Culture Castle

Kevin Volans is awarded a fellowship at Civitella Ranieri

This sounds like a place we'd love to go to: The breathtakingly beautiful Italian castle of Civitella Ranieri offers artist from music, literature, visual arts and film the opportunity to work in an inspiring environment and to exchange ideas with like-minded (or even opposed) collegues from different trades while they're at it. Composer Kevin Volans, who last year has already been awarded the Marten Toonder Award, is now the latest fellow there as well and will be able to spend "a generous period of uninterrupted time" in the castle. Volans, as have all the other guests, has been nominated by a rating group made up of artists, academics and critics among others and then applied with a selection of his works. He has made a name for himself as a self-described "Modernist" (which is quite something in a time of "Retro" and cross-references abound) and has been described as a "distinctive" and original voice in today's music.

This incredible proposition, which naturally only few will be able to enjoy, is the idea and the personal project of Ursula Corning, whose cousin Roberto had married into the Ranieri family. For 35 years, until her death in 2002, Cornng invited gifted individuals over to the castle every Summer, reviving a 15th century tradition. On the Civitella Ranieri homepage, you can check out some of the artists that have stayed there and find out about the works that were shaped on this fertile ground.

Homepage: Civitella Ranieri
Homepage: Kevin Volans