Description

Zo is a “factory” planning and producing cultural events, connected in the net with similar international structures, that promotes the diffusion of all contemporary artistic and cultural expressions. Zo is a space continously changing itself, born in order to receive multidisciplinary events introducing each time different requirements and characteristics and to test, therefore, new ways of presenting events.

Former use: Sulphur Factory

Total surface of the site: 1600 Mq (1100 Mq covered)

Location: City

Foundation year of the centre: 2001

Type of occupation: Lease contract

Owner of the building: Municipality of Catania

Infrastructures / Facilities

1) THE GREEN ROOM

which accomodates most of the events is 300 sq. m. with a fold-away seating area of 204 places; concerts, plays, theatrical performances, dance floor and video showings are all possible here. The green room is equipped with lighting system, audio and video.

2) THE GREY ROOM
Conceived mainly as an exhibition area, the grey room also works as a chill-out zone during dance-floor events area. It covers an area of about 80 msq.

3) THE TRAINING AREA
All of 130 sq. m. is connected to changing rooms and bathrooms to guarantee the dancers and performers all necessary comforts.

4) RESTAURANT AND REFRESHING AREA
Housed in the part of the factory where sulphur was processed, and trace of the original brickword can be seen in the innovativerennovation work of the building. It’s a convivial, lively place to drink, eat, host performances and musical events or intimate readings for a small groups.

5) THE BOOK SHOP / MEETING POINT
Is an internet access point with a vast selection of cultural material and also offers a collection of magazines and texts on the arts.

6) OFFICES
The room of direction and management of the all events

7) LABORATORY
The soundproof room wich is connected to the recording studio Katanga Sound offers groups the possibility to rehearse and execute recording sessions.

Social and artistic disciplines

Zo’s cultural activities are divided into five main areas: bimonthly programme, productions
and co-productions, workshops, artist’s residencies, festivals. Each area has an individual
identity and its own methodology of work, but also has an interaction with the other areas.
In this way the contact between the different artistic activities becomes inevitable and
productive.

 Programme
The cultural activities, based on bimonthly planning, is divided into cycles and series.
Each cycle has a precise editorial line that is developed during the year through single
events inside the two monthly programme. The series consist of individual performances
wich take place over a number of days.

 Production
The production of events belonging different artistic fields is one of the most important
activity of the Centre. The productions of international artists are often tied to the festivals and
aimed at the cultural exchanges with local resources. Moreover Zo has a constant interest
in sustaining local artists’ productions.

 Training
At the Centre’s educational activities take place every day and offer different teaching levels.
Workshops for university students without experience, specialization courses for students
with good preparation, highly specialized workshops with international artists.

 Residencies
There are two kinds of residencies: one permanent for local artists who are sustained by the Centre
and one temporary for national and foreign artists, with the aim of creating workshops and
cultural exchanges with the local artists.

 Festival
Festivals hosted by the Centre during the year have a programme lasting several days in succession
proposing shows, meetings, contests and productions.
Actually the two Festivals hosted by the Centre, are : festival mappe, and Festival SoFar.

Other structures/organisations resident on the site:

Within the Center there are two workshops:
1) "immateriali digitali", a service which works in the audiovisual, web and multimedia;
2) "Katanga Sound", a professional recording studio.

Other information : see plans