Casina Settarte, little house of seven arts

Founded by Germana SicilIani and Francesco Zita in 1993 in Ostuni, Puglia, South Italy, Casina Settarte is a residential centre for creative development and somatic education alongside the practice of sustainability, a place of research and experimentation surrounded and influenced by nature.

From the beginning until 2010, Casina Settarte organized international seminars inviting teachers and practitioners coming from all over the world to share knowledge about different scenic arts like theatre, physical theatre, clowning, singing, contact improvisation, dance improvisation, Butoh dance, martial arts.

Yoga retreats, chi kung, massages, meditation, Tai chi

Most of these arts have a common starting point: the ‘ Somatic’ work, that refers to the whole person, bringing awareness to the physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual. The somatic field include both very ancient eastern practices (chi kung, massages, yoga, meditation, Tai chi) and western practices  developed from 1920 onward (Feldenkrais, Alexander, Body Mind Centering, Rolfing, Authentic Movement, Biodinamic Craniosacral). The seminars took place in the countryside and created a world where nature and creativity lived side by side.

The association Casina settarte, in collaboration with institutions (Comune di Bari, Alberobello, Ostuni, Regione Puglia, University of Bari), other associations and public theatre organized performances, produced documentary, dance video , dance video festivals, performances with special need people and health education projects for teachers and students in local public schools.

This was an opportunity for  “Regione Puglia” to promote and valorize the architectonic and landscaped patrimony of the territory, performing in special places like ’piazze’, ‘chiostri’, ‘masserie’ and in nature, creating a synergy among local associations, theatres , musicians and artists coming from all over the world.

In 2004 Germana e Francesco purchased a 4 hectare  property in the Itria Valley, between  Ostuni and Cisternino, where they could settle down deep root, building a house, developing the land and creative life of Casina Settarte to realize more of their dreams of living and working sustainably.

In 2010 the association created a new  framework  where it was possible to live all year long, be in continuity with their previous interest and start collaborating with permaculture facilitators to develop the land and create projects and trainings in this area.

Today Casina settarte is also a home for promotion, experimentation, meetings and discussion about permaculture. We believe strongly in a holistic approach to life whereby caring for Mother Earth, the personal development  of the individual and their relationship to all existing organisms goes hand in hand and have equal  value.

In the past years, from 2010 onward, beside the somatic  workshops we have organized seminars of water management, soil management, gardening, designing and implementing a  food forest and a full Permaculture PDC by the British Accademy of Permaculture. We also host many laboratories, ranging from natural colors, making recycled paper, natural rubber stamps, zen drawings, ceramics, illustration, wood carving, cocciopesto, cob work. Healing the earth, healing the self, sharing resources equally.