We're very pleased to announce that three 2006 NIAUSI Fellows have been chosen from what may have been a record number of highly qualified applicants. The quality of the proposals was impressive and after much spirited discussion, a two-month Fellowship was awarded to Dan Corson, a Seattle-based artist/lighting designer. One-month Fellowships were awarded to Alan Maskin, an architect, and Miriam Ginsberg, a carpenter/artist.

The Fellows will take up residence at NIAUSI's facility in Civita di Bagnoregio for the length of their awards. With these three new Fellows, NIAUSI will have given more than 28 mid-career professionals the opportunity to continue their professional growth through study in Italy, allowing them to bring that experience into their work here in the Northwest.

As we reported in our flash announcement this summer, Civita di Bagnoregio, home to NIAUSI's Fellowship programs and the Civita Institute, was listed on the World Monuments Watch list of 100 Most Endangered Sites of 2006.

The biennial Watch list is a program of the World Monuments Fund. Professor Astra Zarina, Tony Costa Heywood, and NIAUSI together sponsored Civita's successful application for the Watch list. Civita's inclusion was in response to extensive deterioration of a large portion of the bluff upon which the town is situated.

The NIAUSI board will focus on making the best use of Civita's two years in the WMF limelight. In January 2006, board member Ross Whitehead will meet with our advocate at the World Monuments Fund, as well as potential donors, in New York City. Board members have also met with local geotechnical engineers in an effort to become conversant with the task at hand.

Over the coming months, we will be drawing up plans for the centerpiece of NIAUSI's effort, an international symposium focusing on the immediate stabilization and long-term preservation of the town, to be held at Civita in Spring of 2007. We envision this symposium being attended by Northwest and Italian geotechnical engineers, conservators, architects and landscape architects, politicians, and others with a stake in Civita's future.

View our listing online

For this symposium to be a success without detracting from our fellowships and Civita Institute, NIAUSI must considerably increase its fundraising efforts. We ask all who care about Civita to consider a (tax deductible!) donation to NIAUSI in support of our efforts. Just click on the donate button above and please earmark donations by inputing "Symposium" in the text field.

Locally, coordination between NIAUSI and the WMF is being handled by board member Ross Whitehead. In Europe, all inquiries should be made to Professor Zarina. For direct World Monuments Fund inquiries, please contact Holly Evarts, Director of Public relations at (646) 424-9594.

Join your friends and come celebrate NIAUSI's year of success.

Celebrate our success in getting Civita di Bagnoregio designated as one of the world's 100 most endangered sites by the World Monuments Fund and help us raise funds for Civita's future and NIAUSI's Civita programs.

Meet our 2006 Fellows.

Bid on exotic vacation spots in Civita, the San Juan Islands and Vancouver BC with all auction proceeds going to support our fellowship program.

Friday, November 11, 6-9 pm at Current, 629 Western Avenue, Seattle. Map

View Invitation