Sculturando — International Sculpture Symposium

A Valsesia village that becomes an open-air studio

Sculturando is one of Italy's most significant sculpture symposiums, held every August in Cellio con Breia, a small town of about 900 inhabitants in lower Valsesia, in the Province of Vercelli (Piedmont). For one week, the streets and squares of the two villages are filled with wood shavings, stone dust, and the sound of chisels: the invited sculptors work live in front of visitors, starting from raw material to create finished works.

How the symposium works

The heart of the event is live creation. About twenty artists—up to twenty-six in recent editions—from all over Italy and abroad each receive a large log (chestnut, walnut, alder, cedar) or a stone boulder and have just a few days to give shape to their vision. The sculptors are hosted by local families and associations, in a welcoming atmosphere that is an integral part of the experience. The public can wander freely between the workstations, observe techniques, talk to the artists, and follow the birth of the works day by day.

More than just sculpture

Sculturando is also a great community festival. Throughout the week, there are convivial dinners at various points in the town—the S.O.M.S. in Cellio, the Pro Loco, the Terrieri circle in Breia—creative workshops open to adults and children, family-oriented moments, musical initiatives, and art exhibitions. It is an event that combines high-level art with a popular dimension, animated by a large group of volunteers and supported by local institutions, from the Unione Montana dei Comuni della Valsesia to the Province of Vercelli.

A legacy that remains with the town

Many of the works created during the symposium are donated to the community and installed along the streets of Cellio and Breia: year after year, the town has been enriched with a true open-air museum of contemporary sculpture, which can be visited at any time of the year. Visiting Sculturando therefore means not only witnessing the creation of works but also discovering a village that has made art a core part of its identity.

When to go

The event is scheduled as always for the first days of August, with continuous opening hours throughout the day. It is the ideal opportunity to combine the discovery of art with a trip into the nature of Valsesia, at the foot of Monte Rosa.