Architecture and historic preservation, sustainability and environmental stewardship, agricultural heritage and slow food, plus cultural exchange are all linked. The Civita Institute was founded to provide unique, learning experiences from the Italian hill towns.

Vision Statement: Inspiring creative excellence, education, and cultural exchange through exploration of Italian hill towns.

Bylaws: As a Washington State nonprofit with 501(c)(3) U.S. tax status, the activities of the Board of Directors are guided by the Bylaws of The Civita Institute. You may read these Bylaws and its Exhibit B, Director in Good Standing Criteria and Director Code of Conduct Pledge here.

Of Historical Note: The Civita Institute Mission was crafted in 2007 by the late architect and Professor Astra Zarina, Anthony Costa Heywood, and the Board of Directors. It defined the intended use of the then-pending Zarina-Heywood donation of buildings, land, furnishings, and archives to The Civita Institute. In 2013, that donation was fully completed. The Board of Directors' gratitude for this Mission and the ultimate donation of the Zarina-Heywood estate is realized every day in its care of The Civita Institute facilities and international promotion of its Mission. 

 

The Civita Institute Fellowships, Educational Programs, and Archive Collections are located at these historic facilities of The Civita Institute in Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy. Located about 60 miles north of Rome, the facilities provide non-profit arts-focused studio space plus teaching and educational spaces for program participants. The Civita Institute does not offer lodging on a commercial basis. Use of the facilities is for Members only in which varying levels of Membership afford varying levels of use. This remarkable setting is a unique base for Civita Institute Fellows, Educational Program participants, and Members to explore dozens of significant hill towns, cities, and cultural sites between Rome and Florence, Tarquinia and L'Aquila. 

 

Working with citizens, cultural groups, local businesses, and partnering with the American Institute of Architects, American Society of Landscape Architects, and Croce Rossa Italiana Bagnoregio, The Civita Institute is devoted to its Mission of exploring the contemporary relevance of the hill towns of Lazio, Umbria, and Tuscany and the sustainability of their historic preservation, stabilization strategies, agricultural practices, and social / cultural activities.