Registration
Anniversary Reunion Package
Reunion Package: $550 per person
Kick off the reunion with a welcome reception honoring the 50th anniversary of our beloved Casa Artom study abroad program. Connect with fellow alumni and reunite with Casa Artom administrators and faculty.
Location: Casa Artom, Dorsoduro 699, Venezia 30123
Return to Casa Artom to view your old room, tour the newly renovated kitchen and enjoy the priceless view of the Grand Canal!
Location: Casa Artom
For details, see the complete list of activities and descriptions at the bottom of the page.
Join fellow alumni of the Casa Artom program, faculty, and University administrators for a gala event with a delicious meal and beautiful Italian wines!
Location: Palazzo Pisani Moretta
Say farewell to friends with brunch before your departure or onward journey.
Location: Casa Artom
*Event times are in the local time zone for Venice and are subject to change.
Engagement Opportunities:
Friday, May 19 | Morning Sessions – Back to the Classroom
Shaul Bassi, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice & Wake Forest Casa Artom
Shakespeare set two of his masterpieces in Venice, The Merchant of Venice and Othello, the Moor of Venice. No other city appears twice in his titles and no other city seems to be so important for the unfolding of his plots. What did Shakespeare know about the Republic of Venice? What attracted him to this cosmopolitan city that led him to set here the stories of two extremely controversial and endlessly fascinating outsiders? Did Shakespeare visit Venice? What are the most relevant sites in Venice that reveal a Shakespearean connection? What is the link between Shakespeare, Casa Artom and Ruth Bader Ginsburg? This classroom session will explore these issues and look at sources, sites, quotes linked to the plays.
Location: Casa Artom Classroom | 45 min
Allison Orr, Ethnographic Choreographer
Curious how Allison, Wake Forest alumna ‘93, convinced eight Venetian gondoliers to create and perform a “dance” with their gondolas in 2003? Allison will present her community-based dance-making process, honed during the past 20+ years, which she utilized to direct The Gondola Project. Allison will read from her recent book, Dance Works, which explores how the creative process brings people together to address civic issues and the beauty of choreographing the day-to-day.
More about Allison Orr ‘93
From sanitation workers to firefighters, power linemen to maintenance teams, Allison creates award-winning choreography with the people whose work sustains our everyday lives. Inspired by the beauty and virtuosity in the movement of labor, and building on her background in anthropology and social work, Allison has honed a methodology of ethnographic choreography that engages community members as co-authors and performers in the creation of large-scale civic spectacles. Challenging audiences to expand notions of dance and performer, her dances have been performed for audiences of 60 to 6,000+.
Learn more at: www.forkliftdanceworks.org
Location: Casa Artom Classroom | 45 min
Peter Kairoff, Professor of music, concert pianist, and former director of the WFU Venice Program
Dr. Kairoff offers an entertaining and insightful introduction to three centuries of musical masterpieces composed in Venice. Familiar works like Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and lesser-known compositions by Monteverdi, Gabrieli and others, will be discussed in their wider artistic and cultural contexts. How did the architecture of St. Mark’s inspire Gabrieli’s thrilling fanfares? How did the licentiousness of the Venetian carnevale indirectly affect the music of Vivaldi’s concerti? Dr. Kairoff will show how great music can offer profound insights into the past, while retaining the power to inspire and move us to this day.
Location: Casa Artom Classroom | 50 min
Friday, May 19 | Afternoon Sessions – Excursions
Monique O’Connell, WFU Professor of History
“Venice is sinking! Save Venice! International concern for the city of Venice focuses on the restoration or preservation of the buildings, bridges, and waterways of the so-called “floating city.” But in a city with more than 2,000 years of human history and less than 50,000 current residents, which past(s) should be preserved? Venice’s lagoon environment makes it a uniquely fragile place. Venetians and visitors alike agree that something must be done to save the current city from rising sea waters and the tides of tourists that inundate the historical center each year. But how to preserve a city that is often described as a living museum? What is it like to live in a museum?
Participants will have a “back to the classroom” experience with Dr. O’Connell. We will look at debates between proponents of restoration vs. conservation, consider how to balance international and local priorities in cultural heritage preservation, and ask about the costs and benefits of innovation and modernization in a historical site with living residents. The first part of the experience will take place in Casa Artom. After the classroom portion, there will be an optional, weather dependent walk through San Marco and to Santa Maria dei Miracoli so we can view some of the sites discussed.
1:00pm Class at Casa Artom | 2:00pm Coffee break | 2:30 – 3:30pm Walking tour
Allison Orr, Ethnographic Choreographer
Join Allison for a walking tour of Venice, stopping at some of her favorite off-the-beaten track spots, and visiting locals, including gondoliers, to gain an insider’s look at the city.
More about Allison Orr ‘93
From sanitation workers to firefighters, power linemen to maintenance teams, Allison creates award-winning choreography with the people whose work sustains our everyday lives. Inspired by the beauty and virtuosity in the movement of labor, and building on her background in anthropology and social work, Allison has honed a methodology of ethnographic choreography that engages community members as co-authors and performers in the creation of large-scale civic spectacles. Challenging audiences to expand notions of dance and performer, her dances have been performed for audiences of 60 to 6,000+.
Learn more at: www.forkliftdanceworks.org
A group visit has been reserved to explore Peggy Guggenheim’s former home, Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, located next door to Casa Artom on the Grand Canal. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is one of the most important museums of European and American art of the twentieth century in Italy.
Shaul Bassi, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice & Wake Forest Casa Artom
Shakespeare set two of his masterpieces in Venice, The Merchant of Venice and Othello, the Moor of Venice. No other city appears twice in his titles and no other city seems to be so important for the unfolding of his plots. What did Shakespeare know about the Republic of Venice? What attracted him to this cosmopolitan city that led him to set here the stories of two extremely controversial and endlessly fascinating outsiders? Did Shakespeare visit Venice? What are the most relevant sites in Venice that reveal a Shakespearean connection? What is the link between Shakespeare, Casa Artom and Ruth Bader Ginsburg? This cultural talk & walk will explore these issues and look at sources, sites, quotes linked to the plays.
Location: The meeting point for this session will be in the Jewish Ghetto for a 60-90 minute walking tour. Details will be provided to guests who sign up for this session.
Claudia Meneghetti, Professor of Italian at WFU Venice Campus
Dr. Meneghetti will hold an Italian workshop in one of the two museums of the Pinault Collection: Palazzo Grassi. The experience will provide the context for participants to create intercultural connections between the works of art and personal experiences and knowledge. Specifically, participants will be involved in creative activities around the art objects that will stimulate the discussion in Italian and in English according to the language level of the group.
Location: Palazzo Grassi Museum (approx. 10 min walk from Casa Artom)
More about the current exhibit CHRONORAMA: Photographic Treasures of the 20th century
Agnese Chiari, Art History
Dr. Agnese Chiari, Lecturer in Art Venice Program, expert in Venetian art of the Renaissance, and member of the Board of the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, offers a visit to the monumental headquarters of the Scuola, a lay confraternity founded in 1478 and the only one of the historic Scuole Grandi still surviving since the times of the Serenissima. It is a unique site, housing the most celebrated pictorial cycle by Jacopo Tintoretto, one of the greatest masters of the Cinquecento Venice. The paintings, illustrating episodes from the New and Old Testaments in more than 60 large canvases, are preserved in their original setting in a building that has hardly undergone any alteration since its construction in the 16th century.
Location: Scuola Grande di San Rocco
Monica Chojnacka, Historian
The Ghetto of Venice, where Jews were confined for more than 250 years, serves as testament to both Jewish history and Venetian history, as well as the deep connections between the two. During this historical visit, we will learn about the creation of the Ghetto, the political and religious context in which this occurred, and life in the Ghetto from its foundation in 1516 to its liberation in 1797. We will also discuss the fate of Venetian Jews during WWII.
3:00pm Guests will meet Dr. Chojnacka at the San Marcuola boat stop, accessible by vaporetto lines 1 and 2. Group size is limited due to the format of this walk and talk.
Caterina Cruciani, Economics
Last summer the number of people living in Venice dropped below 50,000 for the first time in modern memory. Even the casual tourist might have noticed that while luxury stores, bars and restaurants are plentiful, the same cannot be said for schools, parks and facilities targeted to the local population. While it may be too soon to say whether Venice is destined to become a theme park by the sea, the current structure of the city may be understood by turning to the story of a lesser known visionnaire – Giuseppe Volpi, Count of Misurata and unofficial last Doge of Venice.
Dr. Cruciani will lead an exploration of the economic history of Venice starting from the rooftop terrace of Fontego dei Tedeschi, one of the best views of Venetian rooftops from a historical building renovated to become a luxury mall. While walking across the Rialto bridge and nearby areas, we will discuss the origin of the idea of Venice as a luxury destination and consider the boundaries of the city. Our tour will conclude at the Frari Church to learn about the fate and fortunes of Guiseppe Volpi.
3:00pm – 4:15pm Walking Tour | Meeting point details will be provided to guests who select this engagement event.
Caterina Cruciani holds a PhD in Economics from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice where she is Assistant Professor in Financial Markets and Institutions in the Department of Management. She teaches Introduction to the Italian Economy at Casa Artom. Caterina’s research revolves around how people make decisions from trusting institutions to selecting financing choices, with a special focus on sustainability. Venice and its sustainability are more than a research interest for Caterina, who calls the city home (even if she lives in Mestre, but after the tour you will have no problem in calling it Venice too).
Important note:
Refund Policy
Cancellation requests must be submitted by January 10, 2023 in order to receive a refund.
On or before January 10, 2023, refunds will be processed less a $75 fee per person to cover administrative costs.
Due to the advance financial commitment required to secure event space and vendors in Venice, we are unable to provide refunds after January 10, 2023. We appreciate your understanding.
To cancel or modify your registration, return to the event registration portal and enter your confirmation number (refer to your “Registration Confirmed” email). If you need assistance locating your confirmation number, return to the registration page and submit a request to have it resent to you.