Art Aia — Creatives in Residence
Art Aia — Creatives in Residence is an artist residency programme set in the Veneto countryside near Treviso, occupying a restored rural farmstead (aia means “threshing floor” in Italian) that has been repurposed as a live-work space for visual artists, designers, and other creative practitioners. The programme offers immersive residency stays within a landscape shaped by the foothills of the Dolomites and the agricultural traditions of the Marca Trevigiana.
At a glance
- Type
- Artist residency and creative hub
- Period
- Contemporary (21st century)
- Style
- Restored rural vernacular
- Location
- Treviso province, Veneto, Italy
- Coordinates
- 45.8600° N, 12.7882° E
Overview
Art Aia sits within the Marca Trevigiana, a part of the Veneto historically known for its villas, vineyards, and quiet agricultural landscapes. The residency model positions the rural setting as a creative stimulus rather than a retreat — artists are expected to engage with the local environment, its materials, and its communities. The programme typically hosts a small cohort of residents at a time, fostering exchange across disciplines.
History
The conversion of rural farm buildings into artist residencies has become a significant cultural trend in the Italian northeast, where post-agricultural estates offer generous volumes of space at costs unavailable in urban centres. The Marca Trevigiana has attracted this phenomenon partly because of its proximity to Venice — a global art hub — and to the creative infrastructure of Treviso and Bassano del Grappa. Art Aia is part of this broader regeneration of the agricultural heritage of the Veneto through cultural programming.
What you see
The physical setting is a traditional Veneto farmstead, characterised by stone and brick outbuildings arranged around a central courtyard or threshing area. Interiors have typically been adapted with minimal intervention to preserve the agricultural character while providing working studio space, sleeping accommodation, and communal areas for residents. The surrounding landscape offers views of the Treviso plain with the pre-Alpine hills in the distance.
Cultural significance
Artist residencies in rural Italy play an increasingly important role in maintaining cultural vitality in post-agricultural landscapes and in bridging the gap between contemporary art practice and Italy’s deep material heritage. Art Aia contributes to this field within the Veneto, a region whose visual culture spans from the frescoes of Tiepolo to the design heritage of the mid-twentieth century.
Practical information
- Location
- Treviso province, Veneto, Italy (45.8600° N, 12.7882° E)
- Access
- Residency by application; check the official website for open calls and programme dates
- Visitors
- Not a public gallery — contact organisers for open studio events
Getting there
Treviso is accessible by train from Venice (approximately 30 minutes on regional services from Venezia Santa Lucia). The Treviso–Sant’Angelo airport also offers connections to several European cities. Local bus services cover the province, though a car is recommended for reaching the rural farmstead location.
Sources & resources
- Wikipedia: Treviso
- Cultural Heritage Online — Veneto guide