setteuarciate in Pacentro, Italy

setteuarciate - sette bracciate - 7 - seven armfuls, seven hugs. setteuarciate in Pacentro is a family nickname, a unit of measurement and the name of this project.

My name is Mia and I work with humans to explore our ecological relationships through plants and pollinators.

The intention behind setteuarciate is to elaborate this exploration by opening an artist residency and community space in Pacentro. To do this, I am asking for help with the finances to lift the project up and off the ground.

For those of you who may not know me, I won a Fulbright grant in 2018 which funded my studies at the University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG) and this opportunity forever changed the trajectory of my life. Before coming to UNISG I had a dream to host a project of my own in Pacentro, but I did not know it was in the realm of possibility. After graduating, I chased a different dream of becoming a beekeeper and this career choice ushered me towards friends, colleagues, ideas and experiences that would keep pushing me towards realizing setteuarciate.

In 2023, I permanently moved back to Italy and I have spent the past year understanding how setteuarciate could work within the fabric of my community in Pacentro as well as extended communities abroad.

I am one of the many people who believe in rural areas and want to find ways to create livelihoods on the margins. My grandfather emigrated from Pacentro in 1956 and it is an honor to breathe life into these spaces that once sustained my family and continue to mean so much to us. I hope to one day invite you into the world of setteuarciate.

If you have questions or would like to learn more about setteuarciate please contact me directly. I look forward to connecting!