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29-30.11.2024 Cultural workshop and performance ‘The Thread of Women’

To mark November, 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, established by the UN in 1999, and Novembre Donna 2024, the month of events dedicated to the elimination of violence against women organised by the Municipality of Venice, the Arte-Mide association planned two events entitled ‘The Thread of Woman or ghe a gavemo fatta’ on Friday 29 and Saturday, November, 30 2024. They were developed thanks to the contribution of the Veneto Region in collaboration with the association Fondamenta delle Malefatte, Europe Direct Venezia Veneto of the Municipality of Venice, the women's shelter of the Municipality of Venice, the Fondazione Musei Civici and Bottega Cini.

Friday November, 29 2024 at 5.00 p.m., cultural workshop conceived in collaboration with the cultural association Fondamenta delle Malefatte inside Giudecca's prison for women in detention.
Saturday November, 30 2024 at 5.00 p.m., performance ‘work in progress’ in the Arte-Mide headquarters in Dorsoduro, Calle della Chiesa 1528/c, Venice. Arte-Mide opened the doors of its operational headquarters to host artists, collaborators, citizens, to attend the performance of the artist Chiarastella Seravalle and to celebrate the 20th anniversary since the foundation of the association. Participation in the performance was free of charge upon booking by emailing artemide.teatro@gmail.com.

‘The Thread of Women or Ghe a gavemo fatta,’ consisted of a narration that spanned across centuries (from 1450 to the present day) featuring some figures of Venetian women and others of ‘Venetian adoption’ who moved to Venice to develop their professional skills through the most varied artistic techniques of painting and craftsmanship. Venice, in fact, has allowed women's emancipation since its origin as a mercantile city, where women were autonomous in administering and managing the home and family property in the absence of a husband.

The performance, conceived by the artist and author Chiarastella Seravalle, drew on the research of historians, anthropologists, craftswomen, painters, photographers and workers, and highlights the stories of some women (craftswomen and artists) who in their lives fought and overcame immense difficulties, achieving extraordinary and unimaginable goals for a woman thanks to their passion, tenacity and determination.

This cultural project, with the participation of Marta Anselmi of the women's shelter of the Municipality of Venice, invited women to bring their individual positive resources into play as well as to express themselves freely and confidently thanks to some examples ‘of women who made it' by overcoming enormous difficulties they encountered in their lives. The workshop alternated theatrical moments with workshops on self-knowledge, space, and one's own voice, and then plunges into the engaging and narrative part, which involves the collection of stories and folk or personal tales.

Some pictures of the event of November, 30 2024: