Culture on the Road with OSA workshops Returning to ‘in-person’ sharing and learning
We are in an era where digital technology is becoming the protagonist of our lives. The aftermath of the recent pandemic has also accentuated this trend by making practices such as working from home, distance learning and Zoom meetings customary. As always, every evolution comes with positive and negative effects, as well as new social balances and approaches. These “contemporary customs” have made their way into every aspect of our daily lives and jobs, even into the world of art, design and the like, introducing new systems of communication, such as the Metaverse, new concepts of art, for example, the NFTs, and new ways to research and purchase luxury goods, which, until recently, we all used to buy “in person” in a physical point of sale. But things have changed, as collectors increasingly use means such as Instagram, online platforms or web auctions to make their purchases without previewing the actual pieces. Similarly, education and specialized workshops in arts and crafts are being transformed into online academies, with short courses that can be purchased and enjoyed from the comfort of home, any time, as if they were tutorials.
This seems to be the way forward, yet some are going against the tide: a new movement that embraces the values of uniqueness, authenticity and sharing with others, and not through a screen! Nevertheless, one cannot ignore the growing and inevitable need to find a balance between our contemporary technological life and nature, namely, being away from the cities and adopting rhythms that are appropriate to humans and in harmony with nature. In the world of creativity, where artists and designers act as spokespeople, one cannot overlook the growing need to relate to nature and human beings to initiate creative processes aimed at finding inspiration, engaging with different people and places to broaden one’s vision and subsequently convey this rich newly-acquired content through one’s artworks.
We would like to tell you about a project that embodies precisely these values and is creating a community of creative people from all areas of culture: design, art, journalism, dance, graphics, writing, film and photography. A nomadic community that combines traveling and exploring with sharing and experiencing creativity, guided and inspired by outstanding mentors.
The name of this workshop project is OSA and its creator is Roberto Marone, who is also the founder of the notorious OTTO venue in Milan. The idea is to make culture travel, identify magical and unique places worldwide and allow participants to discover them together, approaching creativity and everyday life with a community spirit. The aim is to renew an ‘analog approach’ to creativity, bringing together participants of all ages and backgrounds to learn and explore. As the Italian base for this project, Roberto has chosen the marvelous island of Stromboli, which is widely known for its extraordinary uniqueness: black beaches and a living volcano that provides unique energy to very special workshops.
The choice of this location is not random, but is closely linked to the purpose of the workshop and represents a particular Italianity that maintains cultural authenticity linked to a unique territory. This vision heralds interesting near-future scenarios, namely the diffusion of a new ‘nomadic culture’, where contamination and discussion take on new positive meanings, bringing “in-presence encounters” back: glances and authenticity that lead to long-lasting works shared with an expanding community.
We had the pleasure of talking to Roberto Marone, the creator of this ongoing project. Below is the interview
When and how was the OSA workshop project born?
OSA is a project that started in the midst of Covid, which may not sound too promising. However, this spell of fear, loneliness and absence gave life to a great desire for change and sharing. We longed to meet people, be outdoors, discover new things, be active and travel. In essence, we longed for life.
Looking into the distance became much harder than before, but beyond this nightmare, we could shyly envisage something, which is exactly what inspired the OSA project.
What is the aim of the workshops?

To retreat to a magical place, far away from our daily routines, where we can nourish our passions together with a person we love.
How and where do the residencies take place?
For now, in the Aeolian Islands, Lanzarote, and soon in Marrakesh! One of our goals is to offer an escape from the winter months.
What are the themes of the workshops?
Everything! Design, art, journalism, dance, graphics, writing, film and photography. We’ve already done so many things.
Who can participate and who are the workshop leaders?
Everyone can participate, and that’s the beauty of OSA: professionals, amateurs, the young and the old. We don’t care about background, culture and financial possibilities. We try to keep it as open as possible. As for mentors, we were delighted to have prominent personalities representing different fields of creativity. We had Daria Bignardi, Olimpia Zagnoli, Francesco Costa, Sara Ricciardi, Andrea De Sica and Nadia Terranova. They are truly special, lovely and talented people.
Do the participants create artworks during the workshops?
If so, do they remain at OSA?
 It depends. Sometimes the participants keep them, sometimes we publish them. Recently, we donated all our works to the Stromboli Library to share this heritage with the community.
What are Osa’s future plans?
Putting on three cycles of workshops every year in three different places around the world is already quite challenging, however, we have so many things in mind, even changing the format or the target audience. But we plead the Fifth Amendment, and we’ll say nothing about it! After all, we have already unveiled our next location: Marrakech
