Davide Degano began to question what it means to be Italian. Am I Sicilian, Colombian, Friulian, or Slovenian? My grandmother Olga was born in Slovenia. By the time she was 20, the same land had become Italy. One hundred and fifty years ago, Sicily was part of the Spanish Empire, and not long before that it was part of the Ottoman Empire.

Nuvola Ravera in deep listening at a watercourse. Image: Anna Positano

Carolina Mazzolari, an acclaimed Italian textile and video artist, honours the legacy of women who ran public laundries in ‘Alone Together’. Collaborating with Royal Ballet choreographer Kristen McNally and Royal Opera House senior costume manager Ilaria Martello, Carolina connects viewers to the invisible world of domestic labour through stunning video projections on Venice's streets and tapestries in the Domus Civica Gallery, San Polo.

Enrico Bettinello is redefining storytelling through the Venice-based and focused publishing house Wetlands Books. From commissioning African writers to exploring the intersection of theatre and books, Enrico shares his unique perspective on the cultural landscape of Venice.

Mary Laheen talks about how islands shape the psyche while reflecting on Ireland’s pavilion at the Venice Biennale Architettura 2023.

Cosimo Ferrigolo, a theatre stage manager who studied architecture and urban design, speaks to us from his home in Venice about how water and fluidity permeate his work.

Alice collaborates with artists across the archipelago to give us a rare insight into the social, political and ecological fabric of the Veneto region.