LAPIS – Artistic Laboratory of Illustrated Landscape Sagron Mis

An illustration festival at the foot of the Pale di San Martino

LAPIS – Artistic Laboratory of Illustrated Landscape is the event that brings Sagron Mis to life every summer, a tiny municipality in the Autonomous Province of Trento (Trentino-Alto Adige) overlooking the Belluno Dolomites and the Pale di San Martino. Launched in 2019 by the Pro Loco Sagron Mis, the festival has grown to become one of Italy's key events for landscape-related illustration, attracting artists from across Europe to a village of just over 170 inhabitants.

Illustration, community, and territorial regeneration

LAPIS is not just an exhibition: it is a true widespread laboratory where art leaves the museums to land on walls, facades, and public spaces throughout the village. Each edition selects a group of illustrators through an international open call that gathers hundreds of applications; the chosen artists create works inspired by the land, its perère (ancient stone quarries), mountain trails, and local life. Alongside the exhibitions, permanent murals enrich the village with new works year after year.

Workshops, talks, and illustrated excursions

The LAPIS program combines various artistic languages and engages both adults and children:

• Creative workshops in screen printing, wood painting, illustration, graphic novels, and embroidery;
• Talks and meetings with illustrators and landscape research projects;
• Live mural painting by guest artists;
• PERcorso – I Pér di Sagron, an illustrated excursion through the ancient quarries that guides visitors in discovering the local landscape;
• Concerts, DJ sets, and performances, plus a food stand featuring local products.

A model for small mountain villages

LAPIS is frequently cited as a virtuous example of how culture can become a driver for promotion and regeneration in small Alpine towns. Through art, Sagron Mis has found a new voice and identity, capable of attracting visitors and strengthening the sense of community. The festival is held in collaboration with the ApT San Martino di Castrozza, Primiero and Vanoi and numerous local Trentino organizations.

When and where

LAPIS takes place in early summer in the village of Sagron Mis (TN), over a weekend in early July. Admission to the exhibitions and most events is free; some workshops and excursions require booking. It is the perfect opportunity to combine a holiday in the Trentino Dolomites with an immersion in contemporary illustration.