Il soggiorno artistico

All residencies take place in the mountain village of Pezzolo, in Messina, Sicily. To read more about the rich history and mythology of this region, please visit this page. 

Pezzolo has about 300 inhabitants, and over 60% of the buildings in the village are currently abandoned.

To read more about Pezzolo and the area, click here.

Despite its remote location, Pezzolo is a warm and welcoming community that is proud to host guests from all over the world. Growing joy within our community is at the heart of Trinacria’s mission. 

You may be invited to engage with local folks by sharing food or drink, listening to stories, learning about local language, history, customs, and so forth - no matter which Residency you participate in, we invite you to be open to these experiences and to welcome such interactions during your experience in Pezzolo.

Mobility: Our residency takes place in a village that is over 800 years old and was built on a mountainside. Unfortunately, many parts of the village are only accessible by footpath or stairs. The living quarters of Casa Trinacria can only be accessed by stairs. 

Distance: The village of Pezzolo is separated from surrounding towns by a winding drive up a mountain road. This road is 7km long and takes approx. 15 - 20 minutes to drive. It may be challenging for inexperienced drivers or those who experience motion sickness.

Amenities: There is only one business remaining open in Pezzolo, which is a small butcher shop. The butcher shop also stocks a few other dry goods, such as pasta, rice, canned goods, beer, cleaning supplies, and other necessities. There is also a small pharmacy which operates on very limited hours. For all other amenities (such as grocery stores, supply shops, post office, ATM, etc.), it is necessary to drive to nearby towns, a drive which takes at least 15 - 20 min in both directions. Artists are encouraged to keep this in mind in their planning.

Wildlife: There are several colonies of feral cats living in Pezzolo. Other local wildlife include small lizards and geckos. Mosquitos are common in the summer. Less commonly seen, but still present in the local area, are garden snakes, hedgehogs, bats, owls, and even occasionally wild boar.

Heat: Mobility: Our residency takes place in a village that is over 800 years old and was built on a mountainside. Unfortunately, many parts of the village are only accessible by footpath or stairs. The living quarters of Casa Trinacria can only be accessed by stairs. 

Distance: The village of Pezzolo is separated from surrounding towns by a winding drive up a mountain road. This road is 7km long and takes approx. 15 - 20 minutes to drive. It may be challenging for inexperienced drivers or those who experience motion sickness.

Amenities: There is only one business remaining open in Pezzolo, which is a small butcher shop. The butcher shop also stocks a few other dry goods, such as pasta, rice, canned goods, beer, cleaning supplies, and other necessities. There is also a small pharmacy which operates on very limited hours. For all other amenities (such as grocery stores, supply shops, post office, ATM, etc.), it is necessary to drive to nearby towns, a drive which takes at least 15 - 20 min in both directions. Artists are encouraged to keep this in mind in their planning.

Wildlife: There are several colonies of feral cats living in Pezzolo. Other local wildlife include small lizards and geckos. Mosquitos are common in the summer. Less commonly seen, but still present in the local area, are garden snakes, hedgehogs, bats, owls, and even occasionally wild boar.

Heat: Summer in Sicily is extremely dry, hot, and sunny. Hydration and sun protection are essential. Artists are encouraged to always pack refillable water bottles, sunscreen, and protective coverings such as hats. Tap water in Pezzolo is potable, and there are additional public drinking fountains throughout the village, directly from fresh mountain spring sources, where bottles can be refilled.

Most residencies are hosted at Casa Trinacria. This is a 4 story family home managed by Trinacria. The house consists of:

• Floor 0: A large garage which can be utilized as a workspace, including a half bath

• Floor 1: A fully equipped shared communal kitchen, communal living and dining room, terrace, and full bath

• Floor 2: Three bedrooms, each with 2 single beds (can be pushed together to create a double bed), and a full bath

• Floor 3: Laundry machine and large rooftop terrace

All participants should expect to share rooms, bathrooms, and other living spaces.

Rooms are not air conditioned. Fans are provided in each room.

Additional housing is at times used depending on the size of the group. These are in private family homes generously lent to us by members of the local community. All of the same expectations apply (room sharing, shared living spaces, and no air conditioning).

Working space is allocated and shared based on the needs of the individual artists participating in the residency. 

Casa Trinacria has a large street-level garage space with a bathroom which can be used as a studio or rehearsal room.

We are often able to access the Sala di Santa Maria, a community hall owned by the local parish church. This is a large open space with a small stage and a bathroom.

Pezzolo is a village with an abundance of abandoned or semi-abandoned spaces. Our resident artists often elect to create in open or public spaces such as piazzas, streets, and courtyards. We are sometimes able to arrange access to private spaces based on the needs of our participating artists. Prior to your arrival in Sicily, we will have a conversation about your working space needs.

Artists should not expect air conditioning in working spaces. If necessary, a fan will be provided.

Meals provided depend on the type of residency. In general, shared meals are an important part of Sicilian culture, and we encourage coming together for shared meals as we believe it contributes to a sense of community and camaraderie.

Main Meals: In general, we strive to provide access to authentic, local, and seasonal foods. We also aim to eliminate food waste by encouraging participants to eat leftovers and use what is already in our fridge or pantry.

• Breakfast: Self-serve, if included. If not included, participants should make their own purchases at local grocery stores.

• Lunch: In Sicily, particularly during the summers, lunch or pranzo is considered the most important meal of the day. It is usually a larger, heartier meal which involves more cooking or preparation. For this reason, we always offer a catered meal from a local restaurant partner, who will provide a rotating selection of authentic local specialities. We work directly with this partner to pre-set a weekly menu for the residency, which is open to suggestions!

• Dinner: If included, this is usually a family-style or self-serve meal. Dinner is typically lighter, served cold, and consists of items such as fresh vegetables, salads, deli meats, cheeses, olives, and so on. Sometimes residents will offer to prepare a dish for their cohort, but this is not an expectation. If dinner is not included, participants should make their own purchases at local grocery stores.

Snacks, sweets, alcohol, and beverages:

• Snacks are not included in any residency, and must be purchased at the participant’s own discretion. We remind all residents that food in shared areas are for communal consumption at breakfast, dinners, and lunches, and should not be used for snacking.

• Although we will offer sweets or desserts at various occasions throughout the residency, please note these are not provided every day.

• Coffee, hot tea, iced tea, and fruit juices are always available at hand.

• Other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are not served at any residency. These must be purchased and consumed at the participant’s own discretion.

Allergies and Dietary Restrictions: 

• Trinacria takes allergies and dietary restrictions very seriously and will always make every effort to accommodate these.

• We can very comfortably accommodate dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free diets. 

• We are always very happy to welcome vegetarians and vegans. We do want to note that, due to the nature of the local Sicilian diet, vegetarians and vegans staying for an extended period in Sicily have reported finding their local meal options somewhat limited or repetitive.

• Trinacria may not be able to accommodate individuals with extremely sensitive nut allergies; celiac disease; or any similar instance in which cross-contamination cannot occur because of medical risk. Due to our limited facilities, we cannot offer fully kosher meals. 

All residents are responsible for their own airfare, travel insurance, visas, and passports. Trinacria Theatre Company is on hand to assist with any necessary visa applications. 

The nearest airport is Catania-Fontanarossa (CTA).

• All arriving residents who are not renting a car are asked to take the SAIS bus from the airport to Messina-Tremestieri where local pick-ups can be arranged.

Pezzolo is most easily reached by car. Parking is limited to street parking, which is free.

There is also a local bus that connects Pezzolo to S. Margherita or Tremestieri. The schedule can be found here.

• S. Margherita: The bus stops directly on the beach and boardwalk. From here, it is possible to also access grocery stores, a pharmacy, a few small restaurants, a post office, a hardware store, and an ATM. There is also a nearby train station (Ponte Schiavo) with trains departing for Central Messina or Giampilieri, where additional connections are possible.

• Tremestieri: This is the location of a large commercial shopping center.

There is no access to WiFi provided at any point during the residency.

Participants may choose to pay for their own wireless or cell phone services during the residency. However, please note that reception may be spotty. 

For this reason, we encourage all participants to view this opportunity as an “unplugged” experience.

Unless otherwise indicated, residencies are conducted primarily in English. 

The local community is primarily Italian-speaking. A knowledge of Italian may be helpful, but not required.

For community engagement activities, Trinacria can provide interpretation translation. For more extensive language-based artistic projects, we are unable to provide full literary translation.