Innovart to San Sebastiano Curone: art, craftsmanship, music and cinema in the village

A fine luglio San Sebastiano Curone cambia ritmo. Le vie acciottolate del centro storico, le piazze e le vecchie botteghe diventano per un weekend un percorso tra arte, artigianato, musica e cinema. Innovart è una fiera che usa il borgo come spazio espositivo: non si entra in un padiglione, si cammina dentro il paese, si aprono porte normalmente chiuse, si incontrano artigiani al lavoro e ci si lascia guidare da installazioni, laboratori e spettacoli.

This is why Innovart is worth a visit even if you are not a collector or art expert. The event is built to be experienced while walking: you can stop in front of a handmade ceramic, talk to those who work in wood or metal, take part in a workshop, listen to music in the square and end the day with an evening screening. All around, San Sebastiano Curone preserves the intimate atmosphere of an Apennine village in the Alessandria area, between the Tortonese area, Val Curone and the hills that lead towards Monferrato.

Innovart is held every year in the last weekend of July, generally between Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The heart of the event normally falls between Saturday and Sunday, while the program can extend to Friday evening with cultural or musical events. The last weekend of the month invites you to discover San Sebastiano Curone through its truffles and its village.

Activities generally begin in the late morning and continue until the evening; music, cinema and special initiatives can continue even after dinner. The exact times, the locations of the workshops and the possible Friday program change from one edition to the next, while the formula widespread in the historic center remains constant.

The event brings together art, design, textiles, furnishings, jewellery, crafts, food and wine. What makes it particularly interesting is how these themes spread through the streets, workshops, squares and cultural spaces of San Sebastiano Curone.

For a few days the town becomes a sort of open-air museum. The exhibitors are not isolated in stands that are all the same: they often interact with stone walls, old shop windows, courtyards, porticoes and renovated rooms. This makes the visit slower and more curious. Even a simple move from one square to another becomes part of the journey, because around a bend a craftsmanship, a contemporary installation or a small stage can appear.

Innovart was born by collecting the legacy of Artinfiera, the historic national applied arts fair which for years brought artisans and artists from all over Italy to San Sebastiano Curone. The idea of ​​ancient shops reopened, of direct contact with those who create and of quality craftsmanship is therefore not a recent decorative element: it has long belonged to the cultural identity of the country.

The new formula expands that tradition and brings it towards more contemporary languages. Alongside ceramics, textiles, wood, glass, metals and jewellery, there is space for artistic installations, design projects, live music, independent cinema and participatory activities. It is an effective way to avoid craftsmanship being described as something stuck in the past: here ancient techniques and experimentation coexist in the same path.

One of the best reasons to come to Innovart is the direct relationship with the artisans. In recent editions, exhibitors from different Italian regions have been selected, with very different processes. Ceramics, weaving, wood, glass, metals, paper, accessories, furnishings and small artistic productions fill the streets of the center and bring life back to places that, during the rest of the year, are not always open.

Looking at a finished object is only part of the experience. Whenever possible, it is worth asking how it is made, what materials are used and how long it takes to make. Innovart works well precisely because it reduces the distance between the producer and the observer: behind each piece there is a technique, an aesthetic choice and often a personal story that rarely emerges in a normal shop.

If you want to take home a souvenir of the weekend, handcrafted objects are a more interesting choice than the classic souvenir. The proposals change every year and there is no fixed catalogue: it is part of the pleasure of the visit. Take the time to compare processes and materials, especially in smaller shops, where it is easier to speak directly with the author.

Innovart is not just a market exhibition. The contemporary art installations are designed to dialogue with the architecture of the country and with the spaces of daily life. An alley, a facade, a shop or a small square can become the context of a temporary work or an intervention destined to leave a more lasting trace in the village.

The contrast between contemporary languages and historic houses is one of the most photogenic aspects of the event. San Sebastiano Curone is not used as a simple backdrop: its dimensions, the districts, the stone, the colors of the facades and the commercial history of the town become part of the project. Even those who normally frequent contemporary art little can approach the works spontaneously, encountering them while walking.

Another recurring component of Innovart are the workshops. The proposals can change completely from year to year, but often include ceramics, textiles, manual techniques, art therapy, small objects to build and workshops for children. Some activities are short and intuitive, others require more time and may have a limited number of places.

If there is a workshop that really interests you, check registration methods and times in advance. Participating changes the way you experience the fair: after seeing dozens of objects made by others, putting your hands on clay, thread, paper or wood allows you to better understand how much technique and patience are needed even for apparently simple creations.

In the evening Innovart the atmosphere changes again. The squares can host free concerts, emerging groups, DJ sets and musical performances. The village, which during the day is mainly crossed by families and visitors looking for shops, becomes a more convivial space, with people sitting outdoors, street food and music spreading between the districts.

It's a good reason not to plan a visit too quickly. Arriving only in the early afternoon and leaving before dinner means missing an important part of the festival. If you can, dedicate an entire day to Innovart or stay a night in the area: you will see two different faces of the same event, the artisanal and bright one of the day and the more informal one of the evening.

Cinema completes the multidisciplinary character of Innovart. Recent editions have hosted reviews of short films and meetings with directors, transforming one of the village squares into a small outdoor room. Also in this case the program changes, but the idea remains consistent with the festival: bringing different creative languages ​​to accessible and everyday places.

A summer screening in a town square has a different rhythm than that of a cinema. Before the film you can have dinner, take another stroll around the streets, sit outdoors and then watch the show when the temperature becomes more pleasant. It's one of the best ways to end the day without turning the visit into an appointment rush.

Innovart works because it takes place in a country that has a historical relationship with trade, craftsmanship and culture. San Sebastiano Curone rises along ancient lines of connection between the plain and the Apennines, in an area that for centuries has looked simultaneously to Piedmont, Liguria and the surrounding valleys. The historic center still retains a compact structure, made up of squares and districts that can be easily explored on foot.

Piazza Roma and the Liberty buildings

Piazza Roma is the heart of the town and one of the places to observe more calmly. Here are the Town Hall and the parish church, surrounded by buildings characterized by Art Nouveau decorations and brightly colored facades. The pavement and small scale of the square make it particularly suitable for events, but even outside the Innovart program it is worth a few minutes to look at the details of the architecture.

The districts, the oratories and the old shops

The streets leading to the historic districts start from Piazza Roma. Walking towards Piazza Solferino or along the narrower streets you come across stone portals, small churches, the Oratorio dell'Assunta, the Chiesetta delle Grazie and the Oratorio della Trinità. During Innovart these spaces are even more interesting because the route of the event invites you to enter parts of the village that you would otherwise cross without stopping.

If the times coincide with your visit, try to include the Piero Leddi Archive, hosted at San Sebastiano Curone and dedicated to the painter born in the country. The archive preserves and enhances production also linked to the themes of the transformation of the peasant world, of professions and of the relationship between the Apennine landscape and modern life. It is a particularly coherent stage with Innovart, because it adds depth to the link between the village and artistic research.

Art and craftsmanship are the center of the event, but a day in the country can easily also become a small gastronomic journey. The area is known for cheeses, cured meats, baked goods, honey, wines from the Tortonesi Hills and specialties from the Giarolo area. During summer events there may be street food options and refreshment points, while restaurants and local activities complete the offer.

Avoid considering lunch as a simple technical break. Stopping to taste a local product helps to understand the area as much as entering a shop. If you find local cheeses or cured meats, ask where they come from; if you choose a wine, try something from the Colli Tortonesi. Innovart can thus become an opportunity to bring together creativity, landscape and flavors in the same day.

Arriving in the morning allows you to see the village when the flow of visitors is still manageable and the exhibitors have more time to talk. Start from Piazza Roma, get the updated program and take a walking tour among the shops. Don't try to see everything quickly: choose a few artisans that intrigue you and spend a few extra minutes on them.

After lunch you can focus on the workshops, installations and cultural visits. If you have booked a workshop, leave enough time to reach the venue without rushing. During the hottest hours, take advantage of the internal spaces, shops and archives; towards late afternoon he goes back to walking through the streets when the light becomes softer.

Evening is the time when it's worth slowing down. Dinner in the village or in the immediate vicinity, then check out the music and film programme. The locations may change, but squares such as Marconi and Solferino and the SOMS Hall have been used in recent editions for shows, concerts and activities. If you want to attend appointments until late, consider staying in the area overnight.

Innovart can also be a good choice for families because it alternates moments of observation with practical activities. The manual workshops, craft games and initiatives dedicated to the little ones allow you to break up the visit and make art something to touch and experience. Choose a workshop suitable for the age of the children and book their place in the workshops that include it.

The historic center is compact and can be explored on foot, but the pavements and some streets may be uncomfortable with very small strollers. In July, bring water, a hat and sunscreen; in the central hours look for shade and internal spaces. In the evening, especially if you attend concerts or screenings, it may be useful to have a light sweatshirt with you because Val Curone can be cooler than the plain.

For those who love photography, Innovart offers much more than the works on display. The hands of the artisans, the materials on the tables, the signs of the shops, the cobblestones of the districts, the colored facades and the public that passes through the installations continually construct small scenes. The best light often comes in the early morning or late afternoon, when the shadows are less harsh and the streets take on greater depth.

When photographing artisans or participants up close, always ask permission. For works, check any indications from the author. A respectful approach also allows for conversation and often leads to more interesting images than a simple stolen photograph.

Combine Innovart with a walk in Val Curone

If you stay for two days, use the festival as a starting point to get to know the landscape too. The territory around San Sebastiano Curone offers secondary roads, paths, woods and mountain bike itineraries that go up towards the Apennine areas. There is no need to undertake a demanding excursion: even a short walk outside the center allows you to quickly move from the atmosphere of the festival to the silence of the hills.

In the height of summer, plan outdoor activities in the early hours of the morning or towards the evening. Temperatures can be high and some routes have little shade. Bring water and suitable shoes to enjoy the walk through the woods and hills. If you prefer cycling, the Val Curone area and the nearby Apennines offer routes of varying difficulty, but it is important to choose an itinerary consistent with preparation and weather conditions.

Innovart develops in the historic center of San Sebastiano Curone, in the province of Alessandria. The route involves Piazza Roma, the surrounding streets and districts, ancient shops and various cultural spaces. The individual venues for concerts, workshops and screenings are defined in the annual programme.

For an essential visit consider at least half a day. To really experience the event, it is preferable to dedicate a whole day to it, arriving in the morning and staying until the evening appointments. If you want to add a walk, visit the archives or explore Val Curone, the full weekend is the best solution.

In recent editions, general admission to the event has been free. However, some workshops, special activities or collateral initiatives may have limited places, require registration or provide specific methods. The San Sebastiano Curone portal collects Innovart appointments.

During the event some streets and squares in the center may be closed to traffic or subject to temporary bans. Park in the areas indicated by the organization and continue on foot. In case of bad weather, covered spaces such as the SOMS Room can host part of the activities.

Innovart is interesting because it does not ask the visitor to choose between a craft fair and a cultural festival. The two things coexist. You can enter an old shop, see an object being born from the hands of those who make it, go out and find yourself in front of an installation, participate in a workshop, dine with local products and then stay in the square for a concert or a short film.

Come with enough time to get lost in the streets for a bit. San Sebastiano Curone is small enough to discover on foot, but rich enough in detail that it won't run out in a quick spin. Innovart offers the perfect excuse to get this far; the village, the hills and the atmosphere of Val Curone are what can convince you to stay longer and come back.

Source: official reference of the event.