Within the Empathic Movement (Empathism) there are a significant number of exponents who operate throughout Italy and beyond.
It all started in 2017 with the creation of the Cilento Poetry Prize and 2018 with the foundation of Salento Cilento “The Poetry Village”. Later, in 2019, we have the official foundation of the Centro Contemporaneo delle Arti on initiative by myself, Menotti Lerro, together with a large group of artists and teachers at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts. The same Center worked and works constantly for the elevation of the territories and of Art and there are many artistic-cultural initiatives promoted in Italy, but often also involving protagonists of the international scene, including the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2019, Olga Tokarczuk, and the international stars of cinema and music Tomas Arana and David Jackson.
Starting from Northern Italy, we find a large and very authoritative group of intellectuals who act in the name of the Empathic Movement.
The poet Gian Mario Villalta is the artistic director of the “Pordenonelegge” Literary Festival. In Milan, “La Casa della Poesia” directed by the poet and critic Maurizio Cucchi, also the Honorary President of the Contemporary Arts Centre (formerly Franco Loi), is worth mentioning. In Como, “La Casa della Poesia” directed by Laura Garavaglia with the international festival “Europa in versi”. In Rome, the “Movimento Bambino” of the psychotherapist and writer Maria Rita Parsi. In the same city, Dacia Maraini, with the Mondadori Literary Magazine “Nuovi Argomenti”. Still in Rome, Anna Maria Galeotti, director of the National Academy of Dance. In Viterbo, Rosanna Schiralli and Ulisse Mariani with “La Rete delle Scuole dell’Empatia”.
Franco Mussida (formerly PFM) founded the “CPM Music Institute” in Milan, while Antonello Pelliccia was the director of the Design section at the Brera Academy. Still among the “Empathic Masters” we have the directors of historic publishing houses Giuliano Ladolfi in Borgomanero and Sandro Gros-Pietro in Turin. The poets Milo De Angelis, Giancarlo Pontiggia and Mario Santagostini have directed important literary magazines and anthologies. Alberto Bertoni and Davide Rondoni are among the founders of the Contemporary Poetry Centre at the University of Bologna. Franco Arminio curates a Literary Festival in Irpinia. He is the director of the “Centre for Humanistic Health” at the University of Reading (UK) Andrew Mangham.
Maria Mazziotti Gillan directs an “Academic Center for Contemporary Poetry” in the United States. Lidia Vianu directs the “Center for Translation of Contemporary Poetry” in Romania. In the same country, Marius Chelaru acts as director of the magazine “Poezia”. Gabriela Fantato is President of the House of Poetry at Trotter. Marco Baudinelli directs the Academy of Carrara. Giacomo Maria Prati is a management official of the Ministry of Culture, in service at the Pinacoteca di Brera-Biblioteca Braidense. The Ugo Guidi House Museum in Forte dei Marmi and the “Giambattista Vico” Foundation in the province of Salerno are part of the Movement.
Francesco Massanova is the Dean of the “Parmenide” Classical High School in Vallo della Lucania, while Ester Andreola is the Dean of the “Sabatini-Menna” Art High School in Salerno. Carmela Santarcangelo is the Dean of the “Torquato Tasso” Classical High School in Salerno. Rai and Mediaset journalists Paolo Guzzanti, Ottavio Rossani, Vittoriana Abate, Luigia Sorrentino and Pasquale Scaldaferri. Television and print journalists from the provinces of Naples and Salerno are Vito Sansone, Maria Grazia Petrizzo, Erminia Pellecchia, Francesco Sampogna and Peppe Iannicelli.
Rosa Giulio is Co-director of the magazine “Studi Italiani”. Luigi Rossi was Dean of the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Salerno. Maria Teresa Chialant was Dean of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at the University of Salerno. Diana Nese represented, as President, the Italian Federation of Women in the Arts, Professions and Business, in the Cilento-Elea section of the Province of Salerno.
Antonio Perotti curates multiple art exhibitions. Raffaella Bonaudo is the Superintendent of Cultural and Landscape Heritage of Salerno and Avellino. Vittoriana Abate, Roberto Guidetti and Antonia Cartolano are television journalists. Renato Galbusera curates art exhibitions. Wilma Leone is the official responsible for the Museum System and the book heritage of the Province of Salerno. Nello Teodori is the director of the Donkey Museum of Perugia. Rosa Maria Vitola is responsible for the Demo-ethno-anthropological and Intangible Heritage sector for the Superintendency of Salerno and Avellino. Maurizio de Giovanni hosted “La Biblioteca dei Sentimenti” on Raitre. Stefano Nasti and Fabrizio Scomparin founded and direct the art group “Kaos 48”. Antonio Bandirali is the President of the Artists’ Circle of Varese.
Among the first founders of the Contemporary Arts Center were the late literary critics and emeritus academics Alessandro Serpieri and Giorgio Bàrberi Squarotti, as well as the philosopher Remo Bodei. Rosanna Lupi was the President of the “Camaiore” Literary Prize. The poet Najwan Darwish is one of the main advisors of the “Festival of Literature in Palestine”. Ettore Barra directs the historical-literary magazine “Riscontri”. The critic Francesco D’Episcopo has directed several magazines. Michele Murino founded and directs the Velia-Teatro Festival in the province of Salerno.
In conclusion, the action of the Empathic Movement (through Empathic Masters) is therefore quite consistent, it goes from the North to the South of Italy with peaks of excellence abroad and has created a new, unexpected artistic-cultural ferment in the world of literature and the arts tout court.
Empathism: Here all the “Empathic Masters” of the Movement at 2025 – Corriere di Puglia e Lucania
