The Italian Cultural Institute of Zurich, in collaboration with the InnovaComix International Comics Festival and the La Nona Arte cultural association of Lugano, launches the first edition of the “Premio: un fumetto per l'emigrazione italiana” (Prize: a comic for Italian emigration), an international competition dedicated to the graphic narration of the Italian presence in Switzerland.
The initiative was created with the aim of stimulating an artistic and cultural reflection on a complex and multifaceted historical phenomenon, whose roots reach back to the end of the nineteenth century and extend to the present day, also involving the new generations of Italians living in the Confederation. The project intends to promote a structured narrative of the Italian presence in Switzerland and to highlight its contribution to the country's economic and social development.
The competition invites comic artists to narrate, through the language of comics, both the macro dimension of migration and the personal stories that have marked the Italian experience in Switzerland. From the first migratory waves linked to agricultural work and the great infrastructure projects, to the more recent events related to integration and full social participation, the prize aims to build a broad and contemporary narrative.
Participants must submit an original work in colour of at least 40 pages, accompanied by an exhibition project that makes it possible to transform the comic into an exhibition, selecting the most representative scenes and adapting them to an exhibition format.
