History, crafts, cinema, design, music, the performing arts, food and wine, guided tours and exhibition projects, all designed to showcase the creativity of a region in an original way: from Thursday 24 to Sunday 27 April in Corigliano d’Otranto, the BazArt programme comes to a close. This project is supported by the Puglia Region, as part of the public call for proposals ‘Tourism Products – POC PUGLIA ERDF’ – ESF 2014–2020 Axis VI – Action 6.8 (Measures for the competitive repositioning of tourist destinations), and Puglia Promozione.
On the morning of Friday 25 April, there will be two special guided tours organised by the InfoPoint. At 10.00 am, the ‘From Castello De’ Monti to Castello Volante’ tour will take participants on a journey of discovery through the unique medieval castle embraced by the Aragonese fortress, spanning two millennia of a history still in the making: the opulent court life of the 16th century, the façade considered one of the jewels of Lecce Baroque, the remains of the steam mill, the oil mill and the tobacco factory, right up to the visual and performing arts centre that brings this place to life today. At 11.30 am, there’s an event designed for the little ones, featuring fancy dress and games. Following the knighting ceremony for boys and girls, complete with capes and coats of arms, families will be immersed in the fascinating world of the Middle Ages and castles, with tales of knights and noble courts, Turkish sieges and defensive stratagems, secret passages and ghosts (book tours on 3519137972). From 5.00 pm, the spotlight will be on the ‘Officine P|Artigiane’ workshops, designed by Big Sur for Liberation Day. In the various rooms of the Castello Volante, visitors can take part in one of six craft workshops – covering clay, macramé, tailoring, Japanese bookbinding, embroidery, words and colours (booking essential | 3519137972) – specially designed for this special day. At 7.00 pm at Nuvole, an evening of tastings and storytelling hosted by Andrea De Luca, featuring Koriana and Musikì craft beers, brewed for Castello Volante by Baff Beer (beer tasting menu €12 | bookings 3343429268).
On Saturday 26th from 4 pm to 10 pm and Sunday 27th from 10 am to 10 pm, the Castello Volante will be transformed into a creative hub with BazArt, a festival-market dedicated to creative productions from Puglia. For two days, the ancient manor will welcome numerous exhibitors who will bring a veritable spectacle of the imagination to life. Local illustrators, designers and producers will showcase the best of their work, characterised by significant ethical or artisanal value: from items made from recycled materials to traditional crafts, from publishing to food and wine. BazArt’s aim is to celebrate Apulian creativity, supporting the local economy and promoting the exchange of ideas. ‘Il salotto di BazArt’ will also be taking place: the perfect opportunity to get to know, up close and personal – with the Holo team acting as moderators – the incredible stories of local craftspeople. A dialogue that will focus on the experiences of those who have turned their artistic exploration into a form of cultural resistance. On Sunday, taking place simultaneously both inside and outside the fortress, the Fiera di San Giorgio will also be held, creating a large-scale, widespread event that harmonises the two cultural programmes to form a unique itinerary. At 4.00 pm, the InfoPoint will organise a special guided tour in English or French, whilst at 5.30 pm a tour will set off from the ancient manor house to explore the historical origins of the Fair (by booking only: 3519137972)
On Saturday and Sunday from 10.00 to 18.00, visitors can also explore “Journeys through the Lands of Remorse”, featuring images of tarantism by Franco Pinna, Chiara Samugheo, Francesco de Raho and Andrè Martin, curated by Big Sur in the Sala Tabaccaia, ‘Pietre che parlano’ (Stones that Speak), a photographic dialogue by Adriano Nicoletti, the exhibitions and installations scattered throughout the various rooms of the Castello Volante, and listen to Korìana, Mariangela Ciriello’s podcast recounting the stories and voices of the village. From 7.00 pm at Nuvole, you can enjoy an aperitif and sample the revamped menu created by chef Lorenzo Bianco, whilst sipping a cocktail from the list carefully selected by Michele Contini.
On Sunday from 9.00 pm, Bazart will draw to a close with a musical tribute to The Beatles. Andrea Camarda (vocals, guitar), Lara Ingrosso (vocals, percussion) and Dario Ancona (vocals, bass) will perform some of the Liverpool quartet’s greatest hits, not forgetting a few fabulous rarities from the band’s repertoire.
The Bazart project is organised by Castello Volante in collaboration with the Municipality of Corigliano d’Otranto, BigSur, Coolclub, Multiservice Eco, Nuvole, Pro Loco di Corigliano d’Otranto, Magma and Seminazioni, and is supported by the Puglia Region as part of the public call for proposals ‘Tourism Products – POC PUGLIA FESR’ – ESF 2014–2020, Axis VI – Action 6.8 (Measures for the competitive repositioning of tourist destinations), and Puglia Promozione.
