Fabriano between history and innovation

A conference where paper tells its story (and its future)

Fabriano between history and innovation is the event that the Fedrigoni Fabriano Foundation dedicates annually to the conservation and restoration of paper materials. It is not a local fair or a street festival: it is an international scientific conference that brings scholars, restorers, and researchers from all over Europe to the Municipality of Fabriano, in the Province of Ancona (Marche). The location is no coincidence: Fabriano has been the Italian capital of handmade paper for centuries, and the event is held in the evocative Historic Complex of the Miliani Paper Mills, on Viale Pietro Miliani.

Conference and workshop: two souls, one theme

The initiative is divided into two complementary parts. The first day is dedicated to a conference open to the public — industry professionals, students, and enthusiasts — during which leading experts illustrate the state of the art on a specific conservation issue. This is followed by two days of advanced training workshops, reserved for a limited number of restorers and students, with practical laboratory exercises.

An edition on paper deacidification

The 2026 edition focuses on the theme of paper deacidification, one of the most delicate and debated conservation interventions. The conference on October 14th is titled "Deacidifying paper today. Perspectives and critical issues of a complex conservation intervention," while the workshop on October 15th and 16th delves into methodologies, materials, and operational practices between tradition and innovation.

Internationally renowned speakers

Among the guests for the 2026 edition are top scholars such as Gerhard Banik, visiting professor at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna and guest of honor, and Antje Potthast, lecturer at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna. The workshop is curated by specialists from the National Central Library of Rome and the University of Rome Tor Vergata.

Why it's worth it

For those working in the conservation of library and archival materials, or studying to become so, "Fabriano between history and innovation" is a rare opportunity for direct exchange with the most authoritative names in the field, in a city that still lives today by paper, watermarks, and artisanal knowledge. A niche but valuable event, confirming Fabriano's role as a crossroads between memory and research.