Artigianato e Palazzo 2025

From September 12 to 14 in the setting of Giardino Corsini appointment with the XXXI edition of the event dedicated to craftsmanship excellence

From 12 to 14 September 2025, Florence's Giardino Corsini will host the 31st edition of Artigianato e Palazzo, an event that has been celebrating Italian and European creative talent and craftsmanship excellence for over thirty years. The event, which combines art, design and social issues, offers a rich programme of exhibitions, site-specific installations and workshops, with over 100 master craftsmen from Italy and Europe.

The event, born from an idea by Neri Torrigiani - immediately welcomed with enthusiasm and supported by Giorgiana Corsini - is now promoted by the Giardino Corsini Association chaired by Sabina Corsini.

Principe Bvlgari Exhibition: Icons to Wear

This year's Principe Exhibition is dedicated to Bvlgari with the exhibition ‘Icons to Wear: When Accessories Tell a Story’. Jewellery and accessories created in the Florence workshop showcase the fusion of fine craftsmanship, innovation and cultural narrative. Creative director Mary Katrantzou emphasises how every Bvlgari creation becomes a timeless object, capable of combining history, design and Italian passion.

Artigianato e Palazzo offers unique experiences where art, design and craftsmanship come together:

“Delizia” by Edoardo Piermattei

A site-specific work commissioned from Edoardo Piermattei, “Delizia” is a large piece in pigmented concrete that blends history and innovation. Inspired by Renaissance triumphal tables and ephemeral architecture, the work recalls the Mannerist scenography of Buontalenti and Giambologna, reinterpreting them in a contemporary key. Over 4 metres high, “Delizia” plays with sweet and monumental forms, simulating the appearance of a giant pastry shop, while the concrete introduces a conceptual contrast between visual lightness and symbolic weight. The work invites visitors to reflect on the contemporary craftsman's ability to combine aesthetics, history and concept.

MACRO

Curated by interior designer Cosimo Bonciani, the exhibition ‘MACRO’ explores the transformation of handcrafted objects on a large scale. Selected artisans have reinterpreted their works, enhancing their dimensions and modifying their function. Among the most striking installations is a pair of giant legs emerging from the ceiling of the entrance hall of Palazzo Corsini, symbolising a “macro-visitor” who guides the viewer on an immersive journey where classical proportions are overturned. While retaining their practical utility, each object becomes a sensory and conceptual experience, inviting reflection on the role of the artisan in contemporary society.

Galleria dell’Artigianato: Cromatismi

Promoted by Artex – Centre for Artistic and Traditional Crafts of Tuscany, this collective exhibition explores the relationship between colour and matter in artistic craftsmanship. Curated by Jean Blanchaert and designed by Studio Lavanguardia, the exhibition highlights research into pigments, sustainability and historical techniques. The works on display reveal bold colours and a transformation of materials that combines tradition and contemporary experimentation, with artefacts ranging from ceramics to porcelain, decorative fabrics to design accessories.

La Grande Bellezza – The Dream Factory

Starhotels presents the project ‘La Grande Bellezza – The Dream Factory’, which combines contemporary patronage with the promotion of Italian high craftsmanship. The initiative celebrates the talent of master craftsmen through exhibitions, workshops and meetings, emphasising the link between tradition, creativity and innovation. The experience allows visitors to observe closely the creative process and meticulous care behind each artefact, from the selected materials to the design and the final product, confirming how craftsmanship can become a source of inspiration even in contemporary contexts.

The 2025 edition will devote ample space to young artisans and social projects. Artigianato e Palazzo dedicates ample space to the younger generation with Next Generation, an area reserved for young creatives who reinterpret traditional craftsmanship in a contemporary key.
The project “Craftsmanship that unites. Craftsmanship that includes” promotes the involvement of social cooperatives and inclusive workshops, thanks to the support of the Waldensian Church's Otto per Mille funds. Among the organisations present are Comunità di San Patrignano, Sant'Egidio, Pantagruel, Talking Hands and Cartiera, which transform craftsmanship into a tool for inclusion and social work.

Italian and international craftsmanship

Over 100 masters from Italy and Europe (England, Germany, France, Denmark, Belgium, Russia, Uzbekistan) exhibit jewellery, ceramics, textiles, sculptures and home accessories. Tradition, innovation and sustainability come together in unique artefacts, enhancing ancient techniques and contemporary experimentation.

Awards and special initiatives

Among the initiatives:

Perseo Award: assigned by public vote to the best exhibitor.
Giorgiana Corsini Award: chosen by the Promoting Committee, it guarantees a complimentary space at the next edition in 2026.
Fundraising campaign ‘Abbraccia la Loggia del Buontalenti’ (Embrace Buontalenti's Loggia): for the restoration of the loggia and monumental areas of Palazzo Corsini, a symbol of the encounter between art and craftsmanship.

History of Artigianato e Palazzo

Artigianato e Palazzo was founded in Florence in 1995, based on an idea by Neri Torrigiani and promoted by Giorgiana Corsini, with the aim of preserving and promoting high-quality craftsmanship, the value of handmade items and attention to detail.

The name itself is intended to evoke and highlight the strong social relevance of the artisan, whose workshop once thrived around the Palazzo, understood as a “showcase” and place of experimentation. This allowed for continuous exchange with clients of all social classes and offered artisans the opportunity to benefit from a direct relationship with the population as guardians of social aesthetics.

While rooted in the most ancient artisan tradition, it aims to highlight the contemporary nature of craftsmanship in order to promote its figure, work and role in the cultural and commercial context, as a high expression of quality and technique.

The exhibition brings together and presents a new selection of artisans every year and is produced by the Giardino Corsini Association, currently chaired by Sabina Corsini.

Artigianato e Palazzo
12–14 September 2025
Open all day from 10 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.
Giardino Corsini
Via della Scala, 115
Via Il Prato, 58

Admission
Minimum donation €10.00
Free admission for all young people under 30 registered on the coopfirenze.it Under30 portal
Free admission on Friday 12 September from 10:00 to 13:00 for FAI members

For information
www.artigianatoepalazzo.it