Italian Cultural Institute in NY: From Rome to New York, Introducing CASTRO Projects

Photo by VNY Media, NYC.

On bringing an independent Roman initiative into dialogue with New York’s cultural landscape.

When Gaia Di Lorenzo founded CASTRO in Rome, her intention was simple and radical: to create a space where artists could work, think, and exchange ideas without the constraints of an institutional framework. Over time, that vision has grown into a model of generosity, one that privileges time, process, and conversation.

Introducing CASTRO to a New York audience felt like continuing that same gesture of openness. The evening at the Italian Cultural Institute was not a presentation, but a conversation. We spoke about how independent initiatives like CASTRO challenge conventional boundaries between residency, school, and community, and how they can offer a blueprint for rethinking support structures in larger cities.

What struck me most was how naturally the discussion connected Rome and New York, two places that operate on very different temporalities yet share a deep need for continuity and care. In both contexts, artists are building ecosystems of trust, finding ways to sustain dialogue across geographies and generations.

This encounter reaffirmed my belief that cultural exchange should not replicate existing systems, but expand the space of possibility. CASTRO is part of that larger movement, a reminder that new models of artistic practice often emerge from small, attentive gestures that grow into collective momentum.