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‘We Rise by Lifting Others’ Festival: participatory art and somatic movement with Marinella Senatore
14–15 November 2026
With the We Rise by Lifting Others Festival, conceived in collaboration with the artist Marinella Senatore and in dialogue with the exhibition of the same name in our Art Studio, The Home of The Human Safety Net will, for one weekend, become an open space where art, movement and collective expression serve as concrete tools for human connection, social inclusion and community building, involving local residents, students, social workers and the wider community.
The programme comprises three events, each preceded by a guided tour of the ‘We Rise by Lifting Others’ exhibition in the Art Studio. The exhibition is an artistic project created by Marinella Senatore for The Home of The Human Safety Net, in dialogue with the permanent interactive exhibition A World of Potential, and arose from a participatory and transformative process involving families at risk of social exclusion, supported by The Human Safety Net and some of its partner NGOs in Warsaw, Mestre and Palermo. The festival is therefore an opportunity to explore a project that celebrates individual experiences and the power of collaboration, demonstrating how people’s voices and contributions can come together in a collective expression capable of creating a sense of belonging and new shared possibilities.
14 November, 10.30–11.30 am: Talk ‘Participatory Art and Social Impact’
The programme begins on Saturday morning with a conversation between Marinella Senatore and Pier Luigi Sacco, one of Europe’s leading experts on the economics of culture, social innovation and the impact of cultural practices on the wellbeing of individuals and communities.
How can art, culture and participation generate social capital, wellbeing, a sense of belonging and new forms of active citizenship? The session offers a reflection on the role of participatory art in building relationships, strengthening social bonds and fostering community growth, to explore how shared cultural experiences can generate value and bring about social transformation.
Registration link: reservation link
14 November, 4.00–6.00 pm: Somatic Movement and Body Percussion Workshop (1)
Led by Marinella Senatore and inspired by the methods developed through The School of Narrative Dance, this first workshop invites participants to explore somatic movement and body percussion as a practice of listening, connection and participation. Through the body, gestures and interaction with others, each person will be able to share experiences, memories and skills, contributing to a collective creative process.
The body thus becomes a common language, capable of connecting people beyond cultural, generational and social differences. Through mutual listening, collaboration and a horizontal approach to learning, individual gestures begin to form a shared expression. An experience to explore new forms of connection and discover how participation can strengthen bonds, promoting inclusion, solidarity and empowerment.
Participants may take part in both sessions or just one
Registration link: reservation link
15 November, 11.00–13.00: Somatic Movement and Body Percussion Workshop (2)
The second workshop, led by Marinella Senatore, continues the exploration of somatic movement through listening, interaction and collaboration. Participants will be involved in creating a collective performance in which every gesture and every individual contribution becomes part of a shared composition, capable of connecting people, communities and public space.
The work forms part of a creative process inspired by the methods of ‘The School of Narrative Dance’ and celebrates movement as a common language, capable of bridging differences and transforming individual energies into a collective experience.
Participants may take part in both sessions or just one.
Registration link: reservation link