OUR PROJECTS –
THE ETERNAL DUALITY
COSA E’ ARTE?
LOVEITALY CHALLENGE
OUR TEAM –
We are a team of volunteers aged between 18 to 35 who share a passion for art and culture. From diverse backgrounds and all corners of the world, we demonstrate our commitment by creating new opportunities for younger generations, taking pride in diversity and teamwork as our core strengths.
Francesca Grassi
IUVART TEAM MANAGER
BOARD MEMBER OF LOVEITALY
Francesca Grassi
Rome, Italy
Francesca, a management engineering graduate, is a Manager in Technology Consulting at EY Advisory SpA since 2017. She has an extensive experience in digital transformation projects governance and business process analysis, mainly in payments and financial services industry.
As a member of LoveItaly’s Board of Directors, she is responsible for coordinating the IUVART team in the definition and development of initiatives.
“I am thrilled to be part of IUVART team where the differences in our approaches blend and enrich us all, creating added value in the initiatives we carry out together.”
Cristina Bianco Chinto
HEAD OF
PUBLIC AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Cristina Bianco Chinto
Rome, Italy
Cristina has degrees in Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa from the University of Turin and in Government and Politics from Luiss Guido Carli. She has focused on iconoclasm, the destruction of the artistic and cultural heritage in Arab countries, and the cultural policies of the XVII Legislature in Italy.
Cristina participated in the Luiss Art Laboratory where she organized exhibitions and drafted related catalogues for the University. She is passionate about art, music and social theatre. She currently handles regional monitoring and institutional relations.
“We work with commitment and passion to give opportunities to other young artists.”
Anna Perez-Cardenas
HEAD OF
COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING
Anna Perez-Cardenas
Madrid, Spain
Anna graduated from DePaul University with a bachelor’s degree in history and Italian.
Raised in Chicago and Guadalajara, she’s passionate about cultural heritage, especially the preservation of historical buildings. Since 2016, she’s been involved in Chicago’s Italian community through work at the city’s first Italian international school, writing a senior capstone on Italian women post-WWII, and studying abroad in Rome. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in advanced studies in Museums and Historical and Artistic Heritage in Madrid.
“As a young graduate with a passion for exploration, I belong at IUVART!”
FRANCESCA BRIZZI
HEAD OF PR
Francesca Brizzi
London, UK
Francesca, a graduate in History of Art and Cultural Heritage, is a Director at a London-based communications agency specialising in art and culture. She leads international media and communication strategies for cultural institutions, ministries, and art foundations. With experience spanning Italy, the UK, the Middle East, and the US, she has worked across art criticism, curation, and cultural diplomacy.
She coordinates the IUVART team in developing communication and cultural initiatives.
“I joined IUVART because I believe the conversation on Italian heritage must evolve to meet contemporary purposes: keeping our past alive through present voices.”
Flaminia Grassi
PROJECT MANAGER
Flaminia Grassi
Rome, Italy
Flaminia holds a Master’s degree in Management Engineering and has been working since 2020 as a project management consultant on complex public sector initiatives. She has gained broad experience in international consulting firms such as PwC, KPMG, and Deloitte, with a focus on PMO, process optimization, requirements analysis, and executive reporting.
With a multidisciplinary background and a curious, creative mindset, she is passionate about cultural heritage and the arts. She sings in a vocal ensemble and has recently begun exploring watercolor painting.
“It is my imaginative spirit that drew me to this amazing organization!”
Riccardo Miotto
ORGANIZATION AND LOGISTICS
Riccardo Miotto
Paris, France
Riccardo is studying management and economics at LUISS University and has a great passion for art. His experience in the contemporary art field ranges from Nomas Foundation to the Foundation for Chinese Art in Italy.
Riccardo is heavily involved in organizations. He is the coordinator of the Volàno Roma team, and as the head of external and institutional relations at Culturit, he organized various conferences focusing on culture, technological innovation, and startups. He currently works with Smart City Group on innovative systems that transform our cities into the cities of the future.
“Helping young artists and highlighting various cultures will change our world for the better.”
Alfredo Martorelli
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Alfredo Martorelli
Venice, Italy
Alfredo is a philosophy researcher and curator. His work focuses on the deconstruction of the concept of Art, to trace glimmers of truth starting from aesthetics itself.
“Anyone can be an artist: art is in everything we do.”
Simone Mittelstaedt
ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGER
Simone Mittelstaedt
San Francisco, California
Simone is a painter who studied both visual arts and art history at Sarah Lawrence College, where she graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in the arts. Despite growing up in San Francisco, her family has maintained a strong connection to their Italian heritage which continues to inspire her promotion and exploration of Italian culture. Simone worked in person with the IUVART team in Rome in the Fall-Winter of 2024, and is currently based in San Francisco.
“The importance of art for communication and expression is immeasurable, it gives us insight to the past and informs our future.”
VIOLA DE MARTINI
CURATOR
Viola De Martini
Rome, Italy
Viola is an enthusiast of visual and audio-visual art, an art history under graduate, and an aspiring exhibition curator.
“In daily life I am in constant pursuit of beauty.”
MANFREDI ARNULFO
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATION
Manfredi Arnulfo
Rome, Italy
A trainee lawyer who graduated with honors in Law from the University of Roma Tre, Manfredi has gained legal experience in the international field with an internship in an American law firm and working as a legal consultant for Arella Film, a film production company. Manfredi is currently continuing his legal training, with a particular interest in the intersection between law, politics and culture.
“Culture is a right, art is a universal language: with IUVART, rights meet beauty.”
LUCY WADE
COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING
Lucy Wade
Merriam, Kansas
Lucy is a third-year student at the University of Colorado Boulder studying Information Science, focusing on the intersection of people and information. She is currently spending a semester studying abroad in Rome, where she will be taking classes on international communications and marketing through CIEE Rome’s program.
“I am so grateful to be a part of IUVART, as it allows me to support the preservation of Italian art and history: something I have always found inspiring.”
GABRIELA AVENDAÑO LÓPEZ
CURATOR
Gabriela Avendaño López
Madrid, Spain
Art historian and curator with a master’s degree in Museum and Heritage Management, Gabriela was born in Mexico and is now based in Madrid. She is passionate about art and cultural dissemination, with a specialization in contemporary art and experience in organizing international art fairs. Deeply inspired by Rome, her work fosters collaborations with Italian contemporary art galleries, exploring how modern creation continues to echo the grandeur of the Baroque.
“Being part of the IUVART team represents an opportunity to bridge past and present and to honor the enduring legacy of Baroque art and share its magnificence with new audiences.”
ECE SIPAHIOGLU
Ece Sipahioglu
Rome, Italy
Ece is an art professional and curator with experience across artist management, exhibition curation, and creative production. She has worked with art galleries and contemporary art fairs, managed online art platforms and artists, led artist and gallery relations, curated exhibitions, and directed all aspects of art project planning and execution. With a background in psychology, Ece brings an eclectic perspective that bridges artistic practice, storytelling, and organizational insight. Her work centres on supporting and empowering emerging artists through the curatorial and creative projects she develops and leads.
“I’m truly proud to be part of an international team dedicated to preserving, supporting, and promoting Italian cultural heritage. Contributing to IUVART allows me to merge my passion for contemporary art with a commitment to cultural preservation”
