Circolo Amici del Tadini

The Circolo Amici del Tadini ("Friends of the Tadini Circle") is a purely cultural, non-profit association based in Lovere, a town on the western shore of Lake Iseo in the Province of Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy. It was constituted on 4 April 1954, in accordance with the wishes of Francesco Zitti, the last descendant of an old Lovere family distinguished by its Garibaldian and Risorgimento traditions, who died on 8 October 1953. In his holographic will, drawn up in Lovere on 7 September 1952, Zitti left the greater part of his estate to the Istituto di Belle Arti Tadini and stipulated that his lakeside home, known as Villa Zitti, should house "a Circolo Amici del Tadini" open to anyone convinced of the educational importance of the Institute and of the need to keep it free from partisan influence and outside interference, on payment of a subscription fee. The association's purpose is to contribute to the conservation, enhancement and growth of the artistic and cultural patrimony of the Fondazione Accademia di Belle Arti Tadini ONLUS, providing patronage and financial support for the cultural and educational aims set out by the founder Luigi Tadini in his will. It also promotes conferences, artistic events, publications and symposia intended to spread knowledge of the Institute and its collections. After renouncing the Villa Zitti premises in favour of the owning body, the association has been based since 2008 at the Istituto di Belle Arti Tadini in Piazza Garibaldi 5, Lovere. Since January 2022 it has also had an operational office at Via Matteotti 1, open to the public on Wednesday afternoons from 15:00 to 17:00. The Circolo is one of the founding members of the Associazione culturale di promozione sociale Luigi Tadini Lovere ETS, established in 2018 alongside the Fondazione to administer the cultural activity of Count Luigi Tadini, including the music schools, the historic concert season begun in 1927, and festivals such as Onde Musicali sul lago d'Iseo and Le 2 Rive del Jazz. As a membership-based cultural association rather than a commercial company, the Circolo Amici del Tadini operates in the non-profit cultural sector, supporting one of Italy's historic art academies and its museum, library and archive in the Sebino-Camuno area.

The Circolo Amici del Tadini owes its existence to Francesco Zitti, the last descendant of an old Lovere family known for its Garibaldian and Risorgimento traditions. Zitti died on 8 October 1953. In his holographic will, written in Lovere on 7 September 1952, he left the greater part of his estate to the Istituto di Belle Arti Tadini and directed that his lakeside home, Villa Zitti, should host a "Circolo Amici del Tadini" open to anyone who recognised the educational importance of the Institute and the need to keep it free from partisan influence and outside interference, on payment of a subscription fee. In accordance with those wishes, the association was constituted in Lovere on 4 April 1954 as a purely cultural, non-profit body. Its stated purpose was to contribute to the conservation, enhancement and growth of the artistic and cultural patrimony of the Fondazione Accademia di Belle Arti Tadini ONLUS, offering patronage and financial support for the cultural and educational aims set out by the founder Luigi Tadini in his will, and promoting conferences, artistic events, publications and symposia to broaden knowledge of the Institute. Over time the association renounced the Villa Zitti premises in favour of the owning body. From 2008 it has been based at the Istituto di Belle Arti Tadini in Piazza Garibaldi 5, Lovere. In January 2022 it opened an operational office at Via Matteotti 1, open to the public on Wednesday afternoons from 15:00 to 17:00. The Circolo is also one of the founding members of the Associazione culturale di promozione sociale Luigi Tadini Lovere ETS, established in 2018 alongside the Fondazione Accademia di belle arti Tadini ONLUS to administer the cultural activity of Count Luigi Tadini. That association manages the Accademia Tadini music schools, founded by Count Luigi Tadini in 1829; organises and promotes musical offerings including the historic Stagione dei Concerti, begun in 1927, and the Festival Onde Musicali sul lago d'Iseo; spreads contemporary music with a focus on jazz through the itinerant summer festival Le 2 Rive del Jazz; collects, studies and preserves archival and material testimony of local contemporary history from the First World War onward; and develops photography-related activities. Its founding members are the Fondazione Accademia di belle arti Tadini ONLUS, the Comune di Lovere, the Parrocchia di Lovere and the Circolo Amici del Tadini. Through this role, the Circolo Amici del Tadini continues to support the museum, historic library and archive of the Accademia Tadini and the wider cultural life of the Lake Iseo area.

• 2022

  From January the association has an operational office at Via Matteotti 1, open to the public on Wednesday afternoons.

• 2018

  The Associazione culturale di promozione sociale Luigi Tadini Lovere ETS is established; the Circolo Amici del Tadini is one of its founding members.

• 2008

  After renouncing the Villa Zitti premises, the association is based at the Istituto di Belle Arti Tadini, Piazza Garibaldi 5, Lovere.

• 1954

  The Circolo Amici del Tadini is constituted in Lovere on 4 April as a purely cultural, non-profit association.

• 1953

  Francesco Zitti dies on 8 October.

• 1952

  Francesco Zitti draws up his holographic will in Lovere on 7 September, leaving most of his estate to the Istituto di Belle Arti Tadini and calling for a Circolo Amici del Tadini at Villa Zitti.

Non-profit cultural membership association supporting the Accademia Tadini's museum, library and educational mission.

1. 1Circolo Amici del Tadini - Accademia Tadiniaccademiatadini.it
2. 2CHI SIAMO - Accademia Tadiniaccademiatadini.it
3. 3Associazione Luigi Tadini - Accademia Tadiniaccademiatadini.it
4. 4Fondazione Accademia Tadini Onlus - Accademia Tadiniaccademiatadini.it
5. 5Circolo Amici del Tadini - Wikidatawikidata.org