Abitare la Terra — Art, Memory and Landscape
A widespread cultural event blending contemporary art, memory, and landscape in Casalbeltrame
About Abitare la Terra
A widespread event in the heart of the Bassa Novarese
In Casalbeltrame, an agricultural village in the Province of Novara nestled among the rice fields of Piedmont, Abitare la Terra — Art, Memory and Landscape comes to life. This widespread cultural event creates a dialogue between contemporary art, spirituality, anthropology, neuroscience, and the natural landscape. The initiative is promoted by the Associazione Culturale Creativa (ACC) in co-design with the Municipality of Casalbeltrame, with the support of local entities.
Symbolic locations as stages of a journey
The project does not take place in a single venue but transforms the village's most iconic sites into stations of an experiential path: historic churches, the evocative Cortile dei Nobili, and the L'Civel Ethnographic Museum, guardian of local rural culture. Each space becomes a setting for exhibitions, installations, and moments of discussion, based on the idea that culture, when rooted in a place, becomes a driver of development for the community.
Art, memory, and community
The common thread is the sense of dwelling, understood as a profound relationship between human beings, the territory, and collective memory. The festival hosts anthological exhibitions and thematic paths dedicated to the relationship between art, civilization, and nature, with an eye toward new generations. The event demonstrates how even a small municipality can become a driving force for high-quality cultural initiatives.
A participatory experience
Alongside the exhibitions, the program offers participatory moments designed to involve visitors of all ages, including treasure hunts among the artworks, sound performances, and opportunities for meeting. The goal is to allow people to experience the places, works, and relationships that animate the village firsthand, generating cultural and relational value for the Bassa Novarese area.
Casalbeltrame and the Piedmontese landscape
Casalbeltrame, with its rural heritage and the L'Civel Ethnographic Museum, offers the ideal setting for a reflection on the Piedmontese agricultural landscape and the bond between community and land. Visiting the event means discovering an authentic corner of Piedmont, where contemporary art and rural tradition meet.
Abitare la Terra — edition 2026
An edition with great participation
The 2026 edition of Abitare la Terra — Art, Memory and Landscape animated Casalbeltrame over the weekend of April 18-19, 2026, with a concluding event on May 23. The public response was significant: over 500 attendees on Saturday and more than 250 on Sunday.
Exhibitions and paths
Among the highlights were the inauguration of the anthological exhibition Dialogues with Nature by artist Salvatore Fiori and the review Art, Civilization and Sacredness to Dwell the Earth, with events spread across the L'Civel Ethnographic Museum and other symbolic sites of the village.
The May 23 finissage
The closing took place on Saturday, May 23, from 3:00 PM to approximately 6:30 PM, featuring the treasure hunt The Treasure of the Earth — a participatory path among installations and historical sites, with an original work by one of the guest artists as a prize — and the sound performance Musical Garden, a sound research project by Gaudenzio Zucca. The event was organized by the Associazione Culturale Creativa in co-design with the Municipality of Casalbeltrame.
Programme Abitare la Terra 2026
2026 Program
- April 18-19: Opening of the widespread event across churches, the Cortile dei Nobili, and the L'Civel Ethnographic Museum; inauguration of the anthological exhibition Dialogues with Nature by Salvatore Fiori and the review Art, Civilization and Sacredness to Dwell the Earth.
- May 23 (finissage, approx. 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM): The Treasure of the Earth treasure hunt among artworks and historical sites, with prize-giving; Musical Garden sound performance by Gaudenzio Zucca.
Highlights Abitare la Terra 2026
- Anthological exhibition Dialogues with Nature by Salvatore Fiori
- Review Art, Civilization and Sacredness to Dwell the Earth
- The Treasure of the Earth treasure hunt with an original artwork as a prize
- Musical Garden sound performance by Gaudenzio Zucca
- Over 500 visitors on the first day
Prices Abitare la Terra 2026
Practical information — Abitare la Terra
Where
Casalbeltrame (NO), Piedmont. The initiatives take place in multiple locations throughout the village: churches, the Cortile dei Nobili, and the L'Civel Ethnographic Museum.
How to get there
By car: Casalbeltrame can be reached from the A4 Turin-Milan motorway (Novara exit) and from the A26, continuing along the roads of the Bassa Novarese. By train: the reference station is Novara, from which you can continue by car toward the village.
Information and contacts
Associazione Culturale Creativa (ACC) — tel. +39 0321 452397, email [email protected]. It is recommended to check dates, times, and the updated program on the official channels of the association and the Municipality of Casalbeltrame.
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Where does it take place — Abitare la Terra
Cortile dei Nobili, chiese e Museo Etnografico L'Civel