Inspirations from Accademia
Whether you are a professional, a student or simply curious to discover what happens behind the scenes of an event, here you will find stories and tools to better understand the value and impact of these events in contemporary society.
A selection of content that tells the story of the world of exhibitions, events and major occasions from different perspectives, offering ideas for reflection, inspiration and further exploration.
Books
The Art of Gathering
Why do we meet in person, and what are the essential elements of an event that really works? In this book, Priya Parker explains the crucial importance of in-person gatherings in an increasingly digital world and offers a structured guide on how to design, manage and improve live events in order to make them truly memorable.
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
What makes a marketing communication memorable, capable of generating natural word of mouth and remaining in people’s minds over time? It is the “purple cow” factor, explains marketing expert Seth Godin—that is, the presence of an unconventional element that cannot fail to impress. Through examples and challenges addressed to the reader, this small classic shows how to always include an element of extraordinariness in one’s communication projects.
Six Memos for the Next Millennium
These lectures, prepared by Italo Calvino for Harvard, reflect on the values that must not be missing in literary texts and, more generally, in human communication. Facing complexity without heaviness, favouring economy of words in storytelling, using language precisely and clearly defining the message, harnessing the power of visual imagination and giving value to the complexity of the world: all elements that are essential in the work of a skilled communicator.
Podcast
Event Tech
The world of exhibitions and events is made up of encounters between human beings, but technology, as in every sector, is transforming how they are designed, experienced and managed. This podcast offers guidance for professionals who want to find their way in the world of digital innovation, exploring its opportunities and challenges.
Movies
Fyre
Rushed planning, inadequate logistical organisation, communication full of big promises that were never kept, and the withdrawal of most of the headline artists before the start of the event. The Fyre Festival was a disaster, and this Netflix documentary shows us what went wrong: to understand how to organise an event well, it is useful to know how it should not be done.
Abstract: The Art of Design
This Netflix series takes us inside the studios of illustrators, designers, photographers and architects, revealing the secrets behind their creations. Episode after episode, we see how each professional thinks, designs and innovates, and we discover how present design is in our everyday lives, far more than we might imagine.
7 Days Out
The Kentucky Derby, the Westminster Dog Show, a major League of Legends esports tournament, the refurbishment of the prestigious restaurant Eleven Madison Park, a Chanel haute couture fashion show and a NASA space mission: these events all have in common extremely meticulous preparation and logistical organisation, combined with attention to detail. This Netflix series shows it perfectly.
Kinky Boots
A struggling family-owned footwear company decides to reinvent itself in order to take part in Milan Fashion Week. It launches itself with a bold idea: producing shoes designed for the drag and queer world, breaking with its tradition and opening up new market perspectives. A highly entertaining film that reflects on the fashion system and the cultures that shape it.
Her
In this moving 2013 film directed by Spike Jonze, the story centres on a love affair between a man and a chatbot. It offers significant insights into our relationship with ourselves and with emerging applications of artificial intelligence.
Directly from Accademia...
Paper “The Role of Exhibitions in Economic Development”
Enrica Baccini, Director of the Research Center, and Antonia Ventura, researcher at Fondazione Fiera Milano and Academy lecturer, reflect in this paper on the role of exhibitions as true platforms based on knowledge exchange, network building, and the development of innovative ideas for economic growth.
Paper "Individual and Collective"
Francesco Luzzardi, tutor and educational project manager with a degree in philosophy, wrote a paper entitled “Individual and Collective: A Reflection on the Meaning of Collective Events as Opportunities for Sense-Making”, which explores the value of collective events for the community.