few weeks, from June 21st, performances, activities, art demos, exhibitions and young artists’ installations will definitely change the look of the town.

Since first being staged in 1993, the Festival has increased the number of exhibitions and activities related to contemporary ceramic art and has promoted the interaction between the traditional craft and the innovative ideas of designer and art students.

The 2008 edition is a very special one!
The new Regional Museum of Ceramics has just been opened, the School of Ceramics celebrates its 25th birthday, many young artists are joining the party and valuable collections have been donated to the Municipality. Enough to start packing …

The Festival key events

The Conti Collection
A special exhibition will be held in the Excelsion Exhibition Center featuring an antique ceramic collection that has recently been donated to the Museum of Ceramics by Marisa Conti, former Government Official responsible for the Architectural Heritage in Tuscany.
The pieces range from the 5th to the 18th century and include pottery made in the ancient Tuscia region (currently Lazio), Muslim pottery from Iran, Spanish and Tuscan pottery.

Alessio Tasca Exhibition
Alessio Tasca is a well known contemporary artist from Nove. His works will be hosted in the charming building of the Prioria di San Lorenzo.

Contemporary pottery
The Palazzo del Podestà, former house of the Museum of Ceramics, will open its new season as contemporary art center. It will host a special exhibition to celebrate the 25th birthday of the School of Ceramics and the works of Ceramiche Mancioli, one of the most important factories in Montelupo.

From the world
This year French and Moroccan pottery will be the subject of two separate exhibitions, meant to be a window on International Pottery Art.

Innovation
Special projects will stimulate the interaction between young artists and crafters, enhancing innovation in pottery making, such as the Contemporary Art Workshop directed by Maestro Giancarlo Scapin and Argillux, a design contest.

The Museum of Ceramics
It’s absolutely a must for any pottery lover. It houses a unique collection of Tuscan pottery made in Montelupo between the 13th and the 18th century. The famous Rosso di Montelupo stands out among them as the symbol of the originality and refinement of the local Renaissance pottery.

Montelupo Fiorentino is a nice, authentic little town. Definitely not the restyled-for-tourists’-sake kind of place, so if you’re willing to take a few steps from the crowd, you may want to spend a few days here. You’ll enjoy the view of a breathtaking countryside and a genuine art and craft heritage.

International Ceramic Festival – Montelupo, Tuscany
Tel: 0039 0571 51087
arearossa@museomontelupo.it